But, if there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then even Christ has not been raised;

But, in truth, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are at rest.

But each in his proper order-Christ the first-fruits; afterwards, at his Coming, those who belong to the Christ.

For God has placed all things under Christ's feet. (But, when it is said that all things have been placed under Christ, it is plain that God is excepted who placed everything under him.)

And when you sow, you sow not the body that will be, but a mere grain-perhaps of wheat, or something else.

There are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the beauty of the heavenly bodies is not the beauty of the earthly.

That which comes first is not the spiritual, but the human; afterwards comes the spiritual;

Listen, I will tell you God's hidden purpose! We shall not all have passed to our rest, but we shall all be transformed-in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,

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

As for our Brother Apollos, I have often urged him to go to you with the others. He has, however, been very unwilling to do so as yet; but he will go as soon as he finds a good opportunity.

It is true that we have our full share of the sufferings of the Christ, but through the Christ we have also our full share of consolation.

Indeed, we had the presentiment that we must die, so that we might rely, not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead.

Indeed, our main ground for satisfaction is this--Our conscience tells us that our conduct in the world, and still more in our relations with you, was marked by a purity of motive and a sincerity that were inspired by God, and was based, not on worldly policy, but on the help of God.

But, as my life shall answer for it, I call God to witness that it was to spare you that I deferred my visit to Corinth.

I wrote to you in sore trouble and distress of heart and with many tears, not to give you pain, but to let you see how intense a love I have for you.

To the latter we are an odor which arises from death and tells of Death; to the former an odor which arises from life and tells of Life. But who is equal to such a task?

Unlike many people, we are not in the habit of making profit out of God's Message; but in all sincerity, and bearing God's commission, we speak before him in union with Christ.

All can see that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, a letter written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on 'tablets of stone,' but on 'tablets of human hearts.'

Our fitness comes from God, who himself made us fit to be ministers of a New Covenant, of which the substance is, not a written Law, but a Spirit. For the written Law means Death, but the Spirit gives Life.

If the system of religion which involved Death, embodied in a written Law and engraved on stones, began amid such glory, that the Israelites were unable to gaze at the face of Moses on account of its glory, though it was but a passing glory,

But their minds were slow to learn. Indeed, to this very day, at the public reading of the Old Covenant, the same veil remains unlifted; only for those who are in union with Christ does it pass away.

But, even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts.

(For it is not ourselves that we proclaim, but Christ Jesus, as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.)

But, in the same spirit of faith as that expressed in the words--'I believed, and therefore I spoke,' we, also believe, and therefore speak.

We, all the while, gazing not on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is transient, but what is unseen is imperishable.

Therefore, because we know the fear inspired by the Lord, it is true that we are trying to win men, but our motives are plain to God; and I hope that in your inmost hearts they are plain to you also.

We are not "commending ourselves" again to you, but rather are giving you cause for pride in us, so that you may have an answer ready for those who pride themselves on appearances and not on character.

And that he died for all, so that the living should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose for them.

But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation--

But God, who encourages the downcast, has encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

And it is not only by his arrival that we are encouraged, but also by the encouragement which he received from you; for he tells us of your strong affection, your penitence, and your zeal on my behalf--so that I am happier still.

I am glad now; not because of the sorrow it caused you, but because your sorrow brought you to repentance. For it was God's will that you should feel sorrow, in order that you should not suffer loss in any way at our hands.

So, then, even though I did write to you, it was not for the sake of the wrong-doer, or of the man who was wronged, but to make you conscious, in the sight of God, of your own earnest care for us. And it is this that has encouraged us.

Although I have been boasting a little to him about you, you did not put me to shame; but, just as every thing we had said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has also proved to be the truth.

And that, not only in the way we had expected; but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us also, in accordance with God's will.

I am not laying a command upon you, but I am making use of the earnestness shown by others to test the genuineness of your affection.

I am only making suggestions on this matter; for this is the best course for you, since you were a year before others, not only in taking action, but also in showing your readiness to do so.

For our object is not to give relief to others and bring distress on you, but, by equalizing matters, to secure that,

And not only that, but he has been elected by the Churches to accompany us on our journey, in Keynesian with this expression of your love, which we are personally administering to the honor of the Lord, and to show our deep interest.

For we are trying to make arrangements which shall be right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.

For the rendering of a public service such as this, not only relieves the needs of your fellow-Christians, but also results in the offering to God of many a thanksgiving.

Now, I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ--I who, "in your presence, am humble in my bearing towards you, but, when absent, am bold in my language to you"--

The weapons for our warfare are not earthly, but, under God, are powerful enough to pull down strongholds.

For people say "His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible."

We have not indeed the audacity to class or compare ourselves with some of those who indulge in self-commendation! But, when such persons measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they show a want of wisdom.

We, however, will not give way to unlimited boasting, but will confine ourselves to the limits of the sphere to which God limited us, when he permitted us to come as far as Corinth.

Our boasting, therefore, is not unlimited, nor does it extend to the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith grows, our influence among you may be very greatly increased-- though still confined to our sphere--

For it is not the man who commends himself that stands the test, but the man who is commended by the Lord.

I could wish that you would tolerate a little folly in me! But indeed you do tolerate me.

It is not surprising, therefore, if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of Righteousness. But their end will be in accordance with their actions.

When I speak thus, I am not speaking as the Master would, but as a fool might, in boasting so confidently.

I admit, to my shame, that we have been weak. But whatever the subject on which others are not afraid to boast--though it is foolish to say so--I am not afraid either!

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews forty lashes, all but one.

But I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

I must boast! It is unprofitable; but I will pass to visions and revelations given by the Lord.

About such a man I will boast, but about myself I will not boast except as regards my weaknesses.

Yet if I choose to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I shall be speaking no more than the truth. But I refrain, lest any one should credit me with more than he can see in me or hear from me, and because of the marvelous character of the revelations.

But his reply has been-- 'My help is enough for you; for my strength attains its perfection in the midst of weakness.' Most gladly, then, will I boast all the more of my weaknesses, so that the strength of the Christ may overshadow me.

Remember, this is the third time that I have made every preparation to come to see you, and I shall refuse to be a burden to you; I want, not your money, but you. It is not the duty of children to put by for their parents, but of parents to put by for their children.

You will admit that I was not a burden to you but you say that I was "crafty" and caught you "by a trick"!

For though his crucifixion was due to weakness, his life is due to the power of God. And we, also, are weak in his weakness, but with him we shall live for you through the power of God.

But I hope that you will recognize that we can stand the test.

We pray God that you may do nothing wrong, not that we may be seen to stand the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may seem not to stand the test.

We have no power at all against the Truth, but we have power in the service of the Truth.

To the churches in Galatia, from Paul, an Apostle whose commission is not from men and is given, not by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead;

Which is really no Good News at all. But then, I know that there are people who are harassing you, and who want to pervert the Good News of the Christ.

I, at least, did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through a revelation made by Jesus Christ.

But when God, who had set me apart even before my birth, and who called me by his love,

But I was still unknown even by sight to the Christian Churches in Judea;

But, on account of the false Brothers who had stolen in, the men who had crept in to spy upon the liberty which we have through union with Christ Jesus, in order to bring us back to slavery--

But, when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face; for he stood self-condemned.

Before certain persons came from James, he had been in the habit of eating with the Gentile converts; but, when they came, he began to withdraw and hold aloof, for fear of offending those who still held to circumcision.

But, when I saw that they were not dealing straightforwardly with the Truth of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, who were born a Jew, adopt Gentile customs, instead of Jewish, why are you trying to compel the Gentile converts to adopt Jewish customs?"

We, though we are Jews by birth and not outcasts of Gentile origin, know that no one is pronounced righteous as the result of obedience to Law, but only through faith in Christ Jesus.

I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

But the Law is not based on faith; no, its words are--'Those who practice these precepts will find Life through them.'

Now it was to Abraham that the promises were made, 'and to his offspring.' It was not said 'to his offsprings,' as if many persons were meant, but the words were 'to thy offspring,' showing that one person was meant--and that was Christ.

Now mediation implies more than one person, but God is one only.

But the words of Scripture represent the whole world as being in bondage to sin, so that the promised blessing, dependent, as it is, upon faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to those who have faith in him.

But now that faith has come we no longer need a guide.

But, when the full time came, God sent his Son--born a woman's child, born subject to Law--

You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God's appointment.

But now that you have found God--or, rather, have been found by him--how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves?

And as for what must have tried you in my condition, it did not inspire you with scorn or disgust, but you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God--or Christ Jesus himself!

Certain people are seeking your favor, but with no honorable object. No, indeed, they want to isolate you, so that you will have to seek their favor.

But I could wish to be with you now and speak in a different tone, for I am perplexed about you.

But the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfillment of a promise.

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who is our mother.

But what does the passage of Scripture say? 'Send away the slave-woman and her son; for the slave's son shall not be co-heir with the son of the free woman.'

And so, Brothers, we are not children of a slave, but of her who is free.

If a man is in union with Christ Jesus, neither is circumcision nor the omission of it anything, but faith, working through love, is everything.

I, through my union with the Lord, am persuaded that you will learn to think with me. But the man who is disturbing your minds will have to bear his punishment, whoever he may be.

Remember, Brothers, to you the Call came to give you freedom. Only do not make your freedom an opportunity for self-indulgence, but serve one another in a loving spirit.

But, if you are continually wounding and preying upon one another, take care that you are not destroyed by one another.

But, if you follow the guidance of the Spirit, you are not subject to Law.

But the fruit produced by the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindliness, generosity, trustfulness, gentleness, self-control.

But, for my part, may I never boast of anything except the cross of Jesus Christ, our Master, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

For neither is circumcision nor the omission of it anything; but a new nature is everything.

But now, through your union with Christ Jesus, you who once were 'far off' have, by the shedding of the blood of the Christ, been brought 'near.'

It follows, then, that you are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow-citizens with Christ's People and members of God's Household.