You will say then, The branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.

Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear.

For if you were cut out of the natural wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more these being according to nature will be grafted into their own olive-tree?

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, so that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

I have fed you with milk and not with solid food, for you were not yet able to bear it; nor are you able even now.

For I think that God has set forth us last, the apostles, as it were appointed to death; for we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men.

For as being absent in body but present in spirit, I indeed have judged already as though I were present concerning him who worked out this thing;

And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

For I would that all men were even as I myself am. But each has his proper gift from God, one according to this manner and another according to that.

Were you called as a slave? It does not matter to you, but if you are able to become free, use it rather.

So then I run, not as if I were uncertain. And so I fight, not as one who beats the air.

And, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.

And all were baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were scattered in the wilderness.

And these things were our examples, that we should not be lusters after evil, as they also lusted.

Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted Him and were destroyed by serpents.

Nor murmur as some of them also murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer.

But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head; for that is even the same as if she were shaved.

You know that being led away, you nations were led to dumb idols.

For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit.

If all the body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If all hearing, where would be the smelling?

And if they were all one member, where would be the body?

Then also those that fell asleep in Christ were lost.

For, brothers, we would not have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength; so much so that we despaired even of life.

(But their thoughts were blinded; for until the present the same veil remains on the reading of the old covenant, not taken away.) But this veil has been done away in Christ.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us.

I would that you were bearing with me a little in foolishness; but indeed bear with me.

Truly the signs of the apostle were worked out among you in all patience, in miracles and in wonders, and by works of power.

For what is it in which you were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong.

But only they were hearing that he who then persecuted us, now preaches the faith which he once ravaged.

But from those who seemed to be something (what kind they were then does not matter to me; God does not accept the face of man), for those seeming important conferred nothing to me.

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!

And to Abraham and to his Seed the promises were spoken. It does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, "And to your Seed," which is Christ.

But before faith came, we were kept under Law, having been shut up to the faith about to be revealed.

For as many as were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ.

Even so we, when we were infants, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

What then was your blessedness? For I bear you record that, if you were able, plucking out your eyes, you would have given them to me.

You were running well. Who hindered you that you do not obey the truth?

For, brothers, you were called to liberty. Only do not use the liberty for an opening to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins,

among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

(even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved),

Therefore remember that you, the nations, in time past were in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

and that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who were once afar off are made near by the blood of Christ.

And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to those who were near.

if indeed you have heard Him and were taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

But whatever things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I am pressing on, if I may lay hold of that for which I also was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him.

And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled

buried with Him in baptism, in whom also you were raised through the faith of the working of God, raising Him from the dead.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

so that you were examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

But also suffering before, being insulted in Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much agony.

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse warmly cherishes her children.

So affectionately longing for you, we were willing to have imparted to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because you have become beloved to us.

You and God are witnesses how holily and justly and blamelessly we were to you who believe,

But, my brothers, when we were taken away from you for an hour's time (in presence, not in heart), more abundantly we were eager with much desire to see your face.

Therefore when we could no longer endure, we were pleased to be left at Athens alone.

For truly, when we were with you, we told you before that we were going to suffer affliction, as it also happened, even you know.

then, my brothers, we were comforted over you, through your faith, even in all our affliction and needs;

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this, that if anyone would not work, neither should he eat.

For the love of money is a root of all evils, of which some having lusted after, they were seduced from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

For we ourselves also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, slaving for various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

And Moses truly was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken afterward.

For we who have believed do enter into the rest, as He said, "I have sworn in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest;" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

Therefore if perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the Law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

(for those priests were made without an oath, but this one was made with an oath by Him who said to Him, "The Lord swore and will not repent, You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,")

And they truly were many priests, because they were not allowed to continue because of death;

For if indeed He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the Law,

And over it were the cherubs of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat (about which we cannot now speak piece by piece.

Now when these things were ordained in this way, the priests always went into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

For it was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him who did the service perfect as regards the conscience,

And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new covenant, so that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Therefore it was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves were purified with better sacrifices than these.

But call to memory the former days, in which (after you were illuminated) you endured a great fight of afflictions,

By faith we understand that the ages were framed by a word of God, so that the things being seen not to have come into being out of the things that appear.

These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

By faith Moses, having been born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child. And they were not afraid of the king's commandments.

By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned.

quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the strangers.

Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.

Do not be carried about with different and strange doctrines, for it is good for the heart to be established with grace, not with foods, in which those who have walked in them were not helped.

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers,

and a Stone-of-stumbling and a Rock-of-offense to those disobeying, who stumble at the Word, to which they also were appointed.

you who then were not a people, but now the people of God, those not pitied then, but now pitied.

For you were not called to this? For Christ also suffered on our behalf, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps,

He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that dying to sins, we might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.

For you were as sheep going astray, but now you are turned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.