I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit,

That I am full of sorrow and pain without end.

Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

That is, it is not the children of the body [Abraham’s natural descendants] who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are counted as [Abraham’s true] descendants.

For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

and that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of kindness, that He before prepared for glory, whom also He did call -- us --

Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

whereas Israel who did aim at the law of righteousness have failed to reach that law.

As it is written and forever remains written,

“Behold I am laying in Zion a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense;
And he who believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].”

For I am a witness for them, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Isaiah, after that, is bold and saith, "I am found of them that sought me not, and have appeared to them that asked not after me."

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture says in the history of Elias, how he pleads with God against Israel?

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

In the same way also at the present time there has come to be a remnant whom God in His grace has selected.

What follows from this? Why, that Israel as a nation failed to secure what it was seeking, while those whom God selected did secure it.

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

And because of God's unearned favor shown to me [i.e., in appointing me to be an apostle], I am telling every person among you not to think he is more important than he really is. Instead, he should have a sensible estimate [of his gifts] in harmony with the degree of faith God has given to each person.

Never return injury for injury. Aim at doing what all men will recognize as honorable.

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

For it is written - Living am, I, saith the Lord, unto me, shall bow every knee, and, every tongue, shall openly confess unto God.

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].

May God, from whom steadfastness and encouragement come, give you such harmony with one another, in following the example of Christ Jesus,

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

with the result that I am a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving the gospel of God as a priest, in order that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

I can therefore glory in Christ Jesus concerning the work for God in which I am engaged.

For I am bold enough to tell you only about what the Messiah has accomplished through me in bringing gentiles to obedience. By my words and actions,

yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation;

But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope [while I] am passing through to see you and to be sent on my way by you, whenever I have first enjoyed your [company] for a while.

But for now, I am going to Jerusalem to serve the saints (Jewish believers).

So after discharging this duty, and making sure that these kind gifts reach those for whom they are intended, I shall start for Spain, passing through Rome on my way there;

And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

asking that I may escape unhurt from those in Judaea who are disobedient, and that the service which I am going to Jerusalem to render may be well received by the Church there,

Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

and were christians before me. salute Amplias, whom

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Gaius, with whom I am living, whose house is open to all the church, sends his love, so does Erastus, the manager of the accounts of the town, and Quartus, the brother.

To Him who has it in His power to make you strong, as declared in the Good News which I am spreading, and the proclamation concerning Jesus Christ, in harmony with the unveiling of the Truth which in the periods of past Ages remained unuttered,

to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.

I am always thanking God about you, for the blessing God has given you through Christ Jesus.

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

I am thankful that I did not immerse any of you, except for Crispus and Gaius,

And I gave baptism to the house of Stephanas; but I am not certain that any others had baptism from me.

For the Message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are on the way to perdition, but it is the power of God to those whom He is saving.

but to those whom God has called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is God's power and God's wisdom.

But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin],

However, brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as to spiritual people, but [only] as to worldly people [dominated by human nature], mere infants [in the new life] in Christ!

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

He who plants and he who waters are one [in importance and esteem, working toward the same purpose]; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

I however am very little concerned at undergoing your scrutiny, or that of other men; in fact I do not even scrutinize myself.

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

I am not writing these [things] to shame you, but admonishing [you] as my dear children.

For this cause I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and true child in the Lord; he will make clear to you my ways in Christ, even as I am teaching everywhere in every church.

But some of you have been puffed up through getting the idea that I am not coming to Corinth.

But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power.

What will ye? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in love, and the spirit of mildness?

For I, though absent [from you] in body but present in spirit, have already passed judgment on him who has committed this [act], as if I were present.

In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are gathered together (and I am there in spirit), and the power of our Lord Jesus is there, too,

But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.

For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders (non-believers)? Do you not judge those who are within the church [to protect the church as the situation requires]?

If therefore you have things belonging to this life which need to be decided, is it men who are absolutely nothing in the Church--is it *they* whom you make your judges?

With a view to shame you, am I speaking. So, is it possible that there is among you - not so much as one wise man, who shall be able to judge between his brethren, -

I am free to do all things; but not all things are wise. I am free to do all things; but I will not let myself come under the power of any.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Am I therefore to take the members of Christ and make them part of a prostitute? Certainly not!

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?

But I am saying this as a concession, not as a command.

for I wish all men to be even as I myself am; but each his own gift hath of God, one indeed thus, and one thus.

And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I am;

To the rest it is I who am speaking, not the Lord. If any brother has a wife who is not a believer, if he is willing to live with her, let him not send her away.

For, through his wife, the husband who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ's People; and the wife who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ's People through our Brother whom she has married. Otherwise your children would be 'defiled,' but, as it is, they belong to Christ's People.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God is our aim.

Now concerning virgins I do not have a command from the Lord, but I am giving an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not that I may put a restriction on you, but to promote appropriate and devoted service to the Lord without distraction.

But if a man thinks he is not acting properly toward the girl to whom he is engaged, if his passions are too strong, and that is what ought to be done, let him do as he pleases; it is no sin; let them be married.

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Well then, with regard to food that has been offered to idols, I am quite aware that 'there is no such thing as an idol in the world' and that 'there is only the one God.'

(So-called gods there may be, in heaven or on earth ??as indeed there are plenty of them, both gods and 'lords' ??6 but for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all comes, and for whom we exist; one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom all exists, and by whom we exist.)

But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

But, in thus sinning against the brethren am wounding their conscience, seeing it is weak, against Christ, are ye sinning.

Wherefore, if food cause my brother to fall, I will eat no flesh for ever, lest I cause my brother to fall. Am I not free?

Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

Or am I alone and Barnabas bound to labor with our own hands?

I am not saying these [things] according to a human perspective. Or does the law not also say these [things]?

If others share this authority over you, do not I far more? Yet I have not availed myself of it, but am patiently enduring; so that I may not in any way hinder the progress of Christ's gospel.

But I have used none of these privileges, nor am I writing this [to suggest] that any such provision be made for me now. For it would be better for me to die than to have anyone deprive me of my boast [in this matter of financial support].

For if I am a preacher of the good news, I have no cause for pride in this; because I am forced to do so, for a curse is on me if I do not.