Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

Then what advantage has the Jew, or what is the value of circumcision?

But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it,

and it was to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

For if those who are of the law are to be the heirs, faith has no value and the promise is void,

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For he who has died has been freed from sin.

For we know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Do you not know, brethrenfor I am speaking to those who know the lawthat the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in birth pangs together until now.

Therefore he has mercy on whom he wills, and he hardens the heart of whom he wills.

in order to make known the riches of his glory for the vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory,

even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

but Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness, has not attained that law.

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"

But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? Certainly not! But through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous.

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

For God has bound all men over to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all.

"For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"

"Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"

For by the grace given to me I say to every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him.

Therefore he who resists the authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Let not him who eats despise him who does not, and let not him who does not eat pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted him.

But he who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised to show God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs,

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed

And so I have made it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on another man's foundation,

that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she has need from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.

Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those workers in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.

For your obedience has become known to all, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

But we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and which God destined for our glory before the ages.

But, as it is written, "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived what God has prepared for those who love him,"

God has revealed them to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

If any man's work which he has built on it survives, he will receive a reward.

For, I think that God has exhibited us apostles last of all, like men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: a man has his father's wife.

And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to have mourned? Let the one who has done this be removed from your midst.

For though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit, and have already passed judgment on the one who has committed this, as if I were present.

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

When any one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints?

I wish that all men were as I myself am. But each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.

But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.

If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce him.

But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him do so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace.

Only, let each one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised.

But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have troubles in this flesh, and I am trying to spare you.

I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; so that from now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none,

But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has control over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who informed you and for conscience' sake

Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

But now God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, just as he desired.

while our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the parts that lacked it,

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then those having gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and those speaking in various kinds of tongues.

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, or a teaching, or a revelation, or a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?

Now if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised;

if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and so is your faith.

For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised.

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all rule and all authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

"For God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him.

But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.

for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

As for our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the other brethren, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.

But as surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.

For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by usby me and Silvanus and Timothywas not Yes and No, but in him it has always been Yes.

Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us;

he has put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

But if any one has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measurenot to put it too severelyto all of you.

Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,

who has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed it in glory.

For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.

Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.

that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians. Our heart is opened wide.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

What harmony has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?