Author: Ron Francis

Mike, a good word about focus on Truth and eternity. I am sure you could add much more. The opening words describing the difference are important. Jesus also spoke about suffering…at the hands of others:

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

BTW I think 1 Peter 3:8 is the only NT verse using the word:
συμπαθής sumpathēs soom-path-ace’ From G4841; having a fellow feeling (“sympathetic”), that is, (by implication) mutually commiserative: – having compassion one of another

And I find a lot of depth in the KJV use of pitiful, and Old John Gill captures the essence of how that would have once been understood:

be pitiful; to those that are in distress; put on bowels of mercy, and relieve and succour them, distributing cheerfully to their necessities:

Seen that way it is easy to understand….