# For whatever was previously written was written for our instruction "For in times past, the prophets wrote everything in the Scriptures to teach us". (Psalm 102:18 and Habakkuk 2:2) # in order that through patience and through encouragement of the scriptures "in order that by enduring and by being encouraged by the scriptures" or "in order that as we endure and as the scriptures encourage us" # we would have hope "we would confidently expect that God will do what he has promised"