For who among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.

If someone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, which is what you are.

Guard against self-deception, each of you. If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise.

But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him.

To the rest I say -- I, not the Lord -- if a brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is happy to live with him, he should not divorce her.

And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is happy to live with her, she should not divorce him.

In whatever situation someone was called, brothers and sisters, let him remain in it with God.

Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him,

A person should examine himself first, and in this way let him eat the bread and drink of the cup.

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come.

But if there is no interpreter, he should be silent in the church. Let him speak to himself and to God.

Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised.

But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him.

For he has put everything in subjection under his feet. But when it says "everything" has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him.

And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.

So then, let no one treat him with contempt. But send him on his way in peace so that he may come to me. For I am expecting him with the brothers.

With regard to our brother Apollos: I strongly encouraged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was simply not his intention to come now. He will come when he has the opportunity.

He delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him that he will deliver us yet again,

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us -- by me and Silvanus and Timothy -- was not "Yes" and "No," but it has always been "Yes" in him.

For every one of God's promises are "Yes" in him; therefore also through him the "Amen" is spoken, to the glory we give to God.

This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him,

so that now instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair.

Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him -- for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ,

But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and who makes known through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.

So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him.

And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised.

So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer.

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.

We were encouraged not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement you gave him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your deep concern for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has proved true as well.

And his affection for you is much greater when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.

And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.

I urged Titus to visit you and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way?

For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God's power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God's power toward you.

From Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead)

But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!

As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell!

to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being,

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and get information from him, and I stayed with him fifteen days.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong.

And the rest of the Jews also joined with him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray with them by their hypocrisy.

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

In Christ we too have been claimed as God's own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge of him,

This power he exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms

And God put all things under Christ's feet, and he gave him to the church as head over all things.

Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,

to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love.

if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus.

Masters, treat your slaves the same way, giving up the use of threats, because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.

For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him,

As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you.

So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation,

In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. But God showed mercy to him -- and not to him only, but also to me -- so that I would not have grief on top of grief.

Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you can rejoice and I can be free from anxiety.

So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,

and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ's faithfulness -- a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ's faithfulness.

My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death,

so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects -- bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God,

for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him -- all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers -- all things were created through him and for him.

He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him.

and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross -- through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

but now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him --

We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ.

Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,

rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form,

and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

In him you also were circumcised -- not, however, with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal of the fleshly body, that is, through the circumcision done by Christ.

Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead.

And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions.

When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

I sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts.

I sent him with Onesimus, the faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him).

In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.

He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him.

that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,

And so you know what holds him back, so that he will be revealed in his own time.

For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way,

But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed.

Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

Do not address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers,

He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus.