Chapter 29

I NOW commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church which is at Cenchrea: (2)that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that you assist her in every matter wherein she may have need of you: for she hath also been a succourer of many, and of me myself.

(3)Salute Priscilla and Aquila my fellow-labourers in Christ Jesus: (4)(who for my life have laid down their own neck: to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles:) (5)and the church which is in their house.

Salute Epinetus my beloved, who is the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ. (6)Salute Mary, who laboured in many things to serve us. (7)Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and fellow-prisoners, who are eminent among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (8)Salute Amplias my beloved in the Lord. (9)Salute Urban, our fellow-labourer in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. (10)Salute Apelles the approved in Christ. Salute those who are of the family of Aristobulus. (11)Salute Herodion my kinsman. Salute those which belong to the family of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. (12)Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have laboured hard in the Lord. Salute Persis the beloved, who laboured much in the Lord. (13)Salute Rufus elect in the Lord, and his mother and mine. (14)Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Dermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. (15)Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints with them. (16)Salute one another with the holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. (17)Now I beseech you, brethren, keep a sharp eye over those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine ye have learned, and turn away from them. (18)For such are not servants to our Lord Jesus Christ, but to their own belly; and by smooth speeches and flattering commendations deceive the hearts of the guileless. (19)For your obedience is gone forth in report to all men. I rejoice therefore on your account: but I wish you to be wise indeed unto good, but harmless respecting evil. (20)Now the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

(21)There salute you Timothy, my fellow-labourer, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen. (22)I Tertius, who have written this epistle, salute you in the Lord. (23)Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

(24)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. _Amen_.

(25)Now to him that is able to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, agreeable to the revelation of the mystery; which was concealed from all former ages, (26)but is now made manifest, and by the prophetical scriptures, according to the commandment of the eternal God, notified to all the Gentiles to bring them to the obedience of faith: (27)to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Written to the Romans, and sent by Phoebe, a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea.

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

CHAP. I.

PAUL, a called apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes a brother, (2)to the church of God which is at Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, to the called saints, with all those who invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both their's and our's: (3)grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (4)I give thanks to my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which hath been given you in Christ Jesus; (5)that in every thing ye have been enriched by him, in all utterance, and all knowledge; (6)thus the testimony of Jesus hath been confirmed among you: (7)so that ye have not been deficient in any gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ: (8)who shall confirm you to the end blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9)Faithful is God, by whom ye have been called into communion with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

(10)Now I conjure you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you; but that ye be perfectly united together in the same mind and the same sentiment. (11)For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by those of the family of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. (12)Now this I observe, that one and another of you saith, I am indeed of Paul; but I of Apollos; but I of Cephas; but I am of Christ. (13)Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptised into the name of Paul?

(14)I thank God that I baptised none of you, except Crispus and Gaius; (15)that no man might say, I baptised into my own name. (16)And I also baptised the household of Stephanus: besides these, I know not if I baptised any other person. (17)For Christ sent me not to baptise, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of discourse, lest the cross of Christ should be slighted. (18)For the discourse, _the subject of which is_ the cross, is indeed to those who perish, folly; but to us who are saved it is the power of God. (19)For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the intelligent will I make useless[87]." (20)Where is the sophist? where is the scribe? where is the inquisitive searcher after this world's wisdom? hath not God turned into folly the wisdom of this world? (21)for since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (22)For the Jews demand a miracle, and the Greeks seek wisdom: (23)but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed an offence, and to the Greeks folly; (24)but to those who are called, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (25)For this foolishness of God is wiser than men; and this weakness of God is stronger than men. (26)For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many fleshly wise, not many men in power, not many men of high birth, are called: (27)but the foolish things of this world hath God elected, that he might confound the wise; and the feeble things of the world hath God elected, that he might confound the mighty; (28)and the ignoble things of the world, and the despicable, hath God elected, and the things that are not, to bring to nought the things which are, (29)that no flesh should glory in his presence. (30)But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who hath been made to us of God wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (31)that, as it is written, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord[88]."

CHAP. II.

AND I, when I came to you, brethren, came not with superior excellence of discourse or wisdom, preaching unto you the gospel of God. (2)For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. (3)And in weakness, and in fear, and in much timidity, was I among you. (4)And my conversation and my preaching was not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: (5)that your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (6)But we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are destroying themselves: (7)but we speak the wisdom of God, which had been hid in mystery, which God predestined before the worlds were, for our glory: (8)which none of the rulers of this world have known: for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (9)But, as it is written[89], "The things which eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, and that have not entered into the heart of man, these hath God prepared for those who love him." (10)But to us hath God revealed them by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth out all things, even the depths of God. (11)For who among men knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? so also the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

(12)Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (13)Which things also we speak, not in discourses framed by human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit of God; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

(14)But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are folly to him: and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (15)But the spiritual man discerneth indeed all things, though himself is discernible by no man. (16)For who hath known the mind of the Lord? who will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

CHAP. III.

AND I, brethren, have been unable to speak to you as unto spiritual men, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ. (2)And I have given you milk to drink, and not meat: for hitherto ye have not been capable of it, yea, even to the present moment ye are not capable of it. (3)For ye are still carnal: for since there are among you envy, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as _other_ men? (4)For when one saith, I am indeed of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (5)Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but the ministers through whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to each _of us_? (6)I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (7)So then neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth; but God who giveth the increase. (8)Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: but every one shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. (9)For we are God's fellowlabourers: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

(10)According to the grace of God given unto me, as a skilful architect, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every one take heed how he buildeth upon it. (11)For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus the Messiah. (12)But if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, timbers, hay, stubble; (13)every man's work shall be made manifest: for that day shall declare it, for it shall be laid open by fire; and the fire shall prove every man's work of what sort it is. (14)If any man's work which he hath built abide _the trial_, he shall receive a reward. (15)If any man's work be burnt up, he shall suffer loss: but himself shall be saved; yet so as through the fire.

(16)Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17)If any man prophane the temple of God, him will God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

(18)Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinketh himself a wise man in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. (19)For the wisdom of this world is folly in the sight of God. For it is written, "He entangleth the wise in their own craftiness[90]." (20)And again[91], "The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are futile." (21)Wherefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; (22)whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all things are your's; (23)and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

CHAP. IV.

LET a man so account of us, as the under servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. (2)Moreover it is expected of stewards, that a man be found faithful. (3)But it is my least consideration that I should be judged by you, or by human opinion: yea I decide not respecting myself. (4)For though I am not conscious to myself of any unfaithfulness, yet am I not thereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. (5)Wherefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who also will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will manifest the counsels of men's hearts; and then shall praise be given to each from God.

(6)But these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself, and Apollos for your sake; that in us ye might learn not to be attached, beyond what is written, lest one being for one _minister_, ye be puffed up _with prejudice_ against another. (7)For who distinguisheth thee? and what hast thou which thou hast not received? But if thou also hast received it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

(8)Now ye are full, now ye have grown rich, ye have reigned without us: and I wish indeed that you may reign, that we also might reign together with you. (9)For I think that God hath exposed us his apostles the last as devoted unto death. For we have been made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. (10)We are counted fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are mighty; ye are honourable persons, but we despised. (11)For even to this present hour we undergo hunger and thirst and nakedness, and are buffeted about, and have no settled abode; (12)and work hard, labouring with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; (13)being injuriously spoken of, we entreat; we are made as the ordures of the world, as the sweepings of all things unto this day.

(14)I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you. (15)For though ye may have ten thousand teachers in Christ, yet not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus through the Gospel I have begotten you. (16)Now I conjure you, be followers of me. (17)For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my son beloved and faithful in Christ, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ Jesus, as I teach every where in every church.

(18)Now some are puffed up, as though I would not really come to you. (19)But I will come shortly unto you, if the Lord please, and will know, not the prating of them that are puffed up, but the power. (20)For the kingdom of God is not in talk, but in power. (21)What is your wish? That I should come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

CHAP. V.

IT is generally reported that there is whoredom among you, and such whoredom as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. (2)And ye are puffed up, though ought ye not rather to be grieved? that he who hath done this deed might be plucked from the midst of you. (3)For I indeed, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have already, as present, passed judgment on him who hath so done this thing; (4)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ye being assembled together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (5)to deliver such a one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

(6)Your glorying is not good: know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole mass? (7)Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new mass, as ye are unleavened.

For our passover hath been sacrificed for us, even Christ. (8)Therefore let us keep 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 have written unto you in an epistle that you should not associate with fornicators. (10)Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters: for then must ye indeed go out of the world. (11)But now I have written unto you not to associate with him, if any man, professing to be a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one not even to eat. (12)For what call have I to judge those who are without? Do not ye judge those who are within _the church_? (13)But those who are without God judgeth. Put then away that wicked man from among yourselves.

CHAP. VI.

DARE any of you, having a matter of controversy with another, sue for judgment before the unjust, and not before the saints? (2)Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to be judges in the smallest matters? (3)Know ye not that we shall judge angels, much more things pertaining to this life?

(4)If then ye have disputes about the things of this life, do you seat those on the bench who are least esteemed in the church? (5)I speak to you to shame you. Is it so, that there is not among you a wise man? Not so much as one who is able to judge between one brother and another? (6)But brother goes to law with brother, and this before the unbelievers. (7)Now verily therefore there is altogether a fault among you, because ye have law-suits one with another. Why do ye not rather submit to the wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? (8)But ye do wrong and defraud, and that the brethren.

(9)Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, (10)nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11)Yet such were some of you: but ye have been washed, but ye have been sanctified, but ye have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God.

(12)All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for me, but I will not put myself under the power of any. (13)Meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for whoredom, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (14)And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will raise us up by his own power.

(15)Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Taking then the members of Christ, shall I make them members of an harlot? God forbid.

(16)Do you not know that he that is joined to an harlot is one body with her? For they two, saith he, shall be "one flesh[92]." (17)But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

(18)Flee whoredom. Every other sin which a man may commit is without the body; but he who committeth whoredom sinneth against his own body. (19)Do ye not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have from God, and ye are not your own? (20)For ye have been bought with a price: glorify then God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

CHAP. VII.

NOW with regard to those things concerning which ye have written unto me, it were good for a man not to touch a woman. (2)But because of the whoredoms, let every man have his own wife, and every wife her own husband.

(3)Let the husband render to the wife due benevolence, and in like manner also the wife to the husband. (4)The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: in like manner also the husband has not power over his own body, but the wife. (5)Defraud not one another, except it may be by consent occasionally, that ye may have more leisure for fasting and prayer; and come together again, lest Satan tempt you through your incontinence. (6)But in this I speak my opinion only, not authoritatively. (7)For I would that all men were even as myself: but every man hath his peculiar gift from God, one of this sort, and another of that. (8)I say then to the unmarried and the widows, that it is becoming them if they abide as I am. (9)But if they have not the gift of continence, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. (10)But to the married not I command, but the Lord, That the wife be not separated from the husband: (11)and even if she should be separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

(12)But to the others I speak, not the Lord, If any brother hath a wife unbelieving, yet she chuseth to dwell with him, let him not put her away. (13)And the wife which hath a husband not a believer, and he chuses to dwell with her, let her not put him away. (14)For the husband that believeth not is sanctified by the wife, and the wife who believeth not is sanctified by the husband: else indeed your children were unclean, but now are they holy. (15)But if the unbelieving person depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in these cases, but God hath called us unto peace.

(16)For how knowest thou, O wife, but thou shalt save thy husband? and how knowest thou, O husband, but thou shalt save thy wife? (17)Nevertheless as God has bestowed the gift on every man as the Lord hath called every man, so let him walk, and so I give command in all the churches.

(18)Is any man called being circumcised? let him not affect uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. (19)Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the observance of the commandments of God.

(20)Let every one abide in the calling in which he is called. (21)Art thou called being a slave? let it give thee no concern; but if thou canst also obtain thy freedom, rather make use of it. (22)For he that is called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord's freed man: in like manner also, he that is called, being a free man, is the servant of Christ. (23)Have you been redeemed with a price? become not the slaves of men. (24)Let every one, brethren, in the vocation wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

(25)Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I offer my opinion, as having obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful. (26)I think then that this is becoming, considering our present straits, that it is proper for a man to be thus. (27)Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. (28)But if thou shouldst marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned; though such will have tribulation in the flesh; but I spare you.

(29)Now this I say, brethren, that the time is short. The conclusion is, that even they who have wives, should be as though they had not; (30)and they who weep as though they wept not; and they who rejoice as though they rejoiced not; and they that purchase as though they possessed not; (31)and they who use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. (32)But I would have you to be free from anxiety. He who is unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord: (33)but he who is married is anxious about the things of the world, how he shall please his wife. (34)A wife and a virgin hath different pursuits: the unmarried woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the things of the world, how she shall please her husband. (35)Now I say this for your own advantage, and not that I should lay a snare in your way, but as what is seemly, and that you may wait on the Lord without distraction. (36)But if a person supposes it would be unseemly for a virgin of his if she should pass the flower of her age _in celibacy_, and that duty directs it should be so, let him do as he is inclined, he doth not sin: let such marry. (37)But he that is stedfast in his heart, not having any necessity, but retaineth power over his own inclination, and hath determined this in his heart that he will preserve his own virgin state, doeth well. (38)Wherefore though he who giveth in marriage doeth well, yet he who avoids a matrimonial connection, doeth better.

(39)The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her husband be dead, she is free to be married to whomsoever she will, but only in the Lord. (40)But she is more blessed if she abide as she is, in my opinion: and I think I have the spirit of God.

CHAP. VIII.