What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

As Scripture says-'See, I place a Stumbling-block in Zion-- a Rock which shall prove a hindrance; and he who believes in him shall have no cause for shame.'

Moses says that he whose actions conform to the righteousness required by the Law shall live by that righteousness.

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

But what says it? The word is near thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:

Because, if you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and have faith in your heart that God has made him come back from the dead, you will have salvation:

For with the heart man has faith to get righteousness, and with the mouth he says that Jesus is Lord to get salvation.

For the scripture says, No one believing on him shall be ashamed.

For [Joel 2:32 says], "Every person who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [i.e., whoever appeals to God through obedient faith in Christ]

But how, say you, shall they call on him on whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

And how are men to proclaim him unless they are sent as his messengers? As Scripture says--'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'

But they have not all obeyed the glad tidings. For Esaias says, Lord, who has believed our report?

But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

But Esaias is very bold, and says, I have been found by those not seeking me; I have become manifest to those not inquiring after me.

But unto Israel he says, All the day long I have stretched out my hands unto a people disobeying and opposing.

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture says in the history of Elias, how he pleads with God against Israel?

But what says the divine answer to him? I have left to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed knee to Baal.

And so Scripture says, "God has given them a spirit of drowsiness--eyes to see nothing with and ears to hear nothing with--even until now."

And David says, Let their table be for a snare, and for a gin, and for a fall-trap, and for a recompense to them:

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

But to you Gentiles I say that, since I am an Apostle specially sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry,

Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.

And then all Israel shall be saved. As Scripture says--'From Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.

[A summary of Jer. 31:31-34 says], "And I [i.e., God] will make this Agreement with them [i.e., Jewish and Gentile believers] when I take away their sins."

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Bless them that persecute you: bless them, I say, and do not curse them.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God’s wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

But [Prov. 25:21-25 says], "Feed your enemy if he is hungry; give him something to drink if he is thirsty. For when you do this, it will be [like] heaping burning coals on his head." [i.e., it can cause him burning shame that can lead to his repentance and ultimate forgiveness].

For the Law which says, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet, and whatever other commandment there be??s all summed up in this one saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

This I say, because you know the crisis that we have reached, for the time has already come for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; our Salvation is nearer now than when we accepted the Faith.

Who are you to criticize the servant of Another? It is for his Master to say whether he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Master has power to make him stand.

For it is written [in Scripture],

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall give praise to God.”

Let it not be possible for men to say evil about your good:

Even the Christ did not please himself! On the contrary, as Scripture says of him--'The reproaches of those who were reproaching thee fell upon me.'

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

And that the Gentiles also may praise God for his mercy. As Scripture says--'Therefore will I make acknowledgment to thee among the Gentiles and sing in honor of thy Name.'

And again he says, Rejoice, nations, with his people.

And again, Esaias says, There shall be the root of Jesse, and one that arises, to rule over the nations: in him shall the nations hope.

For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed,

But, as Scripture says, "Those shall see, to whom no report about Him has hitherto come, and those who until now have not heard shall understand."

but now, I'say , I go unto Jerusalem, ministering unto the saints.

they have thought fit, I say, and they owed them as much. for if the Gentiles have participated of their spirituals, they are bound on their side to minister to them in their temporals.

It is my desire to say a good word for Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae:

And say a kind word to the church which is in their house. Give my love to my dear Epaenetus, who is the first fruit of Asia to Christ.

Give my love to Apelles, who has the approval of Christ. Say a kind word to those who are of the house of Aristobulus.

Give my love to Herodion, my relation. Say a kind word to those of the house of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

I say this, for the tidings of your obedience have been told throughout the world. On your own behalf, then, I rejoice; but I want you to be wise unto the good, but innocents in evil.

To him, I say, the wise and only God, be ascribed, through Jesus Christ, all glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all say the same thing, and that there be not among you divisions; but that ye be perfectly united in the same mind and in the same opinion.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

As it says in the holy Writings, I will put an end to the wisdom of the wise, and will put on one side the designs of those who have knowledge.

in order that it may be as Scripture says, "He who boasts--let his boast be in the Lord."

but just as it is written [in Scripture],“Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed].”

And these are the things which we say, not in the language of man's wisdom, but in words given to us by the Spirit, judging the things of the spirit by the help of the Spirit.

[Isa. 40:13 says], "For who knows [what is in] the Lord's mind? And who is capable of instructing Him? But we have the mind of Christ. [Note: The "we" may refer to the apostles, who had the gift of inspiration (See verse 12), or to all Christians who have spiritual discernment].

For when one says, I am of Paul, and another, I of Apollos, are ye not men?

For this world's wisdom is foolishness to God. For the Scripture says, "He who catches the wise with their own cunning,"

And again, it says [Psa. 94:11], "The Lord knows that the thoughts of 'wise people' are worthless."

In writing this much, brethren, with special reference to Apollos and myself, I have done so for your sakes, in order to teach you by our example what those words mean, which say, "Nothing beyond what is written!" --so that you may cease to take sides in boastful rivalry, for one teacher against another.

But I am coming very soon to see you, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out, not what these conceited people have to say, but what they can actually do.

when ye are assembled together with my spirit, by the power, I say,

to deliver him, I say, being such, to Satan for destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

But, as things are, I say that you are not to associate with any one who, although a Brother in name, is immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or abusive, or a drunkard, or grasping-no, not even to sit at table with such people.

Do you not know that we are to sit in judgement upon angels--to say nothing of things belonging to this life?

I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren,

To say no more, then, it is altogether a defect in you that you have law-suits with one another. Why not rather endure injustice? Why not rather submit to being defrauded?

Do ye not know that he that is joined to the harlot is one body? for the two, he says, shall be one flesh.

But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her.

I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

And this I say for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

But if any man thinks he is [being tempted to] behave improperly toward his virgin [fiancee], and she is past prime [marriageable] age, and feels the need [to get married] [Note: The Greek says "and so it has to be"], he should do what he wants; they should get married --- that man has not sinned.

About food that has been offered to idols, it is true, as you say, that we all have some knowledge on that matter. Knowledge gives people airs; love is what builds up character.

But if any one love God, he is known by him. I say, as to the eating of things sacrificed to idols,

Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

For it says in the law of Moses, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. Is it for the oxen that God is giving orders?

or does he say it altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of it.

If others share this right over you, why not we all the more? We did not avail ourselves of it, you say? No, we do not mind any privations if we can only avoid putting any obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

But for my part, I have never availed myself of any of these rights. I do not say this to bring it about in my own case. I would rather die than let any one make void this boast of mine.

Do not become idolaters, as some of them became. Scripture says-'The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to dance.'

And do not say evil things against the Lord, as some of them did, and destruction overtook them.

Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

consider the custom of the Jews by descent, are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? what say I then?

What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

"All things are lawful," you say? But not all things are expedient; "all things are lawful"; but not all build up.

But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?

But if I give praise to God for the food which I take, let no man say evil of me for that reason.

Now in what I am going to say, I do not commend you, because your assemblies are not to your advantage, but to your prejudice.

What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot should say,

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?