Bible Verses About Religious Zeal

We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.

For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me face to face,

Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.

Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts.

With him I am sending Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. You have already received instructions about him: If he comes to you, welcome him.

Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers

and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Brothers who are beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you,

because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction—just as you know we lived among you for your sake.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of your great suffering.

As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.

As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.

For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.

Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!

Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.

We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.

For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—