1 Corinthians 7:17 - 2 Corinthians 11:14

New American Standard Bible

¹⁷ Only, ^(A)as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this way let him walk. And ^(B)so I direct in ^(C)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? ^(D)He is not to be circumcised. ^19 (E)Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is ^(F)the keeping of the commandments of God. ^20 (G)Each person is to remain in that ^[a]state in which he was called.

²¹ Were you called as a slave? Do not let it concern you. But if you are also able to become free, take advantage of that. ²² For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave, is ^(H)the Lord’s freed person; likewise the one who was called as free, is ^(I)Christ’s slave. ^23 (J)You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of people. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, ^(K)each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

²⁵ Now concerning virgins, I have ^(L)no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who ^[b](M)by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. ²⁶ I think, then, that this is good in view of the ^[c]present ^(N)distress, that ^(O)it is good for a man ^[d]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 people as yourselves will have ^[e]trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. ²⁹ But this I say, brothers, ^(P)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 ^(Q)make full use of it; for ^(R)the present form of this world is passing away.

³² But I want you to be free from concern. One who is ^(S)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 I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but ^[f]to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ But if anyone thinks that he is acting dishonorably toward his virgin, if she is ^[g]past her youth and it ought to be so, let him do what he wishes, he is not sinning; let ^[h]them marry. ³⁷ But the one who stands firm in his heart, ^[i]if he is not under constraint, but has authority ^[j]over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well. ³⁸ So then, both the one who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and the one who does not give her in marriage will do better.

^39 (T)A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband ^[k]dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only ^(U)in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But ^(V)in my opinion she is ^[l]happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Take Care with Your Liberty

8 Now concerning ^(W)food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have ^(X)knowledge. Knowledge ^[m](Y)makes one conceited, but love ^(Z)edifies people. ^2 (AA)If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet ^(AB)known as he ought to know; ³ but if anyone loves God, he ^(AC)is known by Him.

⁴ Therefore, concerning the eating of ^(AD)food sacrificed to idols, we know that an ^(AE)idol is ^[n]nothing at all in the world, and that ^(AF)there is no God but one. ⁵ For even if ^(AG)there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, ⁶ yet for us ^(AH)there is only one God, ^(AI)the Father, ^(AJ)from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and ^(AK)one Lord, Jesus Christ, ^(AL)by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

⁷ However, not all people ^(AM)have this knowledge; but ^(AN)some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ Now ^(AO)food will not bring us ^[o]close to God; we are neither ^[p]the worse if we do not eat, nor ^[q]the better if we do eat. ⁹ But ^(AP)take care that this ^[r]freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the ^(AQ)weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees you, the one who has ^(AR)knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, if he is weak, not be strengthened to eat ^(AS)things sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ For through ^(AT)your knowledge the one who is weak ^(AU)is ruined, the brother or sister for whose sake Christ died. ^12 (AV)And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin ^(AW)against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, ^(AX)if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.

Paul’s Use of Freedom

9 Am I not ^(AY)free? Am I not an ^(AZ)apostle? Have I not ^(BA)seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not ^(BB)my work in the Lord? ² If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the ^(BC)seal of my ^(BD)apostleship in the Lord.

³ My defense to those who examine me is this: ^4 [s](BE)Do we not have a right to eat and drink? ^5 [t](BF)Do we not have a right to take along a ^[u]believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the ^(BG)brothers of the Lord, and ^[v](BH)Cephas? ⁶ Or do only ^[w](BI)Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from ^[x]working? ⁷ Who at any time serves ^(BJ)as a soldier at his own expense? Who ^(BK)plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not ^[y]consume some of the milk of the flock?

⁸ I am not just asserting these things ^(BL)according to human judgment, am I? Or does the Law not say these things as well? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “^(BM)You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.” God is not concerned about ^(BN)oxen, is He? ¹⁰ Or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written ^(BO)for our sake, because ^(BP)the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing in the crops. ^11 (BQ)If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? ¹² If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we ^(BR)did not use this right, but we endure all things ^(BS)so that we will cause no hindrance to the ^(BT)gospel of Christ. ^13 (BU)Do you not know that those who ^(BV)perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share ^[z]from the altar? ¹⁴ So also ^(BW)the Lord directed those who proclaim the ^(BX)gospel to ^(BY)get their living from the gospel.

¹⁵ But I have ^(BZ)used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make ^(CA)my boast an empty one! ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for ^(CB)I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach ^(CC)the gospel. ¹⁷ For if I do this voluntarily, I have a ^(CD)reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a ^(CE)commission nonetheless. ¹⁸ What, then, is my ^(CF)reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel ^(CG)without charge, so as ^(CH)not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

¹⁹ For though I am ^(CI)free from all people, I have made myself ^(CJ)a slave to all, so that I may ^(CK)gain more. ^20 (CL)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though ^(CM)not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law; ²¹ to those who are ^(CN)without the Law, I became ^(CO)as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but ^(CP)under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law. ²² To the ^(CQ)weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become ^(CR)all things to all people, ^(CS)so that I may by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

^24 (CT)Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives ^(CU)the prize? ^(CV)Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who ^(CW)competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable ^(CX)wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I ^(CY)run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as ^[aa]to avoid ^(CZ)hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline ^(DA)my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Avoid Israel’s Mistakes

10 For ^(DB)I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all ^(DC)under the cloud and they all ^(DD)passed through the sea; ² and they all were ^(DE)baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ and they all ^(DF)ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all ^(DG)drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was ^[ab]Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for their dead bodies were ^(DH)spread out in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things happened as ^(DI)examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as ^(DJ)they indeed craved them. ⁷ Do not be ^(DK)idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “^(DL)The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to ^(DM)play.” ⁸ Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as ^(DN)some of them ^[ac]did, and ^(DO)twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as ^(DP)some of them ^[ad]did, and were killed by the snakes. ¹⁰ Nor ^(DQ)grumble, as some of them ^[ae]did, and ^(DR)were killed by the ^(DS)destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an ^(DT)example, and ^(DU)they were written for our instruction, upon whom ^(DV)the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let the one who ^(DW)thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and ^(DX)God is faithful, ^[af]so He will not allow you to be ^(DY)tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

¹⁴ Therefore, my ^(DZ)beloved, flee from ^(EA)idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. ¹⁶ Is the ^(EB)cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the ^(EC)bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Since there is one loaf, we ^(ED)who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. ¹⁸ Look at ^[ag]the people of ^(EE)Israel; are those who ^(EF)eat the sacrifices not partners in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I mean then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or ^(EG)that an idol is ^[ah]anything? ²⁰ No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they ^(EH)sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. ^21 (EI)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and ^(EJ)the table of demons. ²² Or do we ^(EK)provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not ^(EL)stronger than He, are we?

^23 (EM)All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things ^[ai](EN)build people up. ²⁴ No one is to ^(EO)seek his own advantage, but rather that of his ^[aj]neighbor. ^25 (EP)Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions, for the sake of conscience; ^26 (EQ)for the earth is the Lord’s, and ^[ak]all it contains. ²⁷ If ^(ER)one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, ^(ES)eat anything that is set before you without asking questions, for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But ^(ET)if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and for the sake of conscience; ²⁹ Now by “conscience” I do not mean your own, but the other person’s; for ^(EU)why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, ^(EV)why am I slandered about that for which I ^(EW)give thanks?

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or ^(EX)whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. ^32 (EY)Do not offend Jews or Greeks, or ^(EZ)the church of God; ³³ just as I also ^(FA)please everyone in all things, ^(FB)not seeking my own benefit but the benefit of the many, ^(FC)so that they may be saved.

Christian Order

11 ^(FD)Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

² Now ^(FE)I praise you because you ^(FF)remember me in everything and ^(FG)hold firmly to the traditions, just as I handed them down to you. ³ But I want you to understand that Christ is the ^(FH)head of every man, and ^[al](FI)the man is the head of a woman, and God is the ^(FJ)head of Christ. ⁴ Every man who has something on his head while praying or ^(FK)prophesying disgraces his head. ⁵ But every ^(FL)woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman ^[am]whose head is ^(FM)shaved. ⁶ For if a woman does not cover ^[an]her head, have her also ^[ao]cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to ^[ap]have her hair cut off or ^[aq]her head shaved, have her cover ^[ar]her head. ⁷ For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the ^(FN)image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For ^(FO)man ^[as]does not originate from woman, but woman from man; ⁹ for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but ^(FP)woman for the man’s sake. ¹⁰ Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ However, in the Lord, neither is woman ^[at]independent of man, nor is man ^[au]independent of woman. ¹² For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and ^(FQ)all things originate ^(FR)from God. ^13 (FS)Judge ^[av]for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, ^(FT)we have no ^[aw]such practice, nor have ^(FU)the churches of God.

¹⁷ Now in giving this next instruction ^(FV)I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁸ For, in the first place, when you come together ^[ax]as a church, I hear that ^[ay](FW)divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ For there also ^(FX)have to be factions among you, ^(FY)so that those who are approved may become ^[az]evident among you. ²⁰ Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, ²¹ for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while ^(FZ)another gets drunk. ²² What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the ^(GA)church of God and ^(GB)shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall ^(GC)I praise you? In this I do not praise you.

The Lord’s Supper

²³ For ^(GD)I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that ^(GE)the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread; ²⁴ and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁵ In the same way He also took ^(GF)the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the ^(GG)new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death ^(GH)until He comes.

²⁷ Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be ^(GI)guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But a person must ^(GJ)examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the ^[ba]body. ³⁰ For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number ^[bb](GK)are asleep. ³¹ But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. ³² But when we are judged, we are ^(GL)disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with ^(GM)the world.

³³ So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is ^(GN)hungry, have him eat ^(GO)at home, so that you do not come together for judgment. As to the remaining matters, I will ^(GP)give instructions ^(GQ)when I come.

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning ^(GR)spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, ^(GS)I do not want you to be unaware. ^2 (GT)You know that when you were ^[bc]pagans, you were ^(GU)led ^[bd]astray to the ^(GV)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking ^[be](GW)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is ^[bf](GX)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is ^(GY)Lord,” except ^[bg](GZ)by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are ^(HA)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(HB)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(HC)for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of ^(HD)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of ^(HE)knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another ^(HF)faith ^[bh]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(HG)gifts of ^[bi]healing ^[bj]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[bk]effecting of ^[bl](HH)miracles, and to another ^(HI)prophecy, and to another the ^[bm](HJ)distinguishing of spirits, to another various ^(HK)kinds of tongues, and to another the ^(HL)interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(HM)distributing to each one individually just as He ^[bn]wills.

¹² For just ^(HN)as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(HO)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[bo](HP)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(HQ)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(HR)drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For ^(HS)the body is not one part, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[bp]any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[bq]any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(HT)arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, ^(HU)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(HV)there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[br]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those parts of the body which we ^[bs]consider less honorable, ^[bt]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[bu]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is ^[bv]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(HW)Christ’s body, and ^(HX)individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[bw](HY)appointed in ^(HZ)the church, first ^(IA)apostles, second ^(IB)prophets, third ^(IC)teachers, then ^[bx](ID)miracles, then ^(IE)gifts of healings, helps, ^(IF)administrations, and various ^(IG)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[by]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(IH)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(II)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.

The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the ^(IJ)tongues of mankind and of ^(IK)angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a ^(IL)clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of ^(IM)prophecy and know all ^(IN)mysteries and all ^(IO)knowledge, and if I have ^(IP)all faith so as to ^(IQ)remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I ^(IR)give away all my possessions to charity, and if I ^(IS)surrender my body so that I may ^[bz]glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

⁴ Love ^(IT)is patient, love is kind, it ^(IU)is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not ^(IV)arrogant. ⁵ It does not act disgracefully, it ^(IW)does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, ^(IX)does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, ^6 (IY)it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but ^(IZ)rejoices with the truth; ⁷ it ^[ca](JA)keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of ^[cb](JB)prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are ^(JC)tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. ⁹ For we ^(JD)know in part and prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I ^[cc]became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now we ^(JE)see in a mirror ^[cd]dimly, but then ^(JF)face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also ^(JG)have been fully known. ¹³ But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the ^[ce]greatest of these is ^(JH)love.

Prophecy a Superior Gift

14 ^(JI)Pursue love, yet earnestly ^(JJ)desire ^(JK)spiritual gifts, but especially that you may ^(JL)prophesy. ² For the one who ^(JM)speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no one ^[cf]understands, but ^[cg]in his spirit he speaks ^(JN)mysteries. ³ But the one who prophesies speaks to people for ^(JO)edification, ^[ch](JP)exhortation, and consolation. ⁴ The one who ^(JQ)speaks in a tongue ^(JR)edifies himself; but the one who ^(JS)prophesies ^(JT)edifies the church. ⁵ Now I wish that you all ^(JU)spoke in tongues, but ^(JV)rather that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than the one who ^(JW)speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive ^(JX)edification.

⁶ But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^(JY)revelation, or of ^(JZ)knowledge, or of ^(KA)prophecy, or of ^(KB)teaching? ⁷ Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸ For if ^(KC)the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be ^(KD)talking to the air. ¹⁰ There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of ^[ci]languages in the world, and none is incapable of meaning. ¹¹ So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be ^(KE)unintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible ^[cj]to me. ¹² So you too, since you are eager to possess ^[ck]spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the ^(KF)edification of the church.

¹³ Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue is to pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. ^15 (KG)What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will ^(KH)sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶ For otherwise, if you bless God ^[cl]in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the ^[cm]outsider know to say ^(KI)the “Amen” at your ^(KJ)giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^(KK)edified. ¹⁸ I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹ nevertheless, in church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Instruction for the Church

^20 (KL)Brothers and sisters, ^(KM)do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil ^(KN)be infants, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹ In ^(KO)the ^[cn]Law it is written: “^(KP)By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. ²² So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but ^(KQ)prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe. ²³ Therefore if the whole church gathers together and all the people speak in tongues, and ^[co]outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that ^(KR)you are insane? ²⁴ But if all ^(KS)prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ^[cp]outsider enters, he is ^(KT)convicted by all, he is called to account by all; ^25 (KU)the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will ^(KV)fall on his face and worship God, ^(KW)declaring that God is certainly among you.

^26 (KX)What is the outcome then, ^(KY)brothers and sisters? When you assemble, ^(KZ)each one has a ^(LA)psalm, has a ^(LB)teaching, has a ^(LC)revelation, has a ^(LD)tongue, has an ^(LE)interpretation. ^(LF)All things are to be done for edification. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a ^(LG)tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to ^(LH)interpret; ²⁸ but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Have two or three ^(LI)prophets speak, and have the others ^(LJ)pass judgment. ³⁰ But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be ^[cq]exhorted; ³² and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; ³³ for God is not a God of ^(LK)confusion, but of peace.

As in ^(LL)all the churches of the ^[cr](LM)saints, ³⁴ the women are to ^(LN)keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but ^(LO)are to subject themselves, just as ^(LP)the Law also says. ³⁵ If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is ^[cs]improper for a woman to speak in church. ³⁶ Or was it from you that the word of God first went out? Or has it come to you only?

^37 (LQ)If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or ^(LR)spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you ^(LS)are the Lord’s commandment. ³⁸ But if anyone does not recognize this, ^[ct]he is not recognized.

³⁹ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, ^(LT)earnestly desire to ^(LU)prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But ^(LV)all things must be done properly and in an orderly way.

The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection

15 Now ^(LW)I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the ^(LX)gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, ^(LY)in which you also stand, ² by which you also are saved, ^(LZ)if you hold firmly to ^[cu]the word which I preached to you, ^(MA)unless you believed in vain.

³ For ^(MB)I handed down to you ^[cv]as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died ^(MC)for our sins ^(MD)according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He was ^(ME)raised on the third day ^(MF)according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that ^(MG)He appeared to ^[cw](MH)Cephas, then ^(MI)to the twelve. ⁶ After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some ^(MJ)have fallen asleep; ⁷ then He appeared to ^[cx](MK)James, then to ^(ML)all the apostles; ⁸ and last of all, as ^[cy]to one untimely born, ^(MM)He appeared to me also. ⁹ For I am ^(MN)the least of the apostles, ^[cz]and not fit to be called an apostle, because I ^(MO)persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by ^(MP)the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I ^(MQ)labored even more than all of them, yet ^(MR)not I, but the grace of God with me. ¹¹ Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

¹² Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there ^(MS)is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and ^(MT)if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain. ¹⁵ Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified ^[da]against God that He ^(MU)raised ^[db]Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁷ and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; ^(MV)you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then also those who ^(MW)have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are ^(MX)of all people most to be pitied.

The Order of Resurrection

²⁰ But the fact is, Christ ^(MY)has been raised from the dead, the ^(MZ)first fruits of those who ^(NA)are asleep. ²¹ For since ^(NB)by a man death came, by a Man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For ^(NC)as in Adam all die, so also in ^[dc]Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ ^(ND)the first fruits, after that ^(NE)those who are Christ’s at ^(NF)His coming, ²⁴ then comes the end, when He hands over ^(NG)the kingdom to our ^(NH)God and Father, when He has abolished ^(NI)all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For He must reign ^(NJ)until He has put all His enemies under His feet. ²⁶ The last enemy that will be ^(NK)abolished is death. ²⁷ For ^(NL)He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “^(NM)All things are put in subjection,” it is clear that ^[dd]this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him. ²⁸ When ^(NN)all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that ^(NO)God may be all in all.

²⁹ For otherwise, what will those do who are baptized ^[de]for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized ^[df]for them? ³⁰ Why are we also ^(NP)in danger every hour? ³¹ I affirm, brothers and sisters, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that ^(NQ)I die daily. ³² If ^[dg]from human motives I ^(NR)fought with wild beasts at ^(NS)Ephesus, what good is it to me? If the dead are not raised, ^(NT)let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. ^33 (NU)Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ^34 (NV)Sober up ^[dh]morally and stop sinning, for some have ^(NW)no knowledge of God. ^(NX)I say this to your shame.

³⁵ But ^(NY)someone will say, “How are ^(NZ)the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” ^36 (OA)You fool! That which you ^(OB)sow does not come to life unless it dies; ³⁷ and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of ^[di]something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body just as He wished, and ^(OC)to each of the seeds a body of its own. ³⁹ All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of mankind, another flesh of animals, another flesh of birds, and another of fish. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. ⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

^42 (OD)So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown ^[dj](OE)a perishable body, it is raised ^[dk](OF)an imperishable body; ⁴³ it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in ^(OG)glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a ^(OH)natural body, it is raised a ^(OI)spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So also it is written: “The first ^(OJ)man, Adam, became a living ^[dl]person.” The ^(OK)last Adam was a ^(OL)life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is ^(OM)from the earth, ^[dm](ON)earthy; the second Man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ As is the earthy one, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly One, ^(OO)so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹ Just as we have ^(OP)borne the image of the earthy, ^[dn]we ^(OQ)will also bear the image of the heavenly.

The Mystery of Resurrection

⁵⁰ Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that ^(OR)flesh and blood cannot ^(OS)inherit the kingdom of God; nor does ^[do]the perishable inherit ^[dp](OT)the imperishable. ⁵¹ Behold, I am telling you a ^[dq](OU)mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be ^(OV)changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for ^(OW)the trumpet will sound, and ^(OX)the dead will be raised ^[dr]imperishable, and ^(OY)we will be changed. ⁵³ For this ^[ds]perishable must put on ^[dt](OZ)the imperishable, and this ^(PA)mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this ^[du]perishable puts on ^[dv]the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “^(PB)Death has been swallowed up in victory. ^55 (PC)Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of ^(PD)death is sin, and ^(PE)the power of sin is the Law; ⁵⁷ but ^(PF)thanks be to God, who gives us the ^(PG)victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

^58 (PH)Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in ^(PI)the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Instructions and Greetings

16 Now concerning ^(PJ)the collection for ^[dw](PK)the saints, as ^(PL)I directed the churches of ^(PM)Galatia, so you are to do as well. ² On ^(PN)the first day of every week, each of you is to ^[dx]put aside and save as he may prosper, so that ^(PO)no collections need to be made when I come. ³ When I arrive, ^(PP)whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem; ⁴ and if it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.

⁵ But I ^(PQ)will come to you after I go through ^(PR)Macedonia; for I ^(PS)am going through Macedonia, ⁶ and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may ^(PT)send me on my way wherever I go. ⁷ For I do not want to see you now ^(PU)just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, ^(PV)if the Lord permits. ⁸ But I will remain in ^(PW)Ephesus until ^(PX)Pentecost; ⁹ for a ^(PY)wide door ^[dy]for effective service has opened to me, and ^(PZ)there are many adversaries.

¹⁰ Now if ^(QA)Timothy comes, see that he ^[dz]has no reason to be afraid while among you, for he is doing ^(QB)the Lord’s work, as I also am. ^11 (QC)So do not look down on him, anyone. But ^(QD)send him on his way ^(QE)in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brothers.

¹² Now concerning our brother ^(QF)Apollos, I strongly encouraged him to come to you with the brothers; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has the opportunity.

^13 (QG)Be on the alert, ^(QH)stand firm in the faith, ^(QI)act like men, ^(QJ)be strong. ¹⁴ All that you do must be done ^(QK)in love.

¹⁵ Now I urge you, brothers and sisters: you know the ^(QL)household of Stephanas, that ^[ea]they are the ^(QM)first fruits of ^(QN)Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to ^(QO)ministry to ^(QP)the ^[eb]saints; ¹⁶ I urge that ^(QQ)you also be subject to such as these and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. ¹⁷ I rejoice over the ^[ec](QR)coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because they have ^[ed]supplied ^(QS)what was lacking on your part. ¹⁸ For they ^(QT)have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore ^(QU)acknowledge such men.

¹⁹ The churches of ^[ee](QV)Asia greet you. ^(QW)Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with ^(QX)the church that is in their house. ²⁰ All the brothers and sisters greet you. ^(QY)Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹ The greeting is in ^(QZ)my own hand—that of Paul. ²² If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be ^[ef](RA)accursed. ^[eg](RB)Maranatha! ^23 (RC)The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴ My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Introduction

1 Paul, ^(RD)an apostle of ^(RE)Christ Jesus ^(RF)by the will of God, and our brother ^(RG)Timothy,

To ^(RH)the church of God which is at ^(RI)Corinth with all the ^[eh]saints who are throughout ^(RJ)Achaia:

^2 (RK)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (RL)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and ^(RM)God of all comfort, ⁴ who ^(RN)comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in ^[ei]any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For just ^(RO)as the sufferings of Christ are ^[ej]ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. ⁶ But if we are afflicted, it is ^(RP)for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; ⁷ and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that ^(RQ)as you are partners in our sufferings, so also you are in our comfort.

⁸ For ^(RR)we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our ^(RS)affliction which occurred in ^[ek](RT)Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. ^9 [el]Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who ^(RU)rescued us from so great a danger of death, and will rescue us, He ^[em](RV)on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, ¹¹ if you also join in ^(RW)helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by ^(RX)many persons in our behalf for the favor granted to us through the prayers of many.

Paul’s Integrity

¹² For our ^[en]proud confidence is this: the testimony of ^(RY)our conscience, that in holiness and ^(RZ)godly sincerity, ^(SA)not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. ¹³ For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand ^(SB)until the end; ¹⁴ just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, on ^(SC)the day of our Lord Jesus.

¹⁵ In this confidence I intended at first to ^(SD)come to you, so that you might ^[eo]twice receive a ^[ep](SE)blessing; ^16 [eq]that is, to ^(SF)pass ^[er]your way into ^(SG)Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be ^(SH)helped on my journey to Judea. ¹⁷ Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I decide, do I decide ^(SI)according to the flesh, so that with me there will be ^[es]yes, yes and no, no at the same time? ¹⁸ But as ^(SJ)God is faithful, ^(SK)our word to you is not yes and no. ¹⁹ For ^(SL)the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and ^(SM)Silvanus and ^(SN)Timothy—was not yes and no, but has been yes ^(SO)in Him. ²⁰ For ^(SP)as many as the promises of God are, ^(SQ)in Him they are yes; therefore through Him also is ^(SR)our Amen to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who ^(SS)establishes us with you in Christ and ^(ST)anointed us is God, ²² who also ^(SU)sealed us and ^(SV)gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a ^[et]pledge.

²³ But ^(SW)I call God as witness to my soul, that it was ^(SX)to spare you that I did not come again to ^(SY)Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we ^(SZ)domineer over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are ^(TA)standing firm.

Reaffirm Your Love

2 But I decided this ^[eu]for my own sake, that I ^(TB)would not come to you in sorrow again. ² For if I ^(TC)cause you sorrow, who then will be the one making me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? ³ This is the very thing I ^(TD)wrote you, so that ^(TE)when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having ^(TF)confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all. ⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I ^(TG)wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

⁵ But ^(TH)if anyone has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not for me, but in some degree—^[ev]not to say too much—for all of you. ⁶ Sufficient for such a person is ^(TI)this punishment which was imposed by the majority, ⁷ so that on the other hand, you should rather ^(TJ)forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a person might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹ For to this end ^(TK)I also wrote, so that I might ^[ew](TL)put you to the test, whether you are ^(TM)obedient in all things. ¹⁰ But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes ^(TN)in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ so that no advantage would be taken of us by ^(TO)Satan, for ^(TP)we are not ignorant of his schemes.

¹² Now when I came to ^(TQ)Troas for the ^(TR)gospel of Christ and when a ^(TS)door was opened for me in the Lord, ¹³ I ^(TT)had no rest for my spirit, not finding ^(TU)Titus my brother; but ^(TV)saying goodbye to them, I went on to ^(TW)Macedonia.

^14 (TX)But thanks be to God, who always ^(TY)leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the ^(TZ)fragrance of the ^(UA)knowledge of Him in every place. ¹⁵ For we are a ^(UB)fragrance of Christ to God among ^(UC)those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: ^16 (UD)to the one an ^[ex]aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is ^(UE)adequate for these things? ¹⁷ For we are not like the many, ^[ey](UF)peddling the word of God, but ^(UG)as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ ^(UH)in the sight of God.

Ministers of a New Covenant

3 Are we beginning to ^(UI)commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, ^(UJ)letters of commendation to you or from you? ^2 (UK)You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, ³ revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, ^[ez](UL)delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of ^(UM)the living God, not on ^(UN)tablets of stone but on ^(UO)tablets of ^[fa](UP)human hearts.

⁴ Such is the ^(UQ)confidence we have toward God through Christ. ⁵ Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but ^(UR)our adequacy is from God, ⁶ who also made us adequate as ^(US)servants of a ^(UT)new covenant, not of ^(UU)the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but ^(UV)the Spirit gives life.

⁷ But if the ^(UW)ministry of death, engraved ^(UX)in letters on stones, came ^[fb]with glory ^(UY)so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, ⁸ how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? ⁹ For if ^(UZ)the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ^(VA)ministry of righteousness excel in glory. ¹⁰ For indeed what had glory in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹ For if that which fades away was ^[fc]with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

^12 (VB)Therefore, having such a hope, ^(VC)we use great boldness in our speech, ¹³ and we are not like Moses, ^(VD)who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away. ¹⁴ But their minds were ^(VE)hardened; for until this very day at the ^(VF)reading of ^(VG)the old covenant the same veil ^[fd]remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. ¹⁵ But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; ^16 (VH)but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where ^(VI)the Spirit of the Lord is, ^(VJ)there is freedom. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled faces, ^(VK)looking as in a mirror at the ^(VL)glory of the Lord, are being ^(VM)transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from ^(VN)the Lord, the Spirit.

Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

4 Therefore, since we have this ^(VO)ministry, as we ^(VP)received mercy, we ^(VQ)do not lose heart, ² but we have renounced the ^(VR)things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor ^(VS)distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth ^(VT)commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our ^(VU)gospel is ^(VV)veiled, it is veiled ^[fe]to ^(VW)those who are perishing, ⁴ in whose case ^(VX)the god of ^(VY)this ^[ff]world has ^(VZ)blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that ^[fg]they will not see the ^(WA)light of the gospel of the ^(WB)glory of Christ, who is the ^(WC)image of God. ⁵ For we ^(WD)do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants ^[fh]on account of Jesus. ⁶ For God, who said, “^(WE)Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has ^(WF)shone in our hearts to give the ^(WG)Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in ^[fi](WH)earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of ^(WI)the power will be of God and not from ourselves; ⁸ we are ^(WJ)afflicted in every way, but not ^(WK)crushed; ^(WL)perplexed, but not despairing; ^9 (WM)persecuted, but not ^(WN)abandoned; ^(WO)struck down, but not destroyed; ^10 (WP)always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that ^(WQ)the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death works in us, but life in you.

¹³ But having the same ^(WR)spirit of faith, according to what is written: “^(WS)I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who ^(WT)raised the Lord Jesus ^(WU)will also raise us with Jesus, and will ^(WV)present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are ^(WW)for your sakes, so that grace, having ^[fj](WX)spread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we ^(WY)do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our ^(WZ)inner person is ^(XA)being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our momentary, ^(XB)light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ while we ^(XC)look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The Temporal and Eternal

5 For we know that if our ^[fk](XD)earthly ^(XE)tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house ^(XF)not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For indeed, in this tent we ^(XG)groan, longing to be ^(XH)clothed with our ^[fl]dwelling from heaven, ³ since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For indeed, we who are in this tent ^(XI)groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be ^(XJ)clothed, so that what is ^(XK)mortal will be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who ^(XL)gave us the Spirit as a ^[fm]pledge.

⁶ Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that ^(XM)while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— ⁷ for ^(XN)we walk by faith, not by ^[fn]sight— ⁸ but we are of good courage and ^(XO)prefer rather to be absent from the body and ^(XP)to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be ^(XQ)pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before ^(XR)the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for ^[fo]his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the ^(XS)fear of the Lord, we persuade people, but we are well known to God; and I hope that we are also ^(XT)well known in your consciences. ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you ^(XU)again, but are giving you an ^(XV)opportunity to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For if we have ^(XW)lost our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ ^(XX)controls us, having concluded this, that ^(XY)one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer ^(XZ)live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.

¹⁶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one ^[fp](YA)by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is ^(YB)in Christ, this person is ^(YC)a new ^[fq]creation; ^(YD)the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸ Now ^(YE)all these things are from God, ^(YF)who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ^(YG)ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that ^(YH)God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, ^(YI)not counting their wrongdoings against them, and ^[fr]He has ^[fs]committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Therefore, we are ^(YJ)ambassadors for Christ, ^(YK)as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be ^(YL)reconciled to God. ²¹ He made Him who ^(YM)knew no sin to be ^[ft](YN)sin in our behalf, so that we might become the ^(YO)righteousness of God in Him.

Their Ministry Commended

6 And ^(YP)working together with Him, ^(YQ)we also urge you not to receive ^(YR)the grace of God in vain— ² for He says,

Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”— ^3 (YT)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, ⁴ but in everything ^(YU)commending ourselves as ^[fu](YV)servants of God, ^(YW)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, ⁵ in ^(YX)beatings, in imprisonments, in ^[fv](YY)mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in ^(YZ)hunger, ⁶ in purity, in ^(ZA)knowledge, in ^(ZB)patience, in kindness, in the ^(ZC)Holy Spirit, in ^(ZD)genuine love, ⁷ in ^(ZE)the word of truth, and in ^(ZF)the power of God; by ^(ZG)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ by glory and ^(ZH)dishonor, by ^(ZI)evil report and good report; regarded as ^(ZJ)deceivers and yet ^(ZK)true; ⁹ as unknown and yet well known, as ^(ZL)dying and yet behold, ^(ZM)we are alive; as ^[fw]punished and yet not put to death, ¹⁰ as ^(ZN)sorrowful yet always ^(ZO)rejoicing, as ^(ZP)poor yet making many rich, as ^(ZQ)having nothing and yet possessing ^(ZR)all things.

^11 (ZS)Our mouth ^[fx]has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our ^(ZT)heart is opened wide. ¹² You are not restrained ^[fy]by us, but ^(ZU)you are restrained in your own ^[fz]affections. ¹³ Now in the same way in ^(ZV)exchange—I am speaking as to ^(ZW)children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

^14 (ZX)Do not be ^[ga]mismatched with ^(ZY)unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness ^(ZZ)share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? ¹⁵ Or what ^(AAA)harmony does Christ have with ^[gb]Belial, or ^[gc]what does a ^(AAB)believer share with an ^(AAC)unbeliever? ¹⁶ Or ^(AAD)what agreement does ^[gd]the temple of God have with idols? For we are ^[ge](AAE)the temple of ^(AAF)the living God; just as God said,

Paul Reveals His Heart

7 Therefore, having these promises, ^(AAN)beloved, ^(AAO)let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

^2 (AAP)Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. ³ I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said ^(AAQ)before that you are ^(AAR)in our hearts, to die together and to live together. ⁴ My ^(AAS)confidence ^[gf]in you is great; my ^(AAT)boasting in your behalf is great. I am filled with ^(AAU)comfort; I am overflowing with ^(AAV)joy in all our affliction.

⁵ For even when we came into ^(AAW)Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were ^(AAX)afflicted on every side: ^(AAY)conflicts on the outside, fears inside. ⁶ But ^(AAZ)God, who comforts the ^[gg]discouraged, ^(ABA)comforted us by the arrival of ^(ABB)Titus; ⁷ and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted among you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. ⁸ For though I ^(ABC)caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— ⁹ I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything ^[gh]through us. ¹⁰ For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a ^(ABD)repentance ^[gi]without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For behold what earnestness this very thing, this ^[gj]godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what ^(ABE)longing, what zeal, what ^(ABF)punishment of wrong! In everything you ^(ABG)demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. ¹² So although ^(ABH)I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of ^(ABI)the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness in our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. ¹³ Because of this, we have been ^(ABJ)comforted.

And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of ^(ABK)Titus, because his ^(ABL)spirit has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ For if I have ^(ABM)boasted to him about you regarding anything, I was not put to shame. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before ^(ABN)Titus proved to be the truth. ¹⁵ His ^[gk]affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the ^(ABO)obedience of you all, how you received him with ^(ABP)fear and trembling. ¹⁶ I rejoice that in everything ^(ABQ)I have confidence in you.

Great Generosity

8 Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been ^(ABR)given in the churches of ^(ABS)Macedonia, ² that in a ^[gl]great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the ^(ABT)wealth of their liberality. ³ For I testify that ^(ABU)according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, ⁴ begging us with much urging for the ^(ABV)favor ^[gm]of participation in the ^[gn](ABW)support of the ^[go]saints, ⁵ and this, not as we had ^[gp]expected, but they first ^(ABX)gave themselves to the Lord and to us by ^(ABY)the will of God. ⁶ So we ^(ABZ)urged ^(ACA)Titus that as he had previously ^(ACB)made a beginning, so he would also complete in you ^(ACC)this gracious work as well.

⁷ But just as you ^(ACD)excel ^(ACE)in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the ^[gq]love we inspired in you, see that you also ^(ACF)excel in this gracious work. ⁸ I ^(ACG)am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. ⁹ For you know ^(ACH)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^(ACI)though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. ¹⁰ I ^(ACJ)give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin ^(ACK)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. ¹¹ But now finish ^[gr]doing it also, so that just as there was the ^(ACL)willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. ¹² For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable ^(ACM)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. ¹³ For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality— ¹⁴ at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for ^(ACN)their need, so that their abundance also may ^[gs]serve as assistance for ^(ACO)your need, so that there may be equality; ¹⁵ as it is written: “^(ACP)The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”

¹⁶ But ^(ACQ)thanks be to God who ^(ACR)puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of ^(ACS)Titus. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted our ^(ACT)appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ We have sent along with him ^(ACU)the brother whose fame in the things of the ^(ACV)gospel has spread through ^(ACW)all the churches; ^19 (ACX)and not only that, but he has also been ^(ACY)appointed by the churches to travel with us in ^(ACZ)this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ^(ADA)readiness, ^20 [gt]taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; ²¹ for we ^(ADB)have regard for what is honorable, not only in ^(ADC)the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. ²² We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for ^(ADD)Titus, he is my ^(ADE)partner and fellow worker ^[gu]among you; as for our ^(ADF)brothers, they are ^[gv](ADG)messengers of the churches, ^(ADH)a glory to Christ. ²⁴ Therefore, ^[gw]openly before the churches, ^[gx]show them the proof of your love and of our ^(ADI)reason for boasting about you.

God Gives Most

9 For ^(ADJ)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ^(ADK)ministry to the ^[gy]saints; ² for I know your willingness, of which I ^(ADL)boast about you to the ^(ADM)Macedonians, namely, that ^(ADN)Achaia has been prepared since ^(ADO)last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. ³ But I have sent the brothers, in order that our ^(ADP)boasting about you may not prove empty in this case, so that, ^(ADQ)as I was saying, you will be prepared; ⁴ otherwise, if any ^(ADR)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to mention you—would be put to shame by this confidence. ⁵ So I considered it necessary to urge the ^(ADS)brothers that they go on ahead to you and arrange in advance your previously promised ^[gz](ADT)generous gift, that the same would be ready as a ^[ha](ADU)generous gift, and not as one grudgingly given due to greediness.

⁶ Now I say this: ^(ADV)the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows ^[hb]generously will also reap ^[hc]generously. ⁷ Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not ^(ADW)reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^(ADX)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And ^(ADY)God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; ⁹ as it is written:

¹⁰ Now He who supplies ^(AEA)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and ^(AEB)increase the harvest of your righteousness; ¹¹ you will be ^(AEC)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing ^(AED)thanksgiving to God. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying ^(AEE)the needs of the ^[he]saints, but is also overflowing ^(AEF)through many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ Because of the proof given by this ^(AEG)ministry, they will ^(AEH)glorify God for your obedience to your ^(AEI)confession of the ^(AEJ)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your ^[hf]contribution to them and to all, ¹⁴ while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ^15 (AEK)Thanks be to God for His indescribable ^(AEL)gift!

Paul Confronts the Corinthians

10 Now ^(AEM)I, Paul, myself ^(AEN)urge you by the ^(AEO)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who ^(AEP)am ^[hg]meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! ² I ask that ^(AEQ)when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I intend to be courageous against ^(AER)some, who regard us as if we walked ^(AES)according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle ^(AET)according to the flesh, ⁴ for the ^(AEU)weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but ^[hh]divinely powerful ^(AEV)for the destruction of fortresses. ⁵ We are destroying arguments and all ^(AEW)arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the ^(AEX)obedience of Christ, ⁶ and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever ^(AEY)your obedience is complete.

^7 [hi](AEZ)You are looking at ^[hj]things as they are outwardly. ^(AFA)If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, have him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, ^(AFB)so too are we. ⁸ For if ^(AFC)I boast somewhat ^[hk]more about our ^(AFD)authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, ^9 [hl]for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. ¹⁰ For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his ^[hm]personal presence is ^(AFE)unimpressive and ^(AFF)his speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Have such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

¹² For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with ^[hn]some of those who ^(AFG)commend themselves; but when they ^[ho]measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding. ¹³ But we will not boast ^(AFH)beyond our measure, but ^[hp](AFI)within the measure of the ^[hq]domain which God assigned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for ^(AFJ)we were the first to come even as far as you in the ^(AFK)gospel of Christ; ¹⁵ not boasting ^(AFL)beyond our measure, that is, in ^(AFM)other people’s labors, but with the hope that as ^(AFN)your faith grows, we will be, ^[hr]within our ^[hs]domain, ^(AFO)enlarged even more by you, ¹⁶ so as to ^(AFP)preach the gospel even to ^(AFQ)the regions beyond you, and not to boast ^[ht](AFR)in what has been accomplished in the domain of another. ¹⁷ But ^(AFS)the one who boasts is to boast in the Lord. ¹⁸ For it is not the one who ^(AFT)commends himself that is approved, but the one ^(AFU)whom the Lord commends.

Paul Defends His Apostleship

11 I wish that you would ^(AFV)bear with me in a little ^(AFW)foolishness; but ^[hu]indeed you are bearing with me. ² For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I ^(AFX)betrothed you to one husband, to ^(AFY)present you as a pure virgin to Christ. ³ But I am afraid that, as the ^(AFZ)serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if ^[hv]one comes and preaches ^(AGA)another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a ^(AGB)different spirit which you have not received, or a ^(AGC)different gospel which you have not accepted, this you ^(AGD)tolerate ^(AGE)very well! ⁵ For I consider myself ^(AGF)not in the least inferior to the ^[hw]most eminent apostles. ⁶ But even if I am ^(AGG)unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in ^(AGH)knowledge; in fact, in every way we have ^(AGI)made this evident to you in all things.

⁷ Or ^(AGJ)did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the ^(AGK)gospel of God to you ^(AGL)without charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by ^(AGM)taking wages from them to serve you; ⁹ and when I was present with you and was in need, I was ^(AGN)not a burden to anyone; for when ^(AGO)the brothers came from ^(AGP)Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from ^(AGQ)being a burden to you, ^[hx]and will continue to do so. ^10 (AGR)As the truth of Christ is in me, ^(AGS)this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of ^(AGT)Achaia. ¹¹ Why? ^(AGU)Because I do not love you? ^(AGV)God knows that I do!

¹² But what I am doing I will also continue to do, ^(AGW)so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be ^[hy]regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. ¹³ For such men are ^(AGX)false apostles, ^(AGY)deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ No wonder, for even ^(AGZ)Satan disguises himself as an ^(AHA)angel of light.