Romans 15:4 : For whatsoever things were written at foretime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. Paul had just quoted a statement from Psalms 69:9. Romans 15:4 therefore refers to the Old Testament scriptures. The Old Testament scriptures were therefore not written alone for the benefit of those who then lived, but for us also. Patience is steadfastness--the quality of holding on under trying conditions. It does not seem that such a quality can be affirmed of the scriptures. Besides, it seems that the repetition of the preposition "through" in each phrase indicates that the phrase "of the scriptures" modifies only the word comfort. Hence, by steadfast-ness and by the comfort of the scriptures the Christian can have, or maintain, hope. It is therefore important that the Christian study the Old Testament.