The next day, because we were being tossed so violently by the storm, they began to throw the cargo overboard.

But now I urge you to have courage, because there will be no loss of life among you, but only loss of the ship.

So take courage, men, because I trust God that it will turn out just as he told me.

They examined me and wanted to let me go because there was no reason for me to receive the death penalty in my case.

However, we'd like to hear from you what you believe, because people are talking against this sect everywhere."

First of all, I thank my God through Jesus the Messiah for all of you, because the news about your faith is being reported throughout the world.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for the salvation of everyone who believes, of the Jew first and of the Greek as well.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God himself has made it plain to them.

Furthermore, because they did not think it worthwhile to keep knowing God fully, God delivered them to degraded minds to perform acts that should not be done.

But because of your stubborn and unrepentant heart you are reserving wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

because God does not show partiality.

and know his will, and approve of what is best because you have been instructed in the Law;

an instructor of ignorant people, and a teacher of infants because you have the full content of knowledge and truth in the Law

As it is written, "God's name is being blasphemed among the gentiles because of you."

For a person is not a Jew because of his appearance, nor is circumcision something just external and physical.

whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah's blood would occur through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past.

He was sentenced to death because of our sins and raised to life to justify us.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace by which we have been established, and we boast because of our hope in God's glory.

Now this hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death resulted from sin, therefore everyone dies, because everyone has sinned.

For if, through one man, death ruled because of that man's offense, how much more will those who receive such overflowing grace and the gift of righteousness rule in life because of one man, Jesus the Messiah!

For sin will not have mastery over you, because you are not under Law but under grace.

What, then, does this mean? Should we go on sinning because we are not under Law but under grace? Of course not!

I am speaking in simple terms because of the frailty of your human nature. Just as you once offered the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater disobedience, so now, in the same way, you must offer the parts of your body as slaves to righteousness that leads to sanctification.

Thank God through Jesus the Messiah, our Lord, because with my mind I myself can serve the Law of God, even while with my human nature I serve the law of sin.

That is why the mind that focuses on human nature is hostile toward God. It refuses to submit to the authority of God's Law because it is powerless to do so.

because the creation has become subject to futility, though not by anything it did. The one who subjected it did so in the certainty

I am telling the truth because I belong to the Messiah I am not lying, and my conscience confirms it by means of the Holy Spirit.

Why not? Because they did not pursue it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on achievements. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble.

There is no difference between Jew and Greek, because they all have the same Lord, who gives richly to all who call on him.

And so I ask, "They have not stumbled so as to fall, have they?" Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to the gentiles to make the Jews jealous.

I am speaking to you gentiles. Because I am an apostle to the gentiles, I magnify my ministry

That's right! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you remain only because of faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid!

If the Jews do not persist in their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, because God is able to graft them in.

For just as you disobeyed God in the past but now have received his mercy because of their disobedience,

so they, too, have now disobeyed. As a result, they may receive mercy because of the mercy shown to you.

This is necessary because you know the times it's already time for you to wake up from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we became believers.

Who are you to criticize someone else's servant? He stands or falls before his own Lord and stand he will, because the Lord makes him stand.

Do not destroy God's action for the sake of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make another person stumble because of what you eat.

As for the faith you do have, have it as your own conviction before God. How blessed is the person who has no reason to condemn himself because of what he approves!

But the person who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act in faith; and anything that is not done in faith is sin.

However, on some points I have written to you rather boldly, both as a reminder to you and because of the grace given me by God

because the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have been eager to share their resources with the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

because such people are not serving the Messiah our Lord, but their own desires. By their smooth talk and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given you by the Messiah Jesus.

It is because of God that you are in union with the Messiah Jesus, who for us has become wisdom from God, as well as our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

None of the rulers of this world understood it, because if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the things of God's Spirit, for they are nonsense to him. He can't understand them because they are spiritually evaluated.

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you weren't ready for it. And you're still not ready!

That's because you are still worldly. As long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, you are worldly and living by human standards, aren't you?

the workmanship of each person will become evident, for the day of judgment will show what it is, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's action.

because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies.

Because sexual immorality is so rampant, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband.

For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are so accustomed to idolatry that when they eat food that has been offered to an idol, their conscience becomes contaminated because it is weak.

Isn't he really speaking for our benefit? Yes, this was written for our benefit, because the one who plows should plow in hope, and the one who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because all of us eat from the same loaf.

If I eat with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of what I am thankful for?

A man should not cover his head, because he exists as God's image and glory. But the woman is man's glory.

This is why a woman should have authority over her own head: because of the angels.

because whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

For the person who speaks in a foreign language is not actually speaking to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is talking about secrets by the Spirit.

For I am the least of the apostles and not even fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted God's church.

In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God because we testified on God's behalf that he raised the Messiah whom he did not raise if in fact it is true that the dead are not raised.

Otherwise, what will those people do who are being baptized because of those who have died? If the dead are not raised at all, why are they being baptized because of them?

Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that the work that you do for the Lord isn't wasted.

I do not want to visit with you now just in passing, because I hope to spend a longer time with you if the Lord permits.

because a door has opened wide for me to do effective work, although many people are opposing me.

Therefore, no one should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may come to me, because I am expecting him along with the brothers.

I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came here, because what was lacking they have supplied through you.

Our hope for you is unshaken, because we know that as you share our sufferings, you also share our comfort.

as you also help us by your prayers for us. Then many people will thank God on our behalf because of the favor shown us through the prayers of many.

Because I was confident, I planned to come to you first so you might receive a double blessing.

It is not that we are trying to rule over your faith, but rather to work with you for your joy, because you have been standing firm in the faith.

but my spirit could not find any relief, because I couldn't find Titus, my brother. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.

who has also qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, which is not written but spiritual, because the written text brings death, but the Spirit gives life.

Now if the ministry of death that was inscribed in letters of stone came with such glory that the people of Israel could not gaze on Moses' face (because the glory was fading away from it),

In fact, that which once had glory lost its glory, because the other glory surpassed it.

because we do not look for things that can be seen but for things that cannot be seen. For things that can be seen are temporary, but things that cannot be seen are eternal.

So while we are still in this tent, we sigh under our burdens, because we do not want to put it off but to put it on, so that our dying bodies may be swallowed up by life.

Now I am happy, not because you had such sorrow, but because your sorrow led you to repent. For you were sorry in a godly way, and so you were not hurt by us in any way.

So, even though I wrote to you, it wasn't because of the man who did the wrong or because of the man who was hurt. Instead, I wrote to you so that your devotion to us might be made perfectly clear to you before God.

This is what comforted us. In addition to our own comfort, we were even more delighted at the joy of Titus, because his spirit had been set at rest by all of you.

I am giving you my opinion on this matter because it will be helpful to you. Last year you were not only willing to do something, but had already started to do it.

We have also sent with them our brother whom we have often tested in many ways and found to be dedicated. At present he is more dedicated than ever because he has so much confidence in you.

In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will cause others to give thanks to God because of us,

Because your service in giving proves your love, you will be glorifying God as you obey what your confession of the Messiah's gospel demands, since you are generous in sharing with them and with everyone else.

And so in their prayers for you they will long for you because of God's exceptional grace that was shown to you.

I am jealous of you with God's own jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to the Messiah.

When I was with you and needed something, I did not bother any of you, because our brothers who came from Macedonia supplied everything I needed. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do!

Besides everything else, I have a daily burden because of my anxiety about all the churches.

However, if I did want to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I am not going to do it in order to keep anyone from thinking more of me than what he sees and hears about me.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of the exceptional nature of these revelations, a thorn was given to me and placed in my body. It was Satan's messenger to keep on tormenting me so that I would not become conceited.

but he has told me, "My grace is all you need, because my power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the Messiah's power may rest on me.

I will be very glad to spend my money and myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much?

I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries, because I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

I went in response to a revelation, and in a private meeting with the reputed leaders, I explained to them the gospel that I'm proclaiming to the gentiles. I did this because I was afraid that I was running or had run my life's race for nothing.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly wrong.

Until some men arrived from James, he was in the habit of eating with the gentiles, but after those men came, he withdrew from the gentiles and would not associate with them any longer, because he was afraid of the circumcision party.