Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose<n id="1" /> is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.<n id="2" />

But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in<n id="1" /> what has been written, &#8220;<b><i>I believed; therefore I spokei>b>,&#8221;<n id="2" /> we also believe, therefore we also speak.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Finally, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

And I wrote this very thing to you,<n id="1" /> so that when I came<n id="2" /> I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

But their minds were closed.<n id="1" /> For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read.<n id="2" /> It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away.<n id="3" />

For see what this very thing, this sadness<n id="1" /> as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves,<n id="2" /> what indignation,<n id="3" /> what alarm, what longing, what deep concern,<n id="4" /> what punishment!<n id="5" /> In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.