6:1What may we say, then? are we to go on in sin so that there may be more grace? 6:2In no way. How may we, who are dead to sin, be living in it any longer? 6:3Or are you without the knowledge that all we who had baptism into Christ Jesus, had baptism into his death? 6:4We have been placed with him among the dead through baptism into death: so that as Christ came again from the dead by the glory of the Father, we, in the same way, might be living in new life. 6:5For, if we have been made like him in his death, we will, in the same way, be like him in his coming to life again; 6:6Being conscious that our old man was put to death on the cross with him, so that the body of sin might be put away, and we might no longer be servants to sin. 6:7Because he who is dead is free from sin. 6:8But if we are dead with Christ, we have faith that we will be living with him; 6:9Having knowledge that because Christ has come back from the dead, he will never again go down to the dead; death has no more power over him. 6:10For his death was a death to sin, but his life now is a life which he is living to God. 6:11Even so see yourselves as dead to sin, but living to God in Christ Jesus. 6:12For this cause do not let sin be ruling in your body which is under the power of death, so that you give way to its desires; 6:13And do not give your bodies to sin as the instruments of wrongdoing, but give yourselves to God, as those who are living from the dead, and your bodies as instruments of righteousness to God. 6:14For sin may not have rule over you: because you are not under law, but under grace. 6:15What then? are we to go on in sin because we are not under law but under grace? Let it not be so. 6:16Are you not conscious that you are the servants of him to whom you give yourselves to do his desire? if to sin, the end being death, or if to do the desire of God, the end being righteousness. 6:17But praise be to God that though you were the servants of sin, you have now given yourselves freely to that form of teaching under which you were placed; 6:18And being made free from sin you have been made the servants of righteousness. 6:19I am using words in the way of men, because your flesh is feeble: as you gave your bodies as servants to what is unclean, and to evil to do evil, so now give them as servants to righteousness to do what is holy. 6:20When you were servants of sin you were free from righteousness. 6:21What fruit had you at that time in the things which are now a shame to you? for the end of such things is death. 6:22But now, being free from sin, and having been made servants to God, you have your fruit in that which is holy, and the end is eternal life. 6:23For the reward of sin is death; but what God freely gives is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
7:1Is it not clear, my brothers (I am using an argument to those who have knowledge of the law), that the law has power over a man as long as he is living? 7:2For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband. 7:3So if, while the husband is living, she is joined to another man, she will get the name of one who is untrue to her husband: but if the husband is dead, she is free from the law, so that she is not untrue, even if she takes another man. 7:4In the same way, my brothers, you were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, even to him who came again from the dead, so that we might give fruit to God. 7:5For when we were in the flesh, the evil passions which came into being through the law were working in our bodies to give the fruit of death. 7:6But now we are free from the law, having been made dead to that which had power over us; so that we are servants in the new way of the spirit, not in the old way of the letter. 7:7What then is to be said? is the law sin? in no way. But I would not have had knowledge of sin but for the law: for I would not have been conscious of desire if the law had not said, You may not have a desire for what is another's. 7:8But sin, taking its chance through that which was ordered by the law, was working in me every form of desire: because without the law sin is dead. 7:9And there was a time when I was living without the law: but when the law gave its orders, sin came to life and put me to death; 7:10And I made the discovery that the law whose purpose was to give life had become a cause of death: 7:11For I was tricked and put to death by sin, which took its chance through the law. 7:12But the law is holy, and its orders are holy, upright, and good. 7:13Was then that which is good, death to me? In no way. But the purpose was that sin might be seen to be sin by working death to me through that which is good; so that through the orders of the law sin might seem much more evil. 7:14For we are conscious that the law is of the spirit; but I am of the flesh, given into the power of sin. 7:15And I have no clear knowledge of what I am doing, for that which I have a mind to do, I do not, but what I have hate for, that I do. 7:16But, if I do that which I have no mind to do, I am in agreement with the law that the law is good. 7:17So it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me. 7:18For I am conscious that in me, that is, in my flesh, there is nothing good: I have the mind but not the power to do what is right. 7:19For the good which I have a mind to do, I do not: but the evil which I have no mind to do, that I do. 7:20But if I do what I have no mind to do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me. 7:21So I see a law that, though I have a mind to do good, evil is present in me. 7:22In my heart I take pleasure in the law of God, 7:23But I see another law in my body, working against the law of my mind, and making me the servant of the law of sin which is in my flesh. 7:24How unhappy am I! who will make me free from the body of this death? 7:25I give praise to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So with my mind I am a servant to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin.
8:1For this cause those who are in Christ Jesus will not be judged as sinners. 8:2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 8:3For what the law was not able to do because it was feeble through the flesh, God, sending his Son in the image of the evil flesh, and as an offering for sin, gave his decision against sin in the flesh: 8:4So that what was ordered by the law might be done in us, who are living, not in the way of the flesh, but in the way of the Spirit. 8:5For those who are living in the way of the flesh give their minds to the things of the flesh, but those who go in the way of the Spirit, to the things of the Spirit. 8:6For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: 8:7Because the mind of the flesh is opposite to God; it is not under the law of God, and is not able to be: 8:8So that those who are in the flesh are not able to give pleasure to God. 8:9You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God is in you. But if any man has not the Spirit of Christ he is not one of his. 8:10And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 8:11But if the Spirit of him who made Jesus come again from the dead is in you, he who made Christ Jesus come again from the dead will in the same way, through his Spirit which is in you, give life to your bodies which now are under the power of death. 8:12So then, my brothers, we are in debt, not to the flesh to be living in the way of the flesh: 8:13For if you go in the way of the flesh, death will come on you; but if by the Spirit you put to death the works of the body, you will have life. 8:14And all those who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 8:15For you did not get the spirit of servants again to put you in fear, but the spirit of sons was given to you, by which we say, Abba, Father. 8:16The Spirit is witness with our spirit that we are children of God: 8:17And if we are children, we have a right to a part in the heritage; a part in the things of God, together with Christ; so that if we have a part in his pain, we will in the same way have a part in his glory. 8:18I am of the opinion that there is no comparison between the pain of this present time and the glory which we will see in the future. 8:19For the strong desire of every living thing is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God. 8:20For every living thing was put under the power of change, not by its desire, but by him who made it so, in hope 8:21That all living things will be made free from the power of death and will have a part with the free children of God in glory. 8:22For we are conscious that all living things are weeping and sorrowing in pain together till now. 8:23And not only so, but we who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we have sorrow in our minds, waiting for the time when we will take our place as sons, that is, the salvation of our bodies. 8:24For our salvation is by hope: but hope which is seen is not hope: for who is hoping for what he sees? 8:25But if we have hope for that which we see not, then we will be able to go on waiting for it. 8:26And in the same way the Spirit is a help to our feeble hearts: for we are not able to make prayer to God in the right way; but the Spirit puts our desires into words which are not in our power to say; 8:27And he who is the searcher of hearts has knowledge of the mind of the Spirit, because he is making prayers for the saints in agreement with the mind of God. 8:28And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose. 8:29Because those of whom he had knowledge before they came into existence, were marked out by him to be made like his Son, so that he might be the first among a band of brothers: 8:30And those who were marked out by him were named; and those who were named were given righteousness; and to those to whom he gave righteousness, in the same way he gave glory. 8:31What may we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 8:32He who did not keep back his only Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not with him freely give us all things? 8:33Who will say anything against the saints of God? It is God who makes us clear from evil; 8:34Who will give a decision against us? It is Christ Jesus who not only was put to death, but came again from the dead, who is now at the right hand of God, taking our part. 8:35Who will come between us and the love of Christ? Will trouble, or pain, or cruel acts, or the need of food or of clothing, or danger, or the sword? 8:36As it is said in the holy Writings, Because of you we are put to death every day; we are like sheep ready for destruction. 8:37But we are able to overcome all these things and more through his love. 8:38For I am certain that not death, or life, or angels, or rulers, or things present, or things to come, or powers, 8:39Or things on high, or things under the earth, or anything which is made, will be able to come between us and the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
9:1I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit, 9:2That I am full of sorrow and pain without end. 9:3For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh: 9:4Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God: 9:5Whose are the fathers, and of whom came Christ in the flesh, who is over all, God, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it. 9:6But it is not as if the word of God was without effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel: 9:7And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named. 9:8That is, it is not the children of the flesh, but the children of God's undertaking, who are named as the seed. 9:9For this is the word of God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son. 9:10And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac-- 9:11Before the children had come into existence, or had done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose and his selection might be effected, not by works, but by him whose purpose it is, 9:12It was said to her, The older will be the servant of the younger. 9:13Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate. 9:14What may we say then? is God not upright? let it not be said. 9:15For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and pity on whom I will have pity. 9:16So then, it is not by the desire or by the attempt of man, but by the mercy of God. 9:17For the holy Writings say to Pharaoh, For this same purpose did I put you on high, so that I might make my power seen in you, and that there might be knowledge of my name through all the earth. 9:18So then, at his pleasure he has mercy on a man, and at his pleasure he makes the heart hard. 9:19But you will say to me, Why does he still make us responsible? who is able to go against his purpose? 9:20But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so? 9:21Or has not the potter the right to make out of one part of his earth a vessel for honour, and out of another a vessel for shame? 9:22What if God, desiring to let his wrath and his power be seen, for a long time put up with the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction: 9:23And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory, 9:24Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles? 9:25As he says in Hosea, They will be named my people who were not my people, and she will be loved who was not loved. 9:26And in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be named the sons of the living God. 9:27And Isaiah says about Israel, Even if the number of the children of Israel is as the sand of the sea, only a small part will get salvation: 9:28For the Lord will give effect to his word on the earth, putting an end to it and cutting it short. 9:29And, as Isaiah had said before, If the Lord of armies had not given us a seed, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah. 9:30What then may we say? That the nations who did not go after righteousness have got righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: 9:31But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it. 9:32Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way; 9:33As it is said, See, I am putting in Zion a stone causing a fall, and a rock in the way: but he who has faith in him will not be put to shame.
10:1Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is, that they may get salvation. 10:2For I give witness of them that they have a strong desire for God, but not with knowledge. 10:3Because, not having knowledge of God's righteousness, and desiring to give effect to their righteousness, they have not put themselves under the righteousness of God. 10:4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who has faith. 10:5For Moses says that the man who does the righteousness which is of the law will get life by it. 10:6But the righteousness which is of faith says these words, Say not in your heart, Who will go up to heaven? (that is, to make Christ come down:) 10:7Or, Who will go down into the deep? (that is, to make Christ come again from the dead:) 10:8But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart: that is, the word of faith of which we are the preachers: 10:9Because, if you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and have faith in your heart that God has made him come back from the dead, you will have salvation: 10:10For with the heart man has faith to get righteousness, and with the mouth he says that Jesus is Lord to get salvation. 10:11Because it is said in the holy Writings, Whoever has faith in him will not be shamed. 10:12And the Jew is not different from the Greek: for there is the same Lord of all, who is good to all who have hope in his name: 10:13Because, Whoever will give worship to the name of the Lord will get salvation. 10:14But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher? 10:15And how will there be preachers if they are not sent? As it is said, How beautiful are the feet of those who give the glad news of good things. 10:16But they have not all given ear to the good news. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has had faith in our word? 10:17So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 10:18But I say, Did not the word come to their ears? Yes, certainly: Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. 10:19But I say, Had Israel no knowledge? First Moses says, You will be moved to envy by that which is not a nation, and by a foolish people I will make you angry. 10:20And Isaiah says without fear, Those who were not searching for me made discovery of me; and I was seen by those whose hearts were turned away from me. 10:21But about Israel he says; All the day my hands have been stretched out to a people whose hearts were turned away, and who put themselves against my word.
11:1So I say, Has God put his people on one side? Let there be no such thought. For I am of Israel, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 11:2God has not put away the people of his selection. Or have you no knowledge of what is said about Elijah in the holy Writings? how he says words to God against Israel, 11:3Lord, they have put your prophets to death, and made waste your altars, and now I am the last, and they are searching for me to take away my life. 11:4But what answer does God make to him? I have still seven thousand men whose knees have not been bent to Baal. 11:5In the same way, there are at this present time some who are marked out by the selection of grace. 11:6But if it is of grace, then it is no longer of works: or grace would not be grace. 11:7What then? That which Israel was searching for he did not get, but those of the selection got it and the rest were made hard. 11:8As it was said in the holy Writings, God gave them a spirit of sleep, eyes which might not see, and ears which have no hearing, to this day. 11:9And David says, Let their table be made a net for taking them, and a stone in their way, and a punishment: 11:10Let their eyes be made dark so that they may not see, and let their back be bent down at all times. 11:11So I say, Were their steps made hard in order that they might have a fall? In no way: but by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, so that they might be moved to envy. 11:12Now, if their fall is the wealth of the world, and their loss the wealth of the Gentiles, how much greater will be the glory when they are made full? 11:13But I say to you, Gentiles, in so far as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I make much of my position: 11:14If in any way those who are of my flesh may be moved to envy, so that some of them may get salvation by me. 11:15For, if by their putting away, the rest of men have been made friends with God, what will their coming back again be, but life from the dead? 11:16And if the first-fruit is holy, so is the mass: and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 11:17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, an olive-tree of the fields, were put in among them, and were given a part with them in the root by which the olive-tree is made fertile, 11:18Do not be uplifted in pride over the branches: because it is not you who are the support of the root, but it is by the root that you are supported. 11:19You will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be put in. 11:20Truly, because they had no faith they were broken off, and you have your place by reason of your faith. Do not be lifted up in pride, but have fear; 11:21For, if God did not have mercy on the natural branches, he will not have mercy on you. 11:22See then that God is good but his rules are fixed: to those who were put away he was hard, but to you he has been good, on the condition that you keep in his mercy; if not, you will be cut off as they were. 11:23And they, if they do not go on without faith, will be united to the tree again, because God is able to put them in again. 11:24For if you were cut out of a field olive-tree, and against the natural use were united to a good olive-tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be united again with the olive-tree which was theirs? 11:25For it is my desire, brothers, that this secret may be clear to you, so that you may not have pride in your knowledge, that Israel has been made hard in part, till all the Gentiles have come in; 11:26And so all Israel will get salvation: as it is said in the holy Writings, There will come out of Zion the One who makes free; by him wrongdoing will be taken away from Jacob: 11:27And this is my agreement with them, when I will take away their sins. 11:28As far as the good news is in question, they are cut off from God on account of you, but as far as the selection is in question, they are loved on account of the fathers. 11:29Because God's selection and his mercies may not be changed. 11:30For as you, in time past, were not under the rule of God, but now have got mercy through their turning away, 11:31So in the same way these have gone against the orders of God, so that by the mercy given to you they may now get mercy. 11:32For God has let them all go against his orders, so that he might have mercy on them all. 11:33O how deep is the wealth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! no one is able to make discovery of his decisions, and his ways may not be searched out. 11:34Who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord? or who has taken part in his purposes? 11:35Or who has first given to him, and it will be given back to him again? 11:36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. So be it.
12:1For this reason I make request to you, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you will give your bodies as a living offering, holy, pleasing to God, which is the worship it is right for you to give him. 12:2And let not your behaviour be like that of this world, but be changed and made new in mind, so that by experience you may have knowledge of the good and pleasing and complete purpose of God. 12:3But I say to every one of you, through the grace given to me, not to have an over-high opinion of himself, but to have wise thoughts, as God has given to every one a measure of faith. 12:4For, as we have a number of parts in one body, but all the parts have not the same use, 12:5So we, though we are a number of persons, are one body in Christ, and are dependent on one another; 12:6And having different qualities by reason of the grace given to us, such as the quality of a prophet, let it be made use of in relation to the measure of our faith; 12:7Or the position of a Deacon of the church, let a man give himself to it; or he who has the power of teaching, let him make use of it; 12:8He who has the power of comforting, let him do so; he who gives, let him give freely; he who has the power of ruling, let him do it with a serious mind; he who has mercy on others, let it be with joy. 12:9Let love be without deceit. Be haters of what is evil; keep your minds fixed on what is good. 12:10Be kind to one another with a brother's love, putting others before yourselves in honour; 12:11Be not slow in your work, but be quick in spirit, as the Lord's servants; 12:12Being glad in hope, quiet in trouble, at all times given to prayer, 12:13Giving to the needs of the saints, ready to take people into your houses. 12:14Give blessing and not curses to those who are cruel to you. 12:15Take part in the joy of those who are glad, and in the grief of those who are sorrowing. 12:16Be in harmony with one another. Do not have a high opinion of yourselves, but be in agreement with common people. Do not give yourselves an air of wisdom. 12:17Do not give evil for evil to any man. Let all your business be well ordered in the eyes of all men. 12:18As far as it is possible for you be at peace with all men. 12:19Do not give punishment for wrongs done to you, dear brothers, but give way to the wrath of God; for it is said in the holy Writings, Punishment is mine, I will give reward, says the Lord. 12:20But if one who has hate for you is in need of food or of drink, give it to him, for in so doing you will put coals of fire on his head. 12:21Do not let evil overcome you, but overcome evil by good.
13:1Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God. 13:2For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves. 13:3For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise; 13:4For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing: he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer. 13:5So put yourselves under the authority, not for fear of wrath, but because you have the knowledge of what is right. 13:6For the same reason, make payment of taxes; because the authority is God's servant, to take care of such things at all times. 13:7Give to all what is their right: taxes to him whose they are, payment to him whose right it is, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour is to be given. 13:8Be in debt for nothing, but to have love for one another: for he who has love for his neighbour has kept all the law. 13:9And this, Do not be untrue in married life, Do not put to death, Do not take what is another's, Do not have desire for what is another's, and if there is any other order, it is covered by this word, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself. 13:10Love does no wrong to his neighbour, so love makes the law complete. 13:11See then that the time has come for you to be awake from sleep: for now is your salvation nearer than when you first had faith. 13:12The night is far gone, and the day is near: so let us put off the works of the dark, arming ourselves with light, 13:13With right behaviour as in the day; not in pleasure-making and drinking, not in bad company and unclean behaviour, not in fighting and envy. 13:14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not give thought to the flesh to do its desires.
14:1Do not put on one side him who is feeble in faith, and do not put him in doubt by your reasonings. 14:2One man has faith to take all things as food: another who is feeble in faith takes only green food. 14:3Let not him who takes food have a low opinion of him who does not: and let not him who does not take food be a judge of him who does; for he has God's approval. 14:4Who are you to make yourself a judge of another man's servant? it is to his master that he is responsible for good or bad. Yes, his place will be safe, because the Lord is able to keep him from falling. 14:5This man puts one day before another: to that man they are the same. Let every man be certain in his mind. 14:6He who keeps the day, keeps it to the Lord; and he who takes food, takes it as to the Lord, for he gives praise to God; and he who does not take food, to the Lord he takes it not, and gives praise to God. 14:7For every man's life and every man's death has a relation to others as well as to himself. 14:8As long as we have life we are living to the Lord; or if we give up our life it is to the Lord; so if we are living, or if our life comes to an end, we are the Lord's. 14:9And for this purpose Christ went into death and came back again, that he might be the Lord of the dead and of the living. 14:10But you, why do you make yourself your brother's judge? or again, why have you no respect for your brother? because we will all have to take our place before God as our judge. 14:11For it is said in the holy Writings, By my life, says the Lord, to me every knee will be bent, and every tongue will give worship to God. 14:12So every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. 14:13Then let us not be judges of one another any longer: but keep this in mind, that no man is to make it hard for his brother, or give him cause for doubting. 14:14I am conscious of this, and am certain in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself; but for the man in whose opinion it is unclean, for him it is unclean. 14:15And if because of food your brother is troubled, then you are no longer going on in the way of love. Do not let your food be destruction to him for whom Christ went into death. 14:16Let it not be possible for men to say evil about your good: 14:17For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 14:18And he who in these things is Christ's servant, is pleasing to God and has the approval of men. 14:19So then, let us go after the things which make peace, and the things by which we may be a help to one another. 14:20Do not let the work of God come to nothing on account of food. All things are certainly clean; but it is evil for that man who by taking food makes it hard for another. 14:21It is better not to take meat or wine or to do anything which might be a cause of trouble to your brother. 14:22The faith which you have, have it to yourself before God. Happy is the man who is not judged by that to which he gives approval. 14:23But he who is in doubt is judged if he takes food, because he does it not in faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
15:1We who are strong have to be a support to the feeble, and not give pleasure to ourselves. 15:2Let every one of us give pleasure to his neighbour for his good, to make him strong. 15:3For Christ did not give pleasure to himself, but, as it is said, The bitter words of those who were angry with you came on me. 15:4Now those things which were put down in writing before our time were for our learning, so that through quiet waiting and through the comfort of the holy Writings we might have hope. 15:5Now may the God who gives comfort and strength in waiting make you of the same mind with one another in harmony with Christ Jesus: 15:6So that with one mouth you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15:7So then, take one another to your hearts, as Christ took us, to the glory of God. 15:8Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision to give effect to the undertakings given by God to the fathers, 15:9And so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercy; as it is said, For this reason I will give praise to you among the Gentiles, and I will make a song to your name. 15:10And again he says, Take part, you Gentiles, in the joy of his people. 15:11And again, Give praise to the Lord, all you Gentiles; and let all the nations give praise to him. 15:12And again Isaiah says, There will be the root of Jesse, and he who comes to be the ruler over the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles put their hope. 15:13Now may the God of hope make you full of joy and peace through faith, so that all hope may be yours in the power of the Holy Spirit. 15:14And I myself am certain of you, brothers, that you are full of what is good, complete in all knowledge, able to give direction to one another. 15:15But I have, in some measure, less fear in writing to you to put these things before you again, because of the grace which was given to me by God, 15:16To be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, doing the work of a priest in the good news of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be pleasing to God, being made holy by the Holy Spirit. 15:17So I have pride in Christ Jesus in the things which are God's. 15:18And I will keep myself from talking of anything but those things which Christ has done by me to put the Gentiles under his rule in word and in act, 15:19By signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have given all the good news of Christ; 15:20Making it my purpose not to take the good news where Christ was named, so that my work might not be resting on that of others; 15:21But as it is said in the holy Writings, They will see, to whom the news of him had not been given, and those to whose ears it had not come will have knowledge. 15:22For which reason I was frequently kept from coming to you: 15:23But now, having no longer any place in these parts and having had for a number of years a great desire to come to you, 15:24Whenever I go to Spain (for it is my hope to see you on my way, and to be sent on there by you, if first I may in some measure have been comforted by your company)-- 15:25But now I go to Jerusalem, taking help for the saints. 15:26For it has been the good pleasure of those of Macedonia and Achaia to send a certain amount of money for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 15:27Yes, it has been their good pleasure; and they are in their debt. For if the Gentiles have had a part in the things of the Spirit which were theirs, it is right for them, in the same way, to give them help in the things of the flesh. 15:28So when I have done this, and have given them this fruit of love, I will go on by you into Spain. 15:29And I am certain that when I come, I will be full of the blessing of Christ. 15:30Now I make request to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you will be working together with me in your prayers to God for me; 15:31So that I may be kept safe from those in Judaea who have not put themselves under the rule of God, and that the help which I am taking for Jerusalem may be pleasing to the saints; 15:32So that I may come to you in joy by the good pleasure of God, and have rest with you. 15:33Now may the God of peace be with you all. So be it.
16:1It is my desire to say a good word for Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae: 16:2That you will take her in kindly, after the way of the saints, as one who is the Lord's, and give her help in anything in which she may have need of you: because she has been a help to a great number and to myself. 16:3Give my love to Prisca and Aquila, workers with me in Christ Jesus, 16:4Who for my life put their necks in danger; to whom not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are in debt: 16:5And say a kind word to the church which is in their house. Give my love to my dear Epaenetus, who is the first fruit of Asia to Christ. 16:6Give my love to Mary, who gave much care to you. 16:7Give my love to Andronicus and Junia, my relations, who were in prison with me, who are noted among the Apostles, and who were in Christ before me. 16:8Give my love to Ampliatus, who is dear to me in the Lord, 16:9Give my love to Urbanus, a worker in Christ with us, and to my dear Stachys. 16:10Give my love to Apelles, who has the approval of Christ. Say a kind word to those who are of the house of Aristobulus. 16:11Give my love to Herodion, my relation. Say a kind word to those of the house of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 16:12Give my love to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Give my love to my dear Persis, who did much work in the Lord. 16:13Give my love to Rufus, one of the Lord's selection, and to his mother and mine. 16:14Give my love to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 16:15Give my love to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16:16Give one another a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send their love to you. 16:17Now, it is my desire, brothers, that you will take note of those who are causing division and trouble among you, quite against the teaching which was given to you: and keep away from them. 16:18For such people are not servants of the Lord Christ, but of their stomachs; and by their smooth and well-said words the hearts of those who have no knowledge of evil are tricked. 16:19For all have knowledge of how you do what you are ordered. For this reason I have joy in you, but it is my desire that you may be wise in what is good, and without knowledge of evil. 16:20And the God of peace will be crushing Satan under your feet before long. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 16:21Timothy, who is working with me, sends his love to you, so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my relations. 16:22I, Tertius, who have done the writing of this letter, send love in the Lord. 16:23Gaius, with whom I am living, whose house is open to all the church, sends his love, so does Erastus, the manager of the accounts of the town, and Quartus, the brother. 16:24[] 16:25Now to him who is able to make you strong in agreement with the good news which I gave you and the preaching of Jesus Christ, in the light of the revelation of that secret which has been kept through times eternal, 16:26But is now made clear; and by the writings of the prophets, by the order of the eternal God, the knowledge of it has been given to all the nations, so that they may come under the rule of the faith; 16:27To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory for ever. So be it.
1 Corinthians
1:1Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the purpose of God, and Sosthenes the brother, 1:2To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been made holy in Christ Jesus, saints by the selection of God, with all those who in every place give honour to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 1:3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1:4I give praise to my God for you at all times, because of the grace of God which has been given to you in Christ Jesus; 1:5So that in him you have wealth in all things, in word and in knowledge of every sort; 1:6Even as the witness of the Christ has been made certain among you: 1:7So that having every grace you are living in the hope of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 1:8Who will give you strength to the end, to be free from all sin in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1:9God is true, through whom you have been given a part with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1:10Now I make request to you, my brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you will all say the same thing, and that there may be no divisions among you, so that you may be in complete agreement, in the same mind and in the same opinion. 1:11Because it has come to my knowledge, through those of the house of Chloe, that there are divisions among you, my brothers. 1:12That is, that some of you say, I am of Paul; some say, I am of Apollos; some say, I am of Cephas; and some say, I am Christ's. 1:13Is there a division in Christ? was Paul nailed to the cross for you? or were you given baptism in the name of Paul? 1:14I give praise to God that not one of you had baptism from me, but Crispus and Gaius; 1:15So that no one may be able to say that you had baptism in my name. 1:16And I gave baptism to the house of Stephanas; but I am not certain that any others had baptism from me. 1:17For Christ sent me, not to give baptism, but to be a preacher of the good news: not with wise words, for fear that the cross of Christ might be made of no value. 1:18For the word of the cross seems foolish to those who are on the way to destruction; but to us who are on the way to salvation it is the power of God. 1:19As it says in the holy Writings, I will put an end to the wisdom of the wise, and will put on one side the designs of those who have knowledge. 1:20Where is the wise? where is he who has knowledge of the law? where is the man of this world who has a love of discussion? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 1:21For because, by the purpose of God, the world, with all its wisdom, had not the knowledge of God, it was God's pleasure, by so foolish a thing as preaching, to give salvation to those who had faith in him. 1:22Seeing that the Jews make request for signs, and the Greeks are looking for knowledge: 1:23But we give the good news of Christ on the cross, a hard thing to the Jews, and a foolish thing to the Gentiles; 1:24But to those of God's selection, Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power and the wisdom of God. 1:25Because what seems foolish in God is wiser than men; and what seems feeble in God is stronger than men. 1:26For you see God's design for you, my brothers, that he has not taken a great number of the wise after the flesh, not the strong, not the noble: 1:27But God made selection of the foolish things of this world so that he might put the wise to shame; and the feeble things that he might put to shame the strong; 1:28And the low things of the world, and the things without honour, did God make selection of, yes, even the things which are not, so that he might make as nothing the things which are: 1:29So that no flesh might have glory before God. 1:30But God has given you a place in Christ Jesus, through whom God has given us wisdom and righteousness and salvation, and made us holy: 1:31So that, as it is said in the holy Writings, Whoever has a desire for glory, let his glory be in the Lord.
2:1And when I came to you, my brothers, I did not come with wise words of knowledge, putting before you the secret of God. 2:2For I had made the decision to have knowledge of nothing among you but only of Jesus Christ on the cross. 2:3And I was with you without strength, in fear and in doubt. 2:4And in my preaching there were no honeyed words of wisdom, but I was dependent on the power of the Spirit to make it clear to you: 2:5So that your faith might be based not on man's wisdom but on the power of God. 2:6But still we have wisdom for those who are complete in knowledge, though not the wisdom of this world, and not of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing: 2:7But we give the news of the secret wisdom of God, which he had kept in store before the world came into existence, for our glory; 2:8Of which not one of the rulers of this world had knowledge: for if they had, they would not have put the Lord of glory on the cross: 2:9But as it says in the holy Writings, Things which the eye saw not, and which had not come to the ears or into the heart of man, such things as God has made ready for those who have love for him. 2:10But God has given us the revelation of these things through his Spirit, for the Spirit makes search into all things, even the deep things of God. 2:11For who has knowledge of the things of a man but the spirit of the man which is in him? in the same way, no one has knowledge of the things of God but the Spirit of God. 2:12But we have not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes from God, so that we may have knowledge of the things which are freely given to us by God. 2:13And these are the things which we say, not in the language of man's wisdom, but in words given to us by the Spirit, judging the things of the spirit by the help of the Spirit. 2:14For the natural man is not able to take in the things of the Spirit of God: for they seem foolish to him, and he is not able to have knowledge of them, because such knowledge comes only through the Spirit. 2:15But he who has the Spirit, though judging all things, is himself judged by no one. 2:16For who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord, so as to be his teacher? But we have the mind of Christ.
3:1And the teaching I gave you, my brothers, was such as I was able to give, not to those who have the Spirit, but to those who are still in the flesh, even to children in Christ. 3:2I gave you milk and not meat, because you were, then, unable to take it, and even now you are not able; 3:3Because you are still in the flesh: for when there is envy and division among you, are you not still walking after the way of the flesh, even as natural men? 3:4For when one says, I am of Paul; and another says, I am of Apollos; are you not talking like natural men? 3:5What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? They are but servants who gave you the good news as God gave it to them. 3:6I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God gave the increase. 3:7So then the planter is nothing, and the waterer is nothing; but God who gives the increase. 3:8Now the planter and the waterer are working for the same end: but they will have their separate rewards in the measure of their work. 3:9For we are workers with God: you are God's planting, God's building. 3:10In the measure of the grace given to me, I, as a wise master-builder, have put the base in position, and another goes on building on it. But let every man take care what he puts on it. 3:11For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ. 3:12But on the base a man may put gold, silver, stones of great price, wood, dry grass, cut stems; 3:13Every man's work will be made clear in that day, because it will be tested by fire; and the fire itself will make clear the quality of every man's work. 3:14If any man's work comes through the test, he will have a reward. 3:15If the fire puts an end to any man's work, it will be his loss: but he will get salvation himself, though as by fire. 3:16Do you not see that you are God's holy house, and that the Spirit of God has his place in you? 3:17If anyone makes the house of God unclean, God will put an end to him; for the house of God is holy, and you are his house. 3:18Let no man have a false idea. If any man seems to himself to be wise among you, let him become foolish, so that he may be wise. 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolish before God. As it is said in the holy Writings, He who takes the wise in their secret designs: 3:20And again, The Lord has knowledge of the reasonings of the wise, that they are nothing. 3:21So let no one take pride in men. For all things are yours; 3:22Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 3:23And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
4:1Let us be judged as servants of Christ, and as those who are responsible for the secret things of God. 4:2And it is right for such servants to be safe persons. 4:3But it is a small thing to me that I am judged by you or by man's judging; I am not even a judge of myself. 4:4For I am not conscious of any wrong in myself; but this does not make me clear, for it is the Lord who is my judge. 4:5For this reason let there be no judging before the time, till the Lord comes, who will make clear the secret things of the dark, and the designs of the heart; and then will every man have his praise from God. 4:6My brothers, it is because of you that I have taken Apollos and myself as examples of these things, so that in us you might see that it is not wise to go farther than what is in the holy Writings, so that no one of you may be lifted up against his brother. 4:7For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you? 4:8For even now you are full, even now you have wealth, you have been made kings without us: truly, I would be glad if you were kings, so that we might be kings with you. 4:9For it seems to me that God has put us the Apostles last of all, as men whose fate is death: for we are put on view to the world, and to angels, and to men. 4:10We are made to seem foolish for Christ, but you are wise in Christ; we are feeble, but you are strong; you have glory, but we have shame. 4:11Even to this hour we are without food, drink, and clothing, we are given blows and have no certain resting-place; 4:12And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly; 4:13When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers: we are made as the unclean things of the world, as that for which no one has any use, even till now. 4:14I am not saying these things to put you to shame, but so that, as my dear children, you may see what is right. 4:15For even if you had ten thousand teachers in Christ, you have not more than one father: for in Christ Jesus I have given birth to you through the good news. 4:16So my desire is that you take me as your example. 4:17For this cause I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and true child in the Lord; he will make clear to you my ways in Christ, even as I am teaching everywhere in every church. 4:18Now some are full of pride, as if I was not coming to you. 4:19But I will come to you in a short time, if it is pleasing to the Lord, and I will take note, not of the word of those who are full of pride, but of the power. 4:20For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 4:21What is your desire? is my coming to be with punishment, or is it to be in love and a gentle spirit?
5:1It is said, in fact, that there is among you a sin of the flesh, such as is not seen even among the Gentiles, that one of you has his father's wife. 5:2And in place of feeling sorrow, you are pleased with yourselves, so that he who has done this thing has not been sent away from among you. 5:3For I myself, being present in spirit though not in body, have come to a decision about him who has done this thing; 5:4In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you have come together with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5:5That this man is to be handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may have forgiveness in the day of the Lord Jesus. 5:6This pride of yours is not good. Do you not see that a little leaven makes a change in all the mass? 5:7Take away, then, the old leaven, so that you may be a new mass, even as you are without leaven. For Christ has been put to death as our Passover. 5:8Let us then keep the feast, not with old leaven, and not with the leaven of evil thoughts and acts, but with the unleavened bread of true thoughts and right feelings. 5:9In my letter I said to you that you were not to keep company with those who go after the desires of the flesh; 5:10But I had not in mind the sinners who are outside the church, or those who have a desire for and take the property of others, or those who give worship to images; for it is not possible to keep away from such people without going out of the world completely: 5:11But the sense of my letter was that if a brother had the name of being one who went after the desires of the flesh, or had the desire for other people's property, or was in the way of using violent language, or being the worse for drink, or took by force what was not his, you might not keep company with such a one, or take food with him. 5:12For it is no business of mine to be judging those who are outside; but it is yours to be judging those who are among you; 5:13As for those who are outside, God is their judge. So put away the evil man from among you.
6:1How is it, that if any one of you has a cause at law against another, he takes it before a Gentile judge and not before the saints? 6:2Is it not certain that the saints will be the judges of the world? if then the world will be judged by you, are you unable to give a decision about the smallest things? 6:3Is it not certain that we are to be the judges of angels? how much more then of the things of this life? 6:4If then there are questions to be judged in connection with the things of this life, why do you put them in the hands of those who have no position in the church? 6:5I say this to put you to shame. Is there not among you one wise man who may be able to give a decision between his brothers? 6:6But a brother who has a cause at law against another takes it before Gentile judges. 6:7More than this, it is not to your credit to have causes at law with one another at all. Why not put up with wrong? why not undergo loss? 6:8So far from doing this, you yourselves do wrong and take your brothers' property. 6:9Have you not knowledge that evil-doers will have no part in the kingdom of God? Have no false ideas about this: no one who goes after the desires of the flesh, or gives worship to images, or is untrue when married, or is less than a man, or makes a wrong use of men, 6:10Or is a thief, or the worse for drink, or makes use of strong language, or takes by force what is not his, will have any part in the kingdom of God. 6:11And such were some of you; but you have been washed, you have been made holy, you have been given righteousness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 6:12I am free to do all things; but not all things are wise. I am free to do all things; but I will not let myself come under the power of any. 6:13Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will put an end to them together. But the body is not for the desires of the flesh, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body: 6:14And God who made the Lord Jesus come back from the dead will do the same for us by his power. 6:15Do you not see that your bodies are part of the body of Christ? how then may I take what is a part of the body of Christ and make it a part of the body of a loose woman? such a thing may not be. 6:16Or do you not see that he who is joined to a loose woman is one body with her? for God has said, The two of them will become one flesh. 6:17But he who is united to the Lord is one spirit. 6:18Keep away from the desires of the flesh. Every sin which a man does is outside of the body; but he who goes after the desires of the flesh does evil to his body. 6:19Or are you not conscious that your body is a house for the Holy Spirit which is in you, and which has been given to you by God? and you are not the owners of yourselves; 6:20For a payment has been made for you: let God be honoured in your body.
7:1Now, as to the things in your letter to me: It is good for a man to have nothing to do with a woman. 7:2But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband. 7:3Let the husband give to the wife what is right; and let the wife do the same to the husband. 7:4The wife has not power over her body, but the husband; and in the same way the husband has not power over his body, but the wife. 7:5Do not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control. 7:6But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord. 7:7It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that. 7:8But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am. 7:9But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire. 7:10But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband 7:11(Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife. 7:12But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her. 7:13And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband. 7:14For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy. 7:15But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another. 7:16For how may you be certain, O wife, that you will not be the cause of salvation to your husband? or you, O husband, that you may not do the same for your wife? 7:17Only, as the Lord has given to a man, and as is the purpose of God for him, so let him go on living. And these are my orders for all the churches. 7:18If any man who is a Christian has had circumcision, let him keep so; and if any man who is a Christian has not had circumcision, let him make no change. 7:19Circumcision is nothing, and its opposite is nothing, but only doing the orders of God is of value. 7:20Let every man keep the position in which he has been placed by God. 7:21If you were a servant when you became a Christian, let it not be a grief to you; but if you have a chance to become free, make use of it. 7:22For he who was a servant when he became a Christian is the Lord's free man; and he who was free when he became a Christian is the Lord's servant. 7:23It is the Lord who has made payment for you: be not servants of men. 7:24My brothers, let every man keep in that condition which is the purpose of God for him. 7:25Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him. 7:26In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is. 7:27If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife. 7:28If you get married it is not a sin; and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you. 7:29But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not; 7:30And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing; 7:31And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end. 7:32But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord: 7:33But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife. 7:34And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband. 7:35Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord. 7:36But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him; it is no sin; let them be married. 7:37But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin. 7:38So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better. 7:39It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian. 7:40But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.
8:1Now about things offered to images: we all seem to ourselves to have knowledge. Knowledge gives pride, but love gives true strength. 8:2If anyone seems to himself to have knowledge, so far he has not the right sort of knowledge about anything; 8:3But if anyone has love for God, God has knowledge of him. 8:4So, then, as to the question of taking food offered to images, we are certain that an image is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. 8:5For though there are those who have the name of gods, in heaven or on earth, as there are a number of gods and a number of lords, 8:6There is for us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we are for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we have our being through him. 8:7Still, all men have not that knowledge: but some, being used till now to the image, are conscious that they are taking food which has been offered to the image; and because they are not strong in the faith, their minds are troubled. 8:8But God's approval of us is not based on the food we take: if we do not take it we are no worse for it; and if we take it we are no better. 8:9But take care that this power of yours does not give cause for trouble to the feeble. 8:10For if a man sees you, who have knowledge, taking food as a guest in the house of an image, will it not give him, if he is feeble, the idea that he may take food offered to images? 8:11And so, through your knowledge, you are the cause of destruction to your brother, for whom Christ underwent death. 8:12And in this way, doing evil to the brothers, and causing trouble to those whose faith is feeble, you are sinning against Christ. 8:13For this reason, if food is a cause of trouble to my brother, I will give up taking meat for ever, so that I may not be a cause of trouble to my brother.