Romans 2

The Impartiality of God

2  Therefore you have no excuse,  ^{[ a ]}everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.  ² And we know that the judgment of God  ^{[ b ]}rightly falls upon those who practice such things.  ³ But do you suppose this, O man,  ^{[ c ]}when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?  ⁴ Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?  ⁵ But  ^{[ d ]}because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,  ⁶ who will render to each person according to his deeds:  ⁷ to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;  ⁸ but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.  ⁹ There will be tribulation and distress  ^{[ e ]}for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,  ¹⁰ but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  ¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.

¹² For all who have sinned  ^{[ f ]}without the Law will also perish  ^{[ g ]}without the Law, and all who have sinned  ^{[ h ]}under the Law will be judged  ^{[ i ]}by the Law;  ¹³ for it is not the hearers  ^{[ j ]}of the Law who are  ^{[ k ]}just before God, but the doers  ^{[ l ]}of the Law will be justified.  ¹⁴ For when Gentiles who do not have  ^{[ m ]}the Law do  ^{[ n ]}instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having  ^{[ o ]}the Law, are a law to themselves,  ¹⁵ in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,  ¹⁶ on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

The Jew Is Condemned by the Law

¹⁷ But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely  ^{[ p ]}upon the Law and boast in God,  ¹⁸ and know His will and  ^{[ q ]}approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,  ¹⁹ and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,  ²⁰ a  ^{[ r ]}corrector of the foolish, a teacher of  ^{[ s ]}the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,  ²¹ you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who  ^{[ t ]}preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?  ²² You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  ²³ You who boast  ^{[ u ]}in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?  ²⁴ For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.

²⁵ For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice  ^{[ v ]}the Law; but if you are a transgressor  ^{[ w ]}of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.  ²⁶ So if the  ^{[ x ]}uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?  ²⁷ And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who  ^{[ y ]}though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor  ^{[ z ]}of the Law?  ²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.  ²⁹ But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 3

All the World Guilty

3  Then what  ^{[ a ]}advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?  ² Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.  ³ What then? If some  ^{[ b ]}did not believe, their  ^{[ c ]}unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?  ⁴ May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written,

“That You may be justified in Your words,
And prevail when You  ^{[ d ]}are judged.”

⁵ But if our unrighteousness  ^{[ e ]}demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)  ⁶ May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?  ⁷ But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?  ⁸ And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”?  ^{[ f ]}Their condemnation is just.

⁹ What then?  ^{[ g ]}Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;  ¹⁰ as it is written,

“There is none righteous, not even one;
¹¹ 

There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
¹² 

All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
¹³ 

“Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
¹⁴ 

“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
¹⁵ 

“Their feet are swift to shed blood,
¹⁶ 

Destruction and misery are in their paths,
¹⁷ 

And the path of peace they have not known.”
¹⁸ 

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are  ^{[ h ]}under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;  ²⁰ because by the works  ^{[ i ]}of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for  ^{[ j ]}through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Justification by Faith

²¹ But now apart  ^{[ k ]}from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,  ²² even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those  ^{[ l ]}who believe; for there is no distinction;  ²³ for all  ^{[ m ]}have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  ²⁴ being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;  ²⁵ whom God displayed publicly as a  ^{[ n ]}propitiation  ^{[ o ]}in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness,  ^{[ p ]}because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;  ²⁶ for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who  ^{[ q ]}has faith in Jesus.

²⁷ Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.  ^{28  [ r ]}For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works  ^{[ s ]}of the Law.  ²⁹ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not  the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,  ³⁰ since indeed God who will justify the  ^{[ t ]}circumcised  ^{[ u ]}by faith and the  ^{[ v ]}uncircumcised through faith is one.

³¹ Do we then nullify  ^{[ w ]}the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

Romans 4

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

4  What then shall we say that Abraham,  ^{[ a ]}our forefather according to the flesh, has found?  ² For if Abraham was justified  ^{[ b ]}by works, he has something to boast about, but not  ^{[ c ]}before God.  ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”  ⁴ Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.  ⁵ But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,  ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

⁷ 

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
⁸ 

“Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”

⁹ Is this blessing then on  ^{[ d ]}the circumcised, or on  ^{[ e ]}the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”  ¹⁰ How then was it credited? While he was  ^{[ f ]}circumcised, or  ^{[ g ]}uncircumcised? Not while  ^{[ h ]}circumcised, but while  ^{[ i ]}uncircumcised;  ¹¹ and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which  ^{[ j ]}he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,  ¹² and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which  ^{[ k ]}he had while uncircumcised.

¹³ For the promise to Abraham or to his  ^{[ l ]}descendants that he would be heir of the world was not  ^{[ m ]}through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.  ¹⁴ For if those who are  ^{[ n ]}of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;  ¹⁵ for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.

¹⁶ For this reason it is  ^{[ o ]}by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the  ^{[ p ]}descendants, not only to  ^{[ q ]}those who are of the Law, but also to  ^{[ r ]}those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,  ¹⁷ (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even  God, who gives life to the dead and  ^{[ s ]}calls into being that which does not exist.  ¹⁸ In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your  ^{[ t ]}descendants be.”  ¹⁹ Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;  ²⁰ yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,  ²¹ and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.  ²² Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness.  ²³ Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,  ²⁴ but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,  ²⁵ He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Romans 5

Results of Justification

5  Therefore, having been justified by faith,  ^{[ a ]}we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  ² through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and  ^{[ b ]}we exult in hope of the glory of God.  ³ And not only this, but  ^{[ c ]}we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;  ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;  ⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  ⁷ For one will hardly die for a righteous man;  ^{[ d ]}though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified  ^{[ e ]}by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved  ^{[ f ]}by His life.  ¹¹ And not only this,  ^{[ g ]}but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—  ¹³ for  ^{[ h ]}until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a  ^{[ i ]}type of Him who was to come.

¹⁵ But  ^{[ j ]}the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.  ¹⁶ The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment  arose from one transgression  ^{[ k ]}resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions  ^{[ l ]}resulting in justification.  ¹⁷ For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ So then as through one transgression  ^{[ m ]}there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness  ^{[ n ]}there resulted justification of life to all men.  ¹⁹ For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.  ^{20  [ o ]}The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,  ²¹ so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 7:14–25

The Conflict of Two Natures

¹⁴ For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold  ^{[ a ]}into bondage to sin.  ¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to  do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.  ¹⁶ But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law,  confessing that the Law is good.  ¹⁷ So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.  ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good  is not.  ¹⁹ For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.  ²⁰ But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

²¹ I find then the  ^{[ b ]}principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.  ²² For I joyfully concur with the law of God  ^{[ c ]}in the inner man,  ²³ but I see a different law in  ^{[ d ]}the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner  ^{[ e ]}of the law of sin which is in my members.  ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from  ^{[ f ]}the body of this death?  ²⁵ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Romans 8

Deliverance from Bondage

8  Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  ² For the law of the Spirit of life  ^{[ a ]}in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  ³ For what the Law could not do,  ^{[ b ]}weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of  ^{[ c ]}sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,  ⁴ so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  ⁵ For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,  ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able  to do so,  ⁸ and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.  ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is  ^{[ d ]}alive because of righteousness.  ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies  ^{[ e ]}through His Spirit who dwells in you.

¹² So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—  ¹³ for if you are living according to the flesh, you  ^{[ f ]}must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  ¹⁴ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  ¹⁵ For you have not received a spirit of slavery  ^{[ g ]}leading to fear again, but you have received  ^{[ h ]}a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”  ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,  ¹⁷ and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him  so that we may also be glorified with Him.

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  ¹⁹ For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.  ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it,  ^{[ i ]}in hope  ²¹ that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  ²² For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  ²³ And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for  our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.  ²⁴ For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already  sees?  ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

Our Victory in Christ

²⁶ In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for  us with groanings too deep for words;  ²⁷ and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the  ^{[ j ]}saints according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that  ^{[ k ]}God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His  purpose.  ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who  is against us?  ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?  ³³ Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;  ³⁴ who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was  ^{[ l ]}raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.  ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of  ^{[ m ]}Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  ³⁶ Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 9

Solicitude for Israel

9  I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,  ² that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.  ³ For I could  ^{[ a ]}wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,  ⁴ who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the  temple service and the promises,  ⁵ whose are the fathers, and from whom is  ^{[ b ]}the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed  ^{[ c ]}forever. Amen.

⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are  descended from Israel;  ⁷ nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s  ^{[ d ]}descendants, but: “ ^{[ e ]}through Isaac your  ^{[ f ]}descendants will be named.”  ⁸ That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as  ^{[ g ]}descendants.  ⁹ For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”  ¹⁰ And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;  ¹¹ for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to  His choice would  ^{[ h ]}stand, not  ^{[ i ]}because of works but  ^{[ j ]}because of Him who calls,  ¹² it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”  ¹³ Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

¹⁴ What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!  ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”  ¹⁶ So then it does not depend  on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.  ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed  ^{[ k ]}throughout the whole earth.”  ¹⁸ So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?”  ²⁰ On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?  ²¹ Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel  ^{[ l ]}for honorable use and another  ^{[ m ]}for common use?  ^{22  [ n ]}What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?  ²³ And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,  ²⁴ even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.  ²⁵ As He says also in Hosea,

“I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”
²⁶ 

“And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved;  ²⁸ for the Lord will execute His word on the earth,  ^{[ o ]}thoroughly and  ^{[ p ]}quickly.”  ²⁹ And just as Isaiah foretold,

“Unless the Lord of  ^{[ q ]}Sabaoth had left to us a  ^{[ r ]}posterity,
We would have become like Sodom, and would have  ^{[ s ]}resembled Gomorrah.”

³⁰ What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is  ^{[ t ]}by faith;  ³¹ but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.  ³² Why? Because they did not pursue it   ^{[ u ]}by faith, but as though it were  ^{[ v ]}by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,  ³³ just as it is written,

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,
And he who believes in Him will not be  ^{[ w ]}disappointed.”

Romans 10

The Word of Faith Brings Salvation

10  Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.  ² For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  ³ For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  ⁴ For Christ is the  ^{[ a ]}end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

⁵ For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is  ^{[ b ]}based on law shall live  ^{[ c ]}by that righteousness.  ⁶ But the righteousness  ^{[ d ]}based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down),  ⁷ or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”  ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,  ^{9  [ e ]}that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  ¹⁰ for with the heart a person believes,  ^{[ f ]}resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses,  ^{[ g ]}resulting in salvation.  ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be  ^{[ h ]}disappointed.”  ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;  ¹³ for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?  ¹⁵ How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who  ^{[ i ]}bring good news of good things!”

¹⁶ However, they did not all heed the  ^{[ j ]}good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”  ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word  ^{[ k ]}of Christ.

¹⁸ But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the  ^{[ l ]}world.”

¹⁹ But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation,
By a nation without understanding will I anger you.”

²⁰ And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I was found by those who did not seek Me,
I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

²¹ But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Romans 12–13

Dedicated Service

12  Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,  ^{[ a ]}acceptable to God, which is your  ^{[ b ]}spiritual service of worship.  ² And do not be conformed to this  ^{[ c ]}world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may  ^{[ d ]}prove what the will of God is, that which is good and  ^{[ e ]}acceptable and perfect.

³ For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.  ⁴ For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,  ⁵ so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  ⁶ Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly : if prophecy,  ^{[ f ]}according to the proportion of his faith;  ⁷ if  ^{[ g ]}service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;  ⁸ or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with  ^{[ h ]}liberality; he who  ^{[ i ]}leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.  ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;  ^{[ j ]}give preference to one another in honor;  ¹¹ not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  ¹² rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,  ¹³ contributing to the needs of the  ^{[ k ]}saints,  ^{[ l ]}practicing hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute  ^{[ m ]}you; bless and do not curse.  ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  ¹⁶ Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but  ^{[ n ]}associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.  ¹⁷ Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  ^{[ o ]}Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  ¹⁹ Never take your own revenge, beloved, but  ^{[ p ]}leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  ²⁰ “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”  ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Be Subject to Government

13  Every  ^{[ q ]}person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except  ^{[ r ]}from God, and those which exist are established by God.  ² Therefore  ^{[ s ]}whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.  ³ For rulers are not a cause of fear for  ^{[ t ]}good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;  ⁴ for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.  ⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.  ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.  ⁷ Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

⁸ Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves  ^{[ u ]}his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  ⁹ For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  ¹⁰ Love  ^{[ v ]}does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

¹¹ Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now  ^{[ w ]}salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.  ¹² The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  ¹³ Let us  ^{[ x ]}behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.  ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its  lusts.

Romans 14

Principles of Conscience

14  Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of  passing judgment on his opinions.  ² One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only .  ³ The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.  ⁴ Who are you to judge the  ^{[ a ]}servant of another? To his own  ^{[ b ]}master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

⁵ One person  ^{[ c ]}regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.  ⁶ He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats,  ^{[ d ]}does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.  ⁷ For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself;  ⁸ for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.  ⁹ For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

¹⁰ But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.  ¹¹ For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall  ^{[ e ]}give praise to God.”

¹² So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

¹³ Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.  ¹⁴ I know and am convinced  ^{[ f ]}in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.  ¹⁵ For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.  ¹⁶ Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be  ^{[ g ]}spoken of as evil;  ¹⁷ for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  ¹⁸ For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.  ¹⁹ So then  ^{[ h ]}we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.  ²⁰ Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats  ^{[ i ]}and gives offense.  ²¹ It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.  ²² The faith which you have, have  ^{[ j ]}as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.  ²³ But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

Romans 15

Self-denial on Behalf of Others

15  Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.  ² Each of us is to please his neighbor  ^{[ a ]}for his good, to his edification.  ³ For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”  ⁴ For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  ⁵ Now may the God  ^{[ b ]}who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,  ⁶ so that with one accord you may with one  ^{[ c ]}voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted  ^{[ d ]}us to the glory of God.  ⁸ For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given  to the fathers,  ⁹ and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,

“Therefore I will  ^{[ e ]}give praise to You among the Gentiles,
And I will sing to Your name.”

¹⁰ Again he says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”

¹¹ And again,

“Praise the Lord all you Gentiles,
And let all the peoples praise Him.”

¹² Again Isaiah says,

“There shall come the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
In Him shall the Gentiles hope.”

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁴ And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.  ¹⁵ But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me  ^{[ f ]}from God,  ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my  offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  ¹⁷ Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God.  ¹⁸ For I will not presume to speak of anything  ^{[ g ]}except what Christ has accomplished through me,  ^{[ h ]}resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed,  ¹⁹ in the power of  ^{[ i ]}signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have  ^{[ j ]}fully preached the gospel of Christ.  ²⁰ And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation;  ²¹ but as it is written,

“They who had no news of Him shall see,
And they who have not heard shall understand.”

²² For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you;  ²³ but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you  ²⁴ whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company  ^{[ k ]}for a while—  ²⁵ but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the  ^{[ l ]}saints.  ²⁶ For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the  ^{[ m ]}saints in Jerusalem.  ²⁷ Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.  ²⁸ Therefore, when I have finished this, and have  ^{[ n ]}put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain.  ²⁹ I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

³⁰ Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,  ³¹ that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the  ^{[ o ]}saints;  ³² so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.  ³³ Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Romans 16

Greetings and Love Expressed

16  I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a  ^{[ a ]}servant of the church which is at Cenchrea;  ² that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the  ^{[ b ]}saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many,  ^{[ c ]}and of myself as well.

³ Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,  ⁴ who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;  ⁵ also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from  ^{[ d ]}Asia.  ⁶ Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.  ⁷ Greet Andronicus and  ^{[ e ]}Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also  ^{[ f ]}were in Christ before me.  ⁸ Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.  ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.  ¹⁰ Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.  ¹¹ Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.  ¹² Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord.  ¹³ Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.  ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them.  ¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the  ^{[ g ]}saints who are with them.  ¹⁶ Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and  ^{[ h ]}hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.  ¹⁸ For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own  ^{[ i ]}appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.  ¹⁹ For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.  ²⁰ The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

²¹ Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

²² I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

²³ Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.  ²⁴ [ ^{[ j ]}The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]

²⁵ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,  ²⁶ but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations,  leading to obedience of faith;  ²⁷ to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 2–3

Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

2  And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the  ^{[ a ]}testimony of God.  ² For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  ³ I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,  ⁴ and my  ^{[ b ]}message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  ⁵ so that your faith would not  ^{[ c ]}rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

⁶ Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;  ⁷ but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;  ⁸ the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;  ⁹ but just as it is written,

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

^{10  [ d ]}For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.  ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the  thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.  ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,  ¹³ which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit,  ^{[ e ]}combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words .

¹⁴ But  ^{[ f ]}a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually  ^{[ g ]}appraised.  ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.  ¹⁶ For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Foundations for Living

3  And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.  ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it . Indeed, even now you are not yet able,  ³ for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking  ^{[ h ]}like mere men?  ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere  men?

⁵ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity  to each one.  ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.  ⁷ So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.  ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own  ^{[ i ]}reward according to his own labor.  ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s  ^{[ j ]}field, God’s building.

¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.  ¹¹ For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  ¹² Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver,  ^{[ k ]}precious stones, wood, hay, straw,  ¹³ each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test  ^{[ l ]}the quality of each man’s work.  ¹⁴ If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.  ¹⁵ If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are a  ^{[ m ]}temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  ¹⁷ If any man destroys the  ^{[ n ]}temple of God, God will destroy him, for the  ^{[ o ]}temple of God is holy, and  ^{[ p ]}that is what you are.

¹⁸ Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.  ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”;  ²⁰ and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”  ²¹ So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you,  ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,  ²³ and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

1 Corinthians 4

Servants of Christ

4  Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  ² In this case, moreover, it is required  ^{[ a ]}of stewards that one be found trustworthy.  ³ But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human  ^{[ b ]}court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.  ⁴ For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.  ⁵ Therefore do not go on  ^{[ c ]}passing judgment before  ^{[ d ]}the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of  men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

⁶ Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become  ^{[ e ]}arrogant in behalf of one against the other.  ⁷ For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

⁸ You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I  wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you.  ⁹ For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world,  ^{[ f ]}both to angels and to men.  ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.  ¹¹ To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;  ¹² and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;  ¹³ when we are slandered, we try to  ^{[ g ]}conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.  ¹⁵ For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not  have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  ¹⁶ Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.  ¹⁷ For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.  ¹⁸ Now some have become  ^{[ h ]}arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.  ¹⁹ But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the  ^{[ i ]}words of those who are arrogant but their power.  ²⁰ For the kingdom of God does not consist in  ^{[ j ]}words but in power.  ²¹ What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

1 Corinthians 5–6

Immorality Rebuked

5  It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.  ^{2  [ a ]}You have become  ^{[ b ]}arrogant and  ^{[ c ]}have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

³ For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.  ⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and  ^{[ d ]}I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,  ⁵ I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord  ^{[ e ]}Jesus.

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough ?  ⁷ Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.  ⁸ Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹ I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;  ¹⁰ I did not at all mean  with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.  ¹¹ But  ^{[ f ]}actually, I wrote to you not to associate  ^{[ g ]}with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.  ¹² For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church ?  ¹³ But those who are outside, God  ^{[ h ]}judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

Lawsuits Discouraged

6  Does any one of you, when he has a  ^{[ i ]}case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the  ^{[ j ]}saints?  ² Or do you not know that the  ^{[ k ]}saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to  ^{[ l ]}constitute the smallest law courts?  ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?  ⁴ So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life,  ^{[ m ]}do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church?  ⁵ I say this to your shame. Is it  so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren,  ⁶ but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?

⁷ Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?  ⁸ On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to  your brethren.

⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor  ^{[ n ]}effeminate, nor homosexuals,  ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.  ¹¹ Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

The Body Is the Lord’s

¹² All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.  ¹³ Food is for the  ^{[ o ]}stomach and the  ^{[ p ]}stomach is for food, but God will do away with both  ^{[ q ]}of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.  ¹⁴ Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.  ¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!  ¹⁶ Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her ? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.”  ¹⁷ But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.  ¹⁸ Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the  ^{[ r ]}immoral man sins against his own body.  ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is a  ^{[ s ]}temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from  ^{[ t ]}God, and that you are not your own?  ²⁰ For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 7

Teaching on Marriage

7  Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.  ² But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.  ³ The husband must  ^{[ a ]}fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.  ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife  does.  ⁵ Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and  ^{[ b ]}come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.  ⁶ But this I say by way of concession, not of command.  ^{7  [ c ]}Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

⁸ But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.  ⁹ But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion .

¹⁰ But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not  ^{[ d ]}leave her husband  ¹¹ (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not  ^{[ e ]}divorce his wife.

¹² But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not  ^{[ f ]}divorce her.  ¹³ And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not  ^{[ g ]}send her husband away.  ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through  ^{[ h ]}her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.  ¹⁵ Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases , but God has called  ^{[ i ]}us  ^{[ j ]}to peace.  ¹⁶ For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

¹⁷ Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.  ¹⁸ Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised.  ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.  ²⁰ Each man must remain in that  ^{[ k ]}condition in which he was called.

²¹ Were you called while a slave?  ^{[ l ]}Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather  ^{[ m ]}do that.  ²² For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave.  ²³ You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.  ²⁴ Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

²⁵ Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who  ^{[ n ]}by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.  ²⁶ I think then that this is good in view of the  ^{[ o ]}present distress, that it is good for a man  ^{[ p ]}to remain as he is.  ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.  ²⁸ But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have  ^{[ q ]}trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.  ²⁹ But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;  ³⁰ and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;  ³¹ and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.

³² But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;  ³³ but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,  ³⁴ and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.  ³⁵ This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but  ^{[ r ]}to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let  ^{[ s ]}her marry.  ³⁷ But he who stands firm in his heart,  ^{[ t ]}being under no constraint, but has authority  ^{[ u ]}over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well.  ³⁸ So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

³⁹ A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband  ^{[ v ]}is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.  ⁴⁰ But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.