“Listen carefully ¹  to my words; let this be ²  the consolation you offer me. ³ 

“But woe ¹  to you who are rich, for you have received ²  your comfort ³  already.

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, ¹  encouragement, and consolation.

But if we are afflicted, ¹  it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

When they read it aloud, ¹  the people ²  rejoiced at its encouragement. ³ 

Now ¹  there was a man in Jerusalem ²  named Simeon who was righteous ³  and devout, looking for the restoration ⁴  of Israel, and the Holy Spirit ⁵  was upon him.

No one will take any food to those who mourn for the dead to comfort them. No one will give them any wine to drink to console them for the loss of their father or mother.

Then I would yet have my comfort, ¹  then ²  I would rejoice, ³  in spite of pitiless pain, ⁴  for ⁵  I have not concealed the words ⁶  of the Holy One. ⁷ 

so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them.

For just as the sufferings ¹  of Christ ²  overflow ³  toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you. ⁴ 

And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in ¹  our sufferings, so also you will share in ²  our comfort.

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ¹  any affection or mercy, ² 

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,

We were encouraged ¹  not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement ²  you gave ³  him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, ⁴  your deep concern ⁵  for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

Blessed is ¹  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

I ¹  have had great joy and encouragement because ²  of your love, for the hearts ³  of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

This ¹  is what comforts me in my trouble, for your promise revives me. ² 

For the household gods ¹  have spoken wickedness, the soothsayers have seen a lie, and as for the dreamers, they have disclosed emptiness and give comfort in vain. Therefore the people set out like sheep and become scattered because they have no shepherd. ² 

who comforts us in all our troubles ¹  so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble ²  with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit. ¹