However, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

As concerning our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come to you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.

I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part, they have supplied.

When I therefore was thus minded, did I use levity? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay?

But as God is true, our word towards you was not yea and nay.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted by many.

Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away;

For if the ministration of condemnation was glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

For if that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation.

And not by his coming only, but by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind towards me; so that I rejoiced the more.

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it was but for a season.

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: and exceedingly the more we rejoiced for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Now therefore finish the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

And not that only, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath incited very many.

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very greatest apostles.

And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself.

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

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

That he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

For what is that in which ye were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God towards you.

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

For I neither received it from man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

And was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ:

But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to me, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter;

(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles:)

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go to the heathen, and they to the circumcision.

Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

But when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; so that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of no effect.

What purpose then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Wherefore the law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

What then was the blessedness ye spoke of; for I bear you testimony, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

But he who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the flesh; but he of the free-woman was by promise.

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of his power.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because ye had heard that he was sick.

For indeed he was sick nigh to death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

Because for the work of Christ he was nigh to death, not regarding his life, to supply the want of your service towards me.

Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance to you, that it was not in vain:

For our exhortation was not from deceit, nor from impurity, nor in guile;

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired by all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief:

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began;

That good thing which was committed to thee keep by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.

The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus; for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

But they shall proceed no further: for their folly will be manifest to all men, as theirs also was.

Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Who in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him;

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath built the house, hath more honor than the house.

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

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

For to us was the gospel preached, as well as to them: but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter into it, and they to whom it was first preached entered not because of unbelief:

For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but who was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

And no man taketh this honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as was Aaron:

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him from death, and was heard, in that he feared;

Though he was a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered;

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

If therefore 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 Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

For the law maketh men high priests who have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Who serve to the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished by God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See (saith he) that thou make all things according to the pattern shown to thee in the mount.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, in which was the candlestick, and the table, and the show-bread; which is called the sanctuary.

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid around with gold, in which was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;