It is said, in fact, that there is among you a sin of the flesh, such as is not seen even among the Gentiles, that one of you has his father's wife.

In my letter I said to you that you were not to keep company with those who go after the desires of the flesh;

Or do you not see that he who is joined to a loose woman is one body with her? for God has said, The two of them will become one flesh.

But what I have just said is by way of concession, not command.

To the rest of the people I myself would say -- though the Lord Himself has said nothing about it -- if a Christian has a wife that is not a believer and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her;

I think, then, that, in view of the time of suffering that has now come upon us, what I have already said is best-that a man should remain as he is.

For in the Law of Moses it is said-'Thou shalt not muzzle a bullock while it is treading out the grain.' Is it the bullocks that God is thinking of?

Or has he us in mind? Yes, it was said for us; because it is right for the ploughman to do his ploughing in hope, and for him who is crushing the grain to do his work hoping for a part in the fruits of it.

Then do not go after false gods, as some of them did; as it is said in the holy Writings, After resting and feasting, the people got up to take their pleasure.

But if anyone says to you, This food has been used as an offering, do not take it, on account of him who said it, and on account of his sense of right and wrong:

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper He also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

for instance, brethren, if I deliver myself to you in an unknown tongue, what good shall I do you, except I deliver to you the meaning of what is said, whether it relate to revelation, to mystical knowledge, to prophecy, or to doctrine.

In the same way, unless you speak an intelligible message with your language, how will anyone know what is being said? You'll be talking into the air!

Well, unless I understand the meaning of what is said to me, I shall appear to the speaker to be talking gibberish, and to my mind he will be talking gibberish himself.

Else when you shall bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the place of the unlearned say Amen at your giving of thanks, seeing he understands not what you said?

In the law it is said, By men of other tongues and by strange lips will my words come to this people; and not even so will they give ear to me, says the Lord.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be limited to two or at the most three, and each one speaking in turn, and one must interpret [what is said].

If there is no one able to interpret what is said, they should remain silent at the meeting of the Church, and speak to themselves and to God.

Let two or three prophets speak [as inspired by the Holy Spirit], while the rest pay attention and weigh carefully what is said.

First and foremost, I passed on to you what I had myself received, namely, that Christ died for our sins as the scriptures had said,

that he was buried, that he rose on the third day as the scriptures had said,

For, as it says, He has put all things under his feet. But when he says, All things are put under him, it is clear that it is not said about him who put all things under him.

And so it is said, The first man Adam was a living soul. The last Adam is a life-giving spirit.

But when this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, Death is overcome by life.

For [no matter] how many promises God has made, in Christ [the answer] is "yes" [i.e., Christ has fulfilled all of God's promises to mankind]. Also, through Christ, the "amen" [Note: This word is always translated elsewhere as "May it be so"] can be said by us in order to honor God.

And I said this very thing in my letter, for fear that when I came I might have sorrow from those from whom it was right for me to have joy; being certain of this, that my joy is the joy of you all.

I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.

For we are not like the great number who make use of the word of God for profit: but our words are true, as from God, being said as before God in Christ.

Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But having the same spirit of faith, as it is said in the Writings, The words of my mouth came from the faith in my heart; in the same way, our words are the outcome of our faith;

Therefore, as I said, we do not lose heart. No, even though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

for God said [Isa. 49:8], "I listened to you at the right time [i.e., when you needed my favor], and I helped you on the day of your salvation." Look, now is the right time [to accept God's favor]; now is the day of salvation.

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

Therefore: "'Come out of company with them, and separate from them,' the Lord has said, 'And stop touching what is unclean; then I will welcome you,

The Lord Almighty [also] said [Hos. 1:10], "I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me."

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

For if I have boasted to him at all concerning you, I was not disappointed. But just as everything we ever said to you was true, so our boasting [about you] to Titus has proved true also.

Make clear then to them, as representatives of the churches, the quality of your love, and that the things which we have said about you are true.

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

As it is said in the Writings, He has sent out far and wide, he has given to the poor; his righteousness is for ever.

because it is said, "His letters [are] severe and powerful, but his bodily presence [is] weak and his speech is of no account."

Such people should consider this: When I arrive for action I shall do exactly what I said I would in my letters when far away.

that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable things said which it is not allowed to man to utter.

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

So, let it be [said] that I did not become a burden to you. But being a clever person, [some are saying] that I took you in by trickery. [Note: Paul is saying that even though he took no financial support from the church, they are accusing him of taking financial advantage of them through other people].

I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned heretofore, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare;

As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

they only kept hearing, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the [good news of the] faith which he once was trying to destroy.”

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

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we also were found to be sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Let it not be said!

Because the Scripture saw ahead of time that God would justify the gentiles by faith, it announced the gospel to Abraham beforehand when it said, "Through you all nations will be blessed."

For all who are of the works of the law are under a curse: because it is said in the Writings, A curse is on everyone who does not keep on doing all the things which are ordered in the book of the law.

Christ has made us free from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us: because it is said in the Writings, A curse on everyone who is put to death by hanging on a tree:

The promises were spoken to Abraham and his offspring. He said not, And to offsprings, as of many, but as of one, And to your offspring, which is Christ.

Is the Law then against the promises of God? Let it not be said! For if a law had been given which could have given life, indeed righteousness would have been out of Law.

This is being said as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. The one woman, Hagar, is from Mount Sinai, and her children are born into slavery.

envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revels, and things like these; as to which I tell you beforehand, even as I also have said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit God's kingdom.

How by revelation the secret was made clear to me, as I said before in a short letter,

Therefore it says,

“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And He bestowed gifts on men.”

And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise.

for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said:

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,
and the Messiah will shine on you.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. it is not uneasy to me to write what I have already said, and it is an advantage to you.

For many walk, of whom I often said to you, and now say even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of the Christ,

for even when we were with you, we said to you beforehand, that we are about to suffer tribulation, as also it did come to pass, and ye have known it;

But, when Timothy recently returned to us from you with good news of your faith and love, and told us how kindly you think of us--always longing, he said, to see us, just as we are longing to see you--

And that no man may make attempts to get the better of his brother in business: for the Lord is the judge in all these things, as we said to you before and gave witness.

For we say this to you by [the authority of] the word of the Lord [Note: Paul was either quoting what Jesus had previously said, or was giving a revelation he had received from the Lord. See I Cor. 14:37], that we [Christians] who are [still] alive, who are left [on earth] when the Lord returns, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [Note: The point Paul is making is that the living will not be "changed" (I Cor. 15:51-52) and taken to heaven before the dead are raised].

not to be so quickly upset or alarmed when someone claims that we said, either by some spirit, conversation, or letter that the Day of the Lord has already come.

Do ye not remember that, being yet with you, I said these things to you?

And if any man does not give attention to what we have said in this letter, take note of that man, and keep away from him, so that he may be shamed.

Though I had said violent words against God, and done cruel acts, causing great trouble: but I was given mercy, because I did it without knowledge, not having faith;

I transmit these instructions to you, Timotheus my son, in accordance with what the prophets said who first directed me to you; fight the good fight on these lines,

And he is to have a good name among those outside the church, so that nothing may be said against him and he may not be taken by the designs of the Evil One.

for then it is consecrated by the prayer said over it.

Give orders to this effect, so that no evil may be said of anyone.

Let all who are servants under the yoke give all honour to their masters, so that no evil may be said against the name of God and his teaching.

And the things which I have said to you before a number of witnesses, give to those of the faith, so that they may be teachers of others.

My life, indeed, is already ebbing out, and the time has come for me to sail away.

for he has been bitterly hostile to anything I have said.

I did not take you with me when I went away from Crete, so that you might do what was necessary to put things in order there, placing men in authority over the churches in every town, as I said to you;

Men having a good record, husbands of one wife, whose children are of the faith, children of whom it may not be said that they are given to loose living or are uncontrolled.

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

To be wise in mind, clean in heart, kind; working in their houses, living under the authority of their husbands; so that no evil may be said of the word of God.

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

And again, when God sent the Firstborn One [i.e., Jesus. See Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15, 18; Rev. 1:5] into the world, He said [Deut. 32:43 LXX], "And all of God's angels should worship Him."

But God said [this] about the angels [Psa. 104:4 LXX], "He [i.e., God] makes His angels to be [like] winds and His servants [like] flames of fire." [Note: The idea is probably that angels obediently serve God's purpose similar to the way wind and lightening do].

while of the Son he said-- 'God is thy throne for ever and ever; The scepter of his Kingdom is the scepter of Justice;

But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

But one has [solemnly] testified somewhere [in Scripture], saying,

“What is man, that You are mindful of him,
Or the son of man, that You graciously care for him?

Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future.

So, even as the Holy Spirit said [Psa. 95:7-11], "Today, if you hear His [i.e., God's] voice,

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

for we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold fast our first confidence firm unto the end; inasmuch as it is said,

While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;

and again in this, “They shall not enter My rest.”

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have said anything about another day.