Bible in 90 Days

15 ¶ Moreover, brothers, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and in which ye stand;

² by which also ye are being saved if ye retain the word that I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures

⁴ and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures

⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas and then to the twelve;

⁶ after that, he appeared unto more than five hundred brothers at once, of whom the greater part remain unto now, but some are fallen asleep.

⁷ After that, he appeared unto James; then to all the apostles.

⁸ And last of all he appeared unto me also, as of one born out of due time.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, for I am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of God.

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace towards me was not in vain, for I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

¹¹ Therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

¹² ¶ Now if the Christ is preached that rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither is Christ risen;

¹⁴ and if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain.

¹⁵ And we are even found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up the Christ, whom he did not raise up, if it so be that the dead do not rise.

¹⁶ For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not raised either;

¹⁷ and if Christ is not raised, your faith is vain; ye are even yet in your sins.

¹⁸ Then those also who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

¹⁹ If in this life only we have existence in Christ, we are the most miserable of all men.

²⁰ ¶ But now Christ is risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of those that slept.

²¹ For since by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection of the dead.

²² For as in Adam all die, even so in the Christ shall all be made alive.

²³ But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward, those that are Christ’s at his coming.

²⁴ Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet.

²⁶ The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

²⁷ For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is clear that he is excepted, who did put all things under him.

²⁸ And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also subject himself unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

²⁹ Else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

³⁰ And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour?

³¹ I die daily to stay in the glory of having taught you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.

³² If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what does it advantage me, if the dead do not rise? let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.

³³ Be not deceived: evil companions corrupt good character.

³⁴ Watch diligently, and sin not; for some do not know God: I speak this to your shame.

³⁵ ¶ But someone will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

³⁶ Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not brought to life, unless it dies first;

³⁷ and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but bare grain: it may be of wheat or of some other grain;

³⁸ but God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to each seed its own body.

³⁹ All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the heavenly glory is one thing, and the earthly glory is another.

⁴¹ One thing is the glory of the sun, and another the glory of the moon, and another the glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it shall be raised in incorruption;

⁴³ it is sown in dishonour, it shall be raised with glory; it is sown in weakness, it shall be raised with power;

⁴⁴ it is sown a natural body, it shall be raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a life-giving Spirit.

⁴⁶ Howbeit the spiritual is not first, but the natural; and afterward, that which is spiritual.

⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord of heaven.

⁴⁸ As is the earthy, such are those also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such also are those that are heavenly.

⁴⁹ And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

⁵⁰ Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.

⁵¹ ¶ Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall all indeed be raised, but we shall not all be changed;

⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised without corruption, and we shall be changed.

⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the word that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ ¶ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

16 ¶ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of Galatia, do ye likewise.

² Each first sabbath let each one of you set aside in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no collections when I come.

³ And when I come, whomever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

⁴ And if it is appropriate that I go also, they shall go with me.

⁵ ¶ Now I will come unto you, when I have passed through Macedonia, for I must pass through Macedonia.

⁶ And it may be that I will abide and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey wherever I go.

⁷ For I desire not to see you now in passing, but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permits.

⁸ But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

⁹ For a great and effectual door is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

¹⁰ ¶ Now if Timothy comes, see that he may stay with you securely, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

¹¹ Let no man therefore despise him, but conduct him forth in peace that he may come unto me, for I look for him with the brothers.

¹² As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with some of the brothers, but his will was not at all to come at this time, but he will come when he shall have opportunity.

¹³ ¶ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

¹⁴ Let all your things be done with charity.

¹⁵ I beseech you, brethren (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia and that they have dedicated themselves to the ministry of the saints),

¹⁶ that ye submit yourselves unto such and to each one that helps and labours.

¹⁷ I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, for they have filled your absence.

¹⁸ For they have refreshed my spirit and yours; therefore, acknowledge ye those that are such.

¹⁹ ¶ The congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} that is in their house.

²⁰ All the brothers greet you. Greet ye one another with a holy kiss.

²¹ The salutation of me, Paul, is with my own hand.

²² If any man does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. Our Lord has come.

²³ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

²⁴ My charity in Christ Jesus be with you all. Amen.

1 ¶ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:

² Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

⁵ For in the same manner that the sufferings of the Christ abound in us, so also our consolation abounds by Christ.

⁶ And if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and saving health, which is effected in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and saving health.

⁷ ¶ And our hope of you is steadfast, being certain, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

⁸ Because, brothers, we would not have you ignore our tribulation which was done unto us in Asia, that we were burdened beyond our strength, in such a manner that we despaired even of life:

⁹ But we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a death and does deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

¹¹ ye also helping us with prayer, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

¹² ¶ For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly towards you.

¹³ For we write no other things unto you than what ye read or also know, and I trust ye shall know them even to the end

¹⁴ as also ye have known in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁵ ¶ And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that ye might have a second grace

¹⁶ and to pass by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be sent forward to Judaea.

¹⁷ When I, therefore, was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that of me there should be yes, yes, and no, no?

¹⁸ But God is faithful that our word toward you has not been yes and no.

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, has not been yes and no, but in him was yes.

²⁰ For all the promises of God are yes in him, and in him Amen, by us for the glory of God.

²¹ Now he who confirms us with you unto Christ and has anointed us is God;

²² who has also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

²³ Moreover I call God for a witness upon my soul that I have not yet come unto Corinth to spare you.

²⁴ Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy, for by faith ye stand.

2 ¶ But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in grief.

² For if I make you grieve, who is he then that shall make me glad, but the same who is grieved by me?

³ And I wrote this same unto you, lest when I came, I should have grief from those of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know how much more charity I have towards you.

⁵ ¶ But if any have caused me grief, he has not grieved me, but in part, that I may not put a burden on you all.

⁶ Sufficient to such a one is this reprehension, which was inflicted of many.

⁷ So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with too much grief.

⁸ Therefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your charity toward him.

⁹ For to this end also I wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.

¹⁰ To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also; for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ,

¹¹ lest Satan should deceive us, for we do not ignore his devices.

¹² ¶ Having come to Troas for the gospel of the Christ, even though a door was opened unto me in the Lord,

¹³ I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went from there into Macedonia.

¹⁴ Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in the Christ and makes manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

¹⁵ For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in those that are saved and in those that perish;

¹⁶ to the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

¹⁷ For we are not as many, false merchandisers of the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

3 ¶ Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?

² Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

³ Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

⁴ And such trust we have through the Christ towards God:

⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God,

⁶ ¶ who also has made us able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

⁷ But if the ministry of death in the letter engraved in stones was glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to fade away,

⁸ How shall not the ministry of the Spirit be for greater glory?

⁹ For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, much more shall the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.

¹⁰ For even that which was so glorious had no glory in this respect, in comparison with the glory that excels.

¹¹ For if that which fades away was glorious, much more shall that which remains be glorious.

¹² ¶ Seeing then that we have such hope, we speak with great confidence,

¹³ And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that glory which was to fade away:

¹⁴ (And thus their senses became hardened, for until this day remains the same veil not uncovered in the reading of the old testament, which veil is taken away in Christ.

¹⁵ But even unto this day when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

¹⁶ Nevertheless when they convert to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.)

¹⁷ For the Lord is the Spirit, and where that Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

¹⁸ Therefore we all, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord with uncovered face, are transformed from glory to glory into the same likeness, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

4 ¶ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, according to the mercy we have received, we fault not,

² but remove from ourselves every hidden shameful thing, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but in the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

³ But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to those that are lost,

⁴ In whom the god of this age has blinded the understanding of those who do not believe, that the light of the gospel of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine in them.

⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your slaves for Jesus’ sake.

⁶ For the God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to bring forth the light of the knowledge of the clarity of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in clay vessels that the excellency of the virtue may be of God, and not of us.

⁸ ¶ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are unsure of our lives, but not in despair;

⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

¹⁰ always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

¹¹ For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

¹² So then death works in us, but life in you.

¹³ We having the same Spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed and, therefore, I have spoken; we also believe and, therefore, speak;

¹⁴ knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus and shall present us with you.

¹⁵ For we suffer all these things for your sakes that the grace abounding through many may in the thanksgiving redound to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we fault not; but though our outward man is wearing out, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

¹⁷ For our tribulation, which is momentary and light, prepares an exceeding and eternal weight of glory unto us;

¹⁸ while we 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.

5 ¶ For we know that if the earthly house of this our habitation were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

² For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven,

³ if so be that we shall be found clothed and not naked.

⁴ For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, for we do not desire to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon with life swallowing up that which is mortal.

⁵ Now he that has made us for this same thing is God, who has likewise given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord

⁷ (for we walk by faith, not by sight).

⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

⁹ Therefore we also procure, whether present or absent, that we may please him.

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive according to that which they have done in the body, good or evil.

¹¹ Therefore being certain of that terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

¹² ¶ For we do not commend ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf that ye may have something to answer those who glory in appearance, and not in heart.

¹³ For whether we are fools, it is unto God; or whether we are sane, it is for your cause.

¹⁴ For the charity of the Christ constrains us because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all are dead:

¹⁵ And that he died for all that those who live should not live from now on unto themselves, but unto him who died and rose again for them.

¹⁶ ¶ Therefore from now on we know no one according to the flesh: and even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no longer.

¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are made new.

¹⁸ And all this by God, who reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

¹⁹ for certainly God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them and having placed in us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did exhort you by us; we beseech you in Christ’s name, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

6 ¶ We then, as workers together with him, exhort you also that ye have not received the grace of God in vain.

² (For he saith, I have heard thee in an acceptable time, and in the day of saving health I have succoured thee; behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of saving health.)

³ Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry not be blamed,

⁴ But in all things showing ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses,

⁵ in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,

⁶ in chastity, in knowledge, in meekness, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned charity,

⁷ in the word of truth, in the power of God through the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

⁸ through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet as men of the truth;

⁹ as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, but, behold, we live; as chastened, but not killed;

¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹ ¶ O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

¹² Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

¹³ Now for a recompense in the same (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.

¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? and what communion does light have with darkness?

¹⁵ And what concord does Christ have with Belial? or what part do the faithful have with the unfaithful?

¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷ Therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing; and I will receive you

¹⁸ and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

7 ¶ Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

² Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

³ I speak this not to condemn you, for I have said before that ye are in our hearts to die and live together with us.

⁴ Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you; I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

⁵ ¶ For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

⁶ Nevertheless God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

⁷ and not by his coming only, but by the consolation with which he was comforted in you when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me so that I rejoiced the more.

⁸ For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent; for I perceive that the same epistle has made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

⁹ Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance; for ye were made sorry by God that ye might suffer no loss by us.

¹⁰ For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, of which there is no need to repented; but the sorrow of the world works death.

¹¹ For behold this same thing, that when ye were made sorry by God, what carefulness it wrought in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things ye have shown yourselves to be clean in this matter.

¹² ¶ So that, though I wrote unto you, I did it not only for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

¹³ Therefore we were comforted in your comfort; yea, and we rejoiced even more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

¹⁴ For if I have gloried of anything to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our glorying, which I made before Titus, was found true.

¹⁵ And his inward affection is more abundant toward you while he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

¹⁶ I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

8 ¶ Likewise, brethren, we make known unto you the grace of God bestowed on the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of Macedonia,

² how that in a great trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

³ For to their power, I bear record, and even beyond their power they were willing of themselves,

⁴ praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the grace and take upon us the fellowship of the ministry to the saints.

⁵ And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and then unto us by the will of God.

⁶ Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete among you the same grace also.

⁷ ¶ Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith and in word and in knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

⁸ I speak not as commanding, but by occasion of the diligence of others and to prove the sincerity of your charity.

⁹ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be enriched.

¹⁰ And in this I give my advice, for this is expedient for you, who began not only to do, but also to be diligent a year ago.

¹¹ Now therefore finish the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will, so there may also be a performance out of that which ye have.

¹² For if there is first a willing desire, it is accepted according to what a person has and not according to what they do not have.

¹³ For I mean not that others be eased and ye burdened,

¹⁴ but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality:

¹⁵ As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack.

¹⁶ ¶ But thanks be to God, who put the same diligence into the heart of Titus for you.

¹⁷ For indeed he accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, of his own accord he went unto you.

¹⁸ And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the congregations, {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}

¹⁹ and not that only, but who was also ordained by the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your ready desire,

²⁰ avoiding that anyone should blame us regarding this abundance which is ministered by us,

²¹ providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²² And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which we have in you.

²³ Regarding Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you; or regarding our brethren, they are the apostles of the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} and the glory of Christ.

²⁴ Therefore show ye unto them before the congregations, {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} the proof of your charity and of our glorying regarding you.

9 ¶ For regarding the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

² For I know your ready desire, for which I gloried of you to those of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has provoked many.

³ Yet I have sent the brethren lest our glorying of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready,

⁴ lest haply if those of Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed of this our confidence.

⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would first go unto you and prepare beforehand your blessing, of which ye had given notice before that the same might be ready as a blessing, and not as of covetousness.

⁶ ¶ But this I say, He who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he who sows in blessings shall also reap blessings.

⁷ Each one according as they purpose in their heart, so let them give, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound in you that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

⁹ As it is written, He has dispersed abroad; he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains for ever.

¹⁰ Now he that supplies seed to the sower shall also supply bread for food and shall multiply your seed sown and shall increase the growing of the fruits of your righteousness,

¹¹ so that being enriched in everything to all generosity, which works out through us thanksgiving unto God.

¹² For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also abounds in much thanksgiving unto God;

¹³ that by the experience of this ministration, they glorify God for the obedience of your consent unto the gospel of the Christ and in your liberal distribution unto them and unto everyone,

¹⁴ and in their prayer for you, for they love you because of the eminent grace of God in you.

¹⁵ Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift.

10 ¶ Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and clemency of the Christ (who in presence am low among you, but being absent am bold toward you)

² but I beseech you that I need not be bold when I am present with that confidence, with which I am esteemed to use against some who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh

⁴ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the destruction of strong holds),

⁵ casting down reasonings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ

⁶ and having a readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

⁷ ¶ Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If anyone trusts to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.

⁸ For though I should glory somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed,

⁹ That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

¹⁰ For his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

¹¹ Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

¹² ¶ For we dare not mix ourselves in with or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they do not understand that they are measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves.

¹³ But we will not glory of things beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the rule, of the measure which God has distributed to us, to reach even unto you.

¹⁴ For we do not overextend ourselves by reaching unto you; for we are also come unto you with the gospel of the Christ,

¹⁵ Not glorying of things beyond our measure in the labours of others; but having hope of the increase of your faith, that we shall be abundantly enlarged among you according to our rule,

¹⁶ to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, without entering into the measure {Gr. rule} of another to glory in that which has already been made ready.

¹⁷ But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

¹⁸ For it is not he that commends himself that is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

11 ¶ I wish ye could bear with me a little in my folly and indeed bear with me.

² For I am jealous over you with the jealousy of God, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ.

³ But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, so your senses should be corrupted in some way, and ye should fall from the simplicity that is in the Christ.

⁴ Therefore if anyone comes preaching another Jesus whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit from that which ye have received or another gospel from that which ye have accepted, ye bear well with it.

⁵ ¶ I reckon that I have not been inferior in any way to those grandiose apostles.

⁶ But though I am rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

⁷ Have I committed an offence in humbling myself that ye might be exalted because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

⁸ I deprived the other congregations, {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} taking wages of them, to do you service.

⁹ And when I was present with you and had need, I was not a burden to any of you, for that which was lacking to me was supplied by the brethren which came from Macedonia; and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

¹⁰ It is the truth of Christ in me that this glory shall not be sealed up unto me in the regions of Achaia.

¹¹ Why? because I do not love you? God knows.

¹² But what I do, I will continue to do that I may take away the occasion from those who desire it to be found like unto us in that in which they glory.

¹³ For these false apostles are deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

¹⁴ And it is no marvel, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

¹⁶ ¶ I say again, Let no one think me a fool if otherwise, receive me as a fool, that I may yet glory a little.

¹⁷ That which I speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of glory.

¹⁸ Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

¹⁹ For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

²⁰ For ye suffer it if anyone brings you into bondage, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes of you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone smites you on the face.

²¹ I speak as concerning the reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit in that in which another is bold, (I speak foolishly), I am bold also.

²² ¶ Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more, in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.

²⁴ Of the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one.

²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck, night and day I have been in the deep;

²⁶ in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by those of my nation, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

²⁷ in labour and travail, in many watches, in hunger and thirst, in many fasts, in cold and nakedness.

²⁸ Beside those things that are without, my daily combat is the welfare of all the congregations. {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}

²⁹ Who is sick, and I am not sick? who stumbles, and I burn not?

³⁰ If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my weakness.

³¹ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knows that I do not lie.

³² In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me;

³³ and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall and escaped his hands.

12 ¶ Certainly it is not expedient for me to glory, but I will come to the visions and the revelations of the Lord.

² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell; God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.

³ And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell; God knows)

⁴ who was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵ Of such a one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, except in my weaknesses.

⁶ Therefore if I should desire to glory in these things, I should not be a fool; for I would say the truth, but now I forbear lest anyone should think of me above that which he sees me to be or that he hears of me.

⁷ And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me above measure, there is given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

⁸ For this thing I besought the Lord three times that it might be taken from me.

⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather glory in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

¹⁰ Therefore I am content in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong.

¹¹ ¶ I have been a fool, glorying; ye have compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you, for in nothing am I behind the grandiose apostles, though I am nothing.

¹² Truly the signs of the apostle were worked out among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and power.

¹³ For what is it in which ye were inferior to the other congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} except in that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

¹⁴ Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not your things, but you; for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

¹⁵ And I will very gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶ But be it so, I did not burden you; nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

¹⁷ Did I make a gain of you by any of those whom I sent unto you?

¹⁸ I besought Titus and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus defraud you? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and in the same steps?

¹⁹ Again, do ye think that we excuse ourselves unto you? We speak before God in Christ, but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

²⁰ For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I desire and that I shall be found unto you such as ye desire not, lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, rumours, tumults,

²¹ lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I would have to mourn over many who have sinned already and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

13 ¶ This third time I am coming unto you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

² I told you before and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now, I write to those who until now have sinned and to all others that, if I come again, I will not spare,

³ Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who unto you is not weak, but is mighty in you.

⁴ For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. By which we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God in you.

⁵ Examine yourselves whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Do ye not know your own selves if Jesus Christ is in you? Unless ye are reprobates.

⁶ But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

⁷ ¶ Now I pray to God that ye do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is good, though we be as reprobates.

⁸ For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

⁹ By which we are glad that we are weak and ye are strong, and even so we pray for your perfection.

¹⁰ Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should treat you with more severity, according to the power which the Lord has given me for edification, and not for destruction.

¹¹ ¶ For the rest, brethren, that ye may have joy, be perfected, have consolation, be of one mind, having peace; and the God of peace and charity shall be with you.

¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss.

¹³ All the saints salute you.

¹⁴ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the charity of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

1 ¶ Paul, apostle (not from men neither through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead)

² and all the brethren who are with me, unto the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of Galatia:

³ Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

⁴ who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

⁵ unto whom be the glory for the ages of the ages. Amen.

⁶ ¶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel,

⁷ for there is not another; but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of the Christ.

⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, were to preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be anathema.

⁹ As we said before, so do I say now again, If anyone preaches any other gospel unto you than what ye have received, let him be anathema.

¹⁰ ¶ For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the slave of Christ.

¹¹ But I make known unto you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not according to man.

¹² For I did not receive it nor learn it from man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in Judaism, how that beyond measure I was persecuting and destroying the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of God

¹⁴ And profited in Judaism above many of my equals in my own nation, being exceedingly more zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace,

¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Gentiles, immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood,

¹⁷ neither did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus.

¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen days.

¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles, except James the Lord’s brother.

²⁰ Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I do not lie.

²¹ Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia

²² and was unknown by face unto the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of Judaea which were in Christ,

²³ but they had only heard, That he who persecuted us in time past now preaches the faith which he once destroyed.

²⁴ And they glorified God in me.

2 ¶ Then fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also.

² But I went up by revelation and communicated unto them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who seemed to be of repute, to not run, or have run, in vain.

³ But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised,

⁴ And that in spite of the false brethren, who entered secretly to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage;

⁵ Unto whom we did not submit even for one hour that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

⁶ But of these who seemed to be of repute, (whatever they were, it makes no matter to me: God does not accept the appearance of men), for those who seemed to be of repute in conference added nothing to me;

⁷ But to the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter

⁸ (for he that showed himself forth in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision, the same also showed himself forth in me toward the Gentiles);

⁹ and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision.

¹⁰ Only they asked that we should remember the poor; the same which I was also diligent to do.

¹¹ ¶ But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed.

¹² For before certain ones came from James, he ate with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

¹³ And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their hypocrisy.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, dost live after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why dost thou compel the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

¹⁶ knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

¹⁷ But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of our sin? No, in no wise.

¹⁸ For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a rebel.

¹⁹ For through the law I am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

²⁰ I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

²¹ I do not reject the grace of God, for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

3 ¶ O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that ye should not trust in the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

² This only would I learn of you, Did ye receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the obedient ear of faith?

³ Are ye so foolish? having begun by the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

⁴ Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

⁵ He therefore that gives unto you the Spirit and does works of power among you, does he do it by the works of the law or by the obedient ear of faith?

⁶ ¶ Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

⁷ Know ye therefore that those who are of faith, the same are the sons of Abraham.

⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, evangelized Abraham in advance, saying, In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed.

⁹ So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

¹¹ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident, for The just shall live by faith.

¹² And the law is not of faith, but The man that does the commandments shall live by them.

¹³ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree),

¹⁴ That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

¹⁵ Brethren, (I speak after the manner of men) Even when a covenant is of man, once it is confirmed, no one cancels it or adds to it.

¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He did not say, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

¹⁷ And this I say that regarding the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot cancel it, that it should make the promise of no effect.

¹⁸ For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

¹⁹ ¶ For what then serves the law? It was added because of rebellions until the seed should come to whom the promise was made, and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

²⁰ Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? No, in no wise, for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

²² But the scripture has concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to the believers.

²³ But before faith came, we were under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

²⁴ Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

²⁵ But when faith is come, we are no longer under the hand of the schoolmaster.