this I say, my brethren, because the body, as it is at present, cannot possess the kingdom of God; and what is corruptible, can't enjoy incorruptibility.

in a moment, faster than an eye can blink, at the sound of the last trumpet. Indeed, that trumpet will sound, and then the dead will be raised never to decay, and we will be changed.

For this decaying part of us must put on the body that can never decay, and this part once capable of dying must put on the body that can never die.

And when this part once capable of dying puts on the body that can never die, then what the Scripture says will come true, "Death has been swallowed up in victory.

On the first day of every week each of you should put by what he can afford, so that no collections need be made after I have come.

And if it seems worth while for me to go myself, they can go with me.

And perhaps I will stay with you, even for the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.

Therefore, no one should look down on him. Send him on his way in peace so he can come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

As concerning brother Apollos, I besought him much that he would come to you with the brethren; but it was not at all his wish to come at this time: but he will come when he can find a good opportunity.

who comforts me in every sorrow I have, so that I can comfort people who are in sorrow with the comfort with which I am comforted by God.

Why, I felt in my heart that the end must be death. That was to keep me from relying on myself instead of on God, who can even raise the dead.

while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

Now we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely—

just as you have already understood us partially, so that on the Day of our Lord Jesus we can be your reason to boast, even as you are ours.

When I planned this, I did not do it lightly, did I? Are my plans so fickle that I can say "Yes" and "No" at the same time?

As surely as God can be relied on, there has been no equivocation about our message to you.

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.

For if I caused you sorrow, who can make me glad except the one I have grieved? [See verse 6].

You yourselves are our letter--a letter written on our hearts, and one which everybody can read and understand.

Since all can see that you are a letter of Christ transcribed by men, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.

not that we can of ourselves reckon upon any thing as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.

But whenever a person [i.e., the Jews] turn to the Lord, the veil is removed [i.e., so they can understand the meaning of God's promises to them through Christ].

because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

So, since I know what the fear of God can do, I am trying to win men. My inner self is perfectly known to God, and I hope, to your consciences too.

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but we speak [in such a way as] to give you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can have an answer for those who take pride in [outward] appearances instead of what is in the heart.

Can you not in return--I appeal to you as I should to children--open your hearts to us?

Stop forming intimate and inconsistent relations with unbelievers. What partnership can right-doing have with law-breaking, or how can light participate with darkness?

what concord can Christ maintain with Belial? what concern has a believer with an infidel?

And what agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said: "I will live in them and walk in them, and I will be their God and they will be my people."

So since we have promises like these, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves of everything that can defile body or spirit, and by reverence for God make our consecration complete.

For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], what readiness to punish [those who sin and those who tolerate sin]! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

I am glad I can have so much confidence in you about everything.

For I can testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, of their own free will, too, they have given help.

to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means.

but that there will be equality [i.e., in everyone's giving]. Your abundance can now supply their need, so that their abundance can [later] supply your need. [That way] there can be equality,

We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum administered by us.

So let them have proof of how you can love, and of my reasons for being proud of you; it will be a proof read by the churches.

God has power to shower all kinds of blessings upon you, so that, having, under all circumstances and on all occasions, all that you can need, you may be able to shower all kinds of benefits upon others.

He who furnishes the sower with seed and with bread to eat will supply seed for you and multiply it; he will increase the crop of your charities ??11 you will be enriched on all hands, so that you can be generous on all occasions, and your generosity, of which I am the agent, will make men give thanks to God;

You will grow rich in every way, so that through me you can show perfect liberality that will make men thank God for it.

so that I can preach the good news in the regions beyond you, without boasting in another man's sphere of work already done by him.

But what I am doing, I will continue to do, so that I can cut off the opportunity from those who want an occasion [to receive financial support for themselves because of my example of receiving it]. They want to boast [that they are preaching] on the same terms as I do. [Note: Paul's argument seems to be that one reason for his foregoing financial support was so those "super apostles" in Corinth (see verse 5) would not be able to use his example to wrongfully exact financial support from the church].

And no wonder. Satan, their master, can disguise himself as an angel of light.

Again I say, no one should think I am foolish, but if you do, [then] accept me that way, so that I too can boast a little bit.

I am ashamed to admit it, but we have been too weak for that. Whatever anyone else dares to claim I am talking like a fool I can claim it, too.

And I know that this man?? do not know whether it was in the body or out of it, God knows??4 was caught up into Paradise, and heard things that must not be told, which no human being can repeat.

how that he was taken up into paradise, and heard words not to be spoken, which no man can utter.

For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

But God said to me, "My unearned favor is enough for you, for my power is made complete in [your] weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast, so that the power of Christ can rest on me.

For my part, I will most gladly spend, and be spent, for your welfare. Can it be that the more intensely I love you the less I am to be loved?

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

For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth;

from me, who called you by the grace of Christ; this can be

But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?”

because we know that a man does not come into right standing with God by doing what the law commands, but by simple trust in Christ, we too have trusted in Christ Jesus, in order to come into right standing with God by simple trust in Christ and not by doing what the law commands, because by doing what the law commands no man can come into right standing with God.

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are also found sinners, is Christ, there fore, the minister of sin? It can not be.

I never can nullify the unmerited favor of God. For if right standing with God could come through law, then Christ died for nothing.

Are you so foolish [as to believe that after] having begun [your Christian lives] through [the power of] the Holy Spirit, you can [now] become complete by [living according to your human strength]?

Now it is evident that no person can be made right with God by [obeying all the requirements of] the law of Moses for [Hab. 2:4 says], "The righteous person will obtain life by [his] faith [in God]."

Brothers, I am going to use a human illustration: Even a human contract, once it has been ratified, no one can annul or change.

For if our inheritance depends on the law, it can no longer depend on the promise. But it was by promise that God so graciously bestowed it upon Abraham.

Now the mediator or go-between [in a transaction] is not [needed] for just one party; whereas God is only one [and was the only One giving the promise to Abraham, but the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity depended on both].

Is the law, then, against the promises of God? It can not be. For if a law had been given which could have given life, surely righteousness would have been by law.

There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.

But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt elemental forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

Where is your self-congratulation? For I can testify that you would have torn out your very eyes, if you could, and have given them to me.

Can it be that I have become your enemy through speaking the truth to you?

But it is a finer thing to be made much of honestly and constantly??ot just when I can be with you,

Here is what I am saying to you: If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ can do you no good.

A little bit of yeast permeates the whole batch of dough [i.e., a few people can influence everyone else to do the wrong thing in this matter].

For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, "You must love your neighbor as yourself."

For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the desire of the Spirit is against flesh; and these are opposed, the one to the other, so that you can not do what you would.

gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against [practicing] these things.

Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else.

Indeed, the very men who let themselves be circumcised do not themselves observe the law. But they simply want you to let yourselves be circumcised, so that they can boast of you as members of their party.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you a spirit [i.e., a disposition] of wisdom and revelation [or, "give you the spiritual gifts of wisdom and revelation"], so you can have full knowledge of God.

And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people),

and [so that you will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come.

not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].

Respecting which ye can, by reading, perceive my discernment in the sacred secret of the Christ, -

May you be so fixed and founded in love that you can grasp with all the saints what is the meaning of 'the Breadth,' 'the Length,' 'the Depth' and 'the Height,'

To Him who by His power that is at work within us can do surpassingly more than all we ask or imagine,

(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had previously descended [from the heights of heaven] into the lower parts of the earth?

But [instead], we should speak [and practice] truth in a loving way, so that we can, in all respects, grow up [spiritually] into [union with] Christ, who is the head [i.e., of His body, the church].

The person who has stolen must stop doing it; instead, he should work hard, doing something worthwhile with his own hands, so that he can have [money] to share with the person who needs it.

Do not allow unwholesome [Note: The Greek word for "unwholesome" is "rotten, diseased"] language to come from your mouth, but only what is helpful for building up those who need it, so that you can impart favor [i.e., benefit] to those who listen [to you].

For you may be absolutely sure that no one who is sexually impure, immoral or greedy for gain (for that is idolatry) can have a part in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Take no part in deeds of Darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them.

But everything can be tested by the light and thus be shown in its true colors; for whatever shines of itself is light.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that you can withstand [the devil, See verse 11] when the evil day comes. And, after you have done everything you can, still remain standing firm [in the faith].

Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

But, so that you people also can know how I am doing and what is going on with me, Tychicus, the dearly loved brother and faithful minister in [the service of] the Lord, will tell you everything.

I have sent [i.e., am sending] him to you for this very purpose, so you can know our situation and that he can encourage your hearts.

so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,

The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment.

If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice].

so that [what] you can be proud of may increase in Christ Jesus because of me through my return again to you.

If then I can appeal to you as the followers of Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love and any common sharing of the Spirit, or if you have any tender-heartedness and compassion, make my joy complete by being of one mind,