We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.

弟兄们，我们不要你们不晓得，我们从前在亚细亚遭遇苦难，被压太重，力不能胜，甚至连活命的指望都绝了；

弟兄们，我们不要你们不知道，我们从前在亚细亚遭遇苦难，因受到无法忍受的压力，甚至连活命的指望都没有了。

弟兄们，我们不要你们不知道，我们从前在亚细亚遭遇苦难，因受到无法忍受的压力，甚至连活命的指望都没有了。

弟兄姊妹，希望你们知道我们在亚细亚所遭遇的苦难。那时我们承受极大的压力，超过了我们的极限，甚至连活命的指望都没了。

弟兄们，我们在亚西亚遭受的患难，我们很想让你们知道。那时我们受到了过于我们所能忍受的压力，甚至活下去的希望都没有了，

弟兄们，我们不愿意你们不明白我们在亚细亚省所遭受的患难：我们所受的压力远远过于我们的承受能力，甚至连活下去的希望也没有了。

弟兄們，我們不要你們不曉得，我們從前在亞細亞遭遇苦難，被壓太重，力不能勝，甚至連活命的指望都絕了；

弟兄們，我們不要你們不知道，我們從前在亞細亞遭遇苦難，因受到無法忍受的壓力，甚至連活命的指望都沒有了。

弟兄們，我們不要你們不知道，我們從前在亞細亞遭遇苦難，因受到無法忍受的壓力，甚至連活命的指望都沒有了。

弟兄姊妹，希望你們知道我們在亞細亞所遭遇的苦難。那時我們承受極大的壓力，超過了我們的極限，甚至連活命的指望都沒了。

弟兄們，我們在亞西亞遭受的患難，我們很想讓你們知道。那時我們受到了過於我們所能忍受的壓力，甚至活下去的希望都沒有了，

弟兄們，我們不願意你們不明白我們從前在亞西亞所受的苦難，就是：極受重壓，出於力所能勝之外，甚至到了絕望，連活着的希望都沒有；

弟兄們，我們不願意你們不明白我們在亞細亞省所遭受的患難：我們所受的壓力遠遠過於我們的承受能力，甚至連活下去的希望也沒有了。

兄弟乎、我欲爾知、我在亞西亞遭難、見壓特甚、勢不克勝、至絕生望、

吾欲兄弟知、吾在亞西亞遭苦、見壓特甚、勢不可當、欲保生命、已絕其望、

兄弟、我不欲爾不知、我在亞西亞遭難、被迫特甚、勢不可當、致絕保生命之望、

吾儕在亞西亞所遭遇之患難、不欲兄弟不之知也。當時吾儕所受之困阨、實非人力之所能當者、且自謂必不能倖免矣。

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the hard times we had in Asia Minor. We were having a lot of trouble. It was far more than we could stand. We even thought we were going to die.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed— beyond our strength— so that we even despaired of life itself.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia: we were completely overwhelmed— beyond our strength— so that we even despaired of life.

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living.

For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

And what value was there in fighting wild beasts— those people of Ephesus— if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection,“ Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

There is a wide open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.

You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you.

About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way.It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy.He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:“ Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business.But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis— this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world— will be robbed of her great prestige!”At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting,“ Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him.Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there.The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak.But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours:“ Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak.“ Citizens of Ephesus,” he said.“ Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven.

Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said,“ Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself,‘ I won’t tell Jonathan— why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the Lord and by your own soul!”

But David kept thinking to himself,“ Someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.”