And I want you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.

But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife,

and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to please her husband.

For it is written in the law of Moses, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." God is not concerned here about oxen, is he?

If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come.

It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.

If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home, because it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised.

Now, brothers and sisters, you know about the household of Stephanus, that as the first converts of Achaia, they devoted themselves to ministry for the saints. I urge you

I was glad about the arrival of Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus because they have supplied the fellowship with you that I lacked.

Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?

For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.

For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has proved true as well.

For we are concerned about what is right not only before the Lord but also before men.

If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints,

because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.

But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them.

For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so.

For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ.

And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about.

(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.

If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness.

On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.

I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me.

But he said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.

I assure you that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you!

Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me!

I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, because I am perplexed about you.

For those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh.

and to enlighten everyone about God's secret plan -- a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things.

So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.

But you did not learn about Christ like this,

if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus.

Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you, so that you too may know about my circumstances, how I am doing.

For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God's grace together with me.

Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.

So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation,

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.

since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints.

Your faith and love have arisen from the hope laid up for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel

For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.

Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,

Tychicus, a dear brother, faithful minister, and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.

I sent him with Onesimus, the faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him).

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you -- it has not proven to be purposeless.

We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen you and encourage you about your faith,

So when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.

So in all our distress and affliction, we were reassured about you, brothers and sisters, through your faith.

Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.

And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing -- and will do -- what we are commanding.

I put this charge before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, in order that with such encouragement you may fight the good fight.

Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach. Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not.

But those who have believing masters must not show them less respectTeach them and exhort them about these things.

So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but by God's power accept your share of suffering for the gospel.

Think about what I am saying and the Lord will give you understanding of all this.

You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you

and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, because he has nothing evil to say about us.

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty.

For he did not put the world to come, about which we are speaking, under the control of angels.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,"

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day.

Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God,

teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; its fate is to be burned.

Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever officiated at the altar.

For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.

who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent but by the power of an indestructible life.

For here is the testimony about him: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."

The place where they serve is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For he says, "See that you make everything according to the design shown to you on the mountain."

When he speaks of a new covenant, he makes the first obsolete. Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear.

By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his burial.

They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes.

They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory.

But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.

in that he spends the rest of his time on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires.

But concerning the one who lacks such things -- he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins.

Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet's own imagination,

These things I have written to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

Now as for you, the anointing that you received from him resides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as it has taught you, you reside in him.

If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that.

Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you about our common salvation, I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

For certain men have secretly slipped in among you -- men who long ago were marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe -- ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

who then testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about Jesus Christ.

I, John, your brother and the one who shares with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.

Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.

Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.