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.

However, if the unbeliever wishes to be separated, let him be so. Under such circumstances neither the Brother nor the Sister is bound; God has called you to live in peace.

In any case, a man should continue to live in the condition which the Lord has allotted to him, and in which he was when God called him. This is the rule that I lay down in every Church.

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? Then he should not efface his circumcision. Has a man been called when uncircumcised? Then he should not be circumcised.

With regard to unmarried women, I have no command from the Master to give you, but I tell you my opinion, and it is that of a man whom the Master in his mercy has made worthy to be trusted.

I think, then, that, in view of the time of suffering that has now come upon us, what I have already said is best-that a man should remain as he is.

On the other hand, a father, who has definitely made up his mind, and is under no compulsion, but is free to carry out his own wishes, and who has come to the decision, in his own mind, to keep his unmarried daughter at home will be doing right.

With reference to food that has been offered in sacrifice to idols-We are aware that all of us have knowledge! Knowledge breeds conceit, while love builds up character.

If a man thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet reached that knowledge which he ought to have reached.

With reference, then, to eating food that has been offered to idols-we are aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

Still, it is not every one that has this knowledge. Some people, because of their association with idols, continued down to the present time, eat the food as food offered to an idol; and their consciences, while still weak, are dulled.

So, too, the Master has appointed that those who tell the Good News should get their living from the Good News.

To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law- -not that I am free from God's Law; no, for I am under Christ's Law-to win those who have no law.

These things happened to them by way of warning, and were recorded to serve as a caution to us, in whose days the close of the ages has come.

No temptation has come upon you that is not common to all mankind. God will not fail you, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; but, when he sends the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, so that you may have strength to endure.

But, if any one should say to you 'This has been offered in sacrifice to an idol,' then, for the sake of the speaker and his scruples, do not eat it.

A man ought not to have his head covered, for he has been from the beginning 'the likeness of God' and the reflection of his glory, but woman is the reflection of man's glory.

A woman's long hair is her glory? Her hair has been given her to serve as a covering.

For, as you eat, each of you tries to secure his own supper first, with the result that one has too little to eat, and another has too much to drink!

For just as the human body is one whole, and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many though they are, form but one body, so it is with the Christ;

But in fact God has placed each individual part just where he thought fit in the body.

But in fact, although it has many parts, there is only one body.

Yes, God has so constructed the body--by giving a special honor to the part that lacks it-

If one part suffers, all the others suffer with it, and if one part has honor done it, all the others share its joy.

In the Church God has appointed, first, Apostles, secondly Preachers, thirdly Teachers; then he has given supernatural powers, then power to cure diseases, aptness for helping others, capacity to govern, varieties of the gift of 'tongues.'

But, when the Perfect has come, that which is incomplete will be done with.

If any one thinks that he has the gift of preaching or any other spiritual gift, let him recognize that what I am now saying to you is a command from the Lord.

But it is through the love of God that I am what I am, and the love that he showed me has not been wasted. No, I have toiled harder than any of them, and yet it was not I, but the love of God working with me.

Now, if it is proclaimed of Christ that he has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say that there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead?

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

And, if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without meaning, and our faith without meaning also!

For, if the dead do not rise, then even Christ himself has not been raised,

And, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is folly-your sins are on you still!

If all that we have done has been to place our hope in Christ for this life, then we of all men are the most to be pitied.

But, in truth, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are at rest.

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

For God has placed all things under Christ's feet. (But, when it is said that all things have been placed under Christ, it is plain that God is excepted who placed everything under him.)

And, when everything has been placed under him, the Son will place himself under God who placed everything under him, that God may be all in all!

And, when this dying body has put on its deathless form, then indeed will the words of Scripture come true-

'Death has been swallowed up in victory! Where, O Death, is thy victory? Where, O Death, is thy sting?'

For a great opening for active work has presented itself, and there are many opponents.

If Timothy comes, take care that he has no cause for feeling anxious while he is with you. He is doing the Master's work no less than I am.

As for our Brother Apollos, I have often urged him to go to you with the others. He has, however, been very unwilling to do so as yet; but he will go as soon as he finds a good opportunity.

Accursed be any one who has no love for the Lord. THE LORD IS COMING.

The Son of God, Christ Jesus, whom we--Silas, Timothy, and I- -proclaimed among you, never wavered between 'Yes' and 'No.' With him it has always been 'Yes.'

Now whoever has caused the pain has not so much pained me, as he has, to some extent--not to be too severe--pained every one of you.

The man to whom I refer has been sufficiently punished by the penalty inflicted by the majority of you;

Indeed, that which then had glory has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.

Indeed, the same God who said 'Out of darkness light shall shine,' has shone in upon our hearts, so that we should bring out into the light the knowledge of the glory of God, seen in the face of Christ.

And he who has prepared us for this change is God, who has also given us his Spirit as a pledge.

For at the Bar of the Christ we must all appear in our true characters, that each may reap the results of the life which he has lived in the body, in accordance with his actions--whether good or worthless.

Therefore, if any one is in union with Christ, he is a new being! His old life has passed away; a new life has begun!

Do not enter into inconsistent relations with those who reject the Faith. For what partnership can there be between righteousness and lawlessness? or what has light to do with darkness?

But God, who encourages the downcast, has encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

For see what results that other sorrow--sorrow in accordance with God's will--has had in your case. What earnestness it produced! what explanations! what strong feeling! what alarm! what longing! what eagerness! what readiness to punish! You have proved yourselves altogether free from guilt in that matter.

So, then, even though I did write to you, it was not for the sake of the wrong-doer, or of the man who was wronged, but to make you conscious, in the sight of God, of your own earnest care for us. And it is this that has encouraged us.

In addition to the encouragement that this gave us, we were made far happier still by the happiness of Titus for his heart has been cheered by you all.

Although I have been boasting a little to him about you, you did not put me to shame; but, just as every thing we had said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has also proved to be the truth.

We would remind you, Brothers, of the love that God has shown to the Churches in Macedonia--

For, where there is willingness, a man's gift is valued by its comparison with what he has, and not with what he has not.

For Titus has responded to my appeals and, in his great earnestness, is starting to go to you of his own accord.

We are sending with him the Brother whose fame in the service of the Good News has spread through all the Churches;

And not only that, but he has been elected by the Churches to accompany us on our journey, in Keynesian with this expression of your love, which we are personally administering to the honor of the Lord, and to show our deep interest.

Let every one give as he has determined before hand, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves 'a cheerful giver.'

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.

So that we shall be able to tell the Good News in the districts beyond you, without trespassing on the sphere assigned to others, or boasting of what has been already done.

But his reply has been-- 'My help is enough for you; for my strength attains its perfection in the midst of weakness.' Most gladly, then, will I boast all the more of my weaknesses, so that the strength of the Christ may overshadow me.

Foolish Galatians! Who has been fascinating you--you before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was depicted upon the cross?

To take an illustration, Brothers, from daily life--No one sets aside even an agreement between two men, when once it has been confirmed, nor does he add conditions to it.

If our heritage is the result of Law, then it has ceased to be the result of a promise. Yet God conferred it on Abraham by a promise.

Thus the Law has proved a guide to lead us to Christ, in order that we may be pronounced righteous as the result of faith.

But now that faith has come we no longer need a guide.

He is subject to the control of guardians and stewards, during the period for which his father has power to appoint them.

What has become then, of your blessings? For I can bear witness that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!

For Scripture says--'Rejoice, thou barren one, who dost never bear, Break into shouts, thou who art never in labor, For many are the children of her who is desolate--aye, more than of her who has a husband.'

You were once making good progress! Who has hindered you from obeying the Truth?

If I, Brothers, am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still persecuted? It seems that the Cross has ceased to be an obstacle!

Indeed, the whole Law has been summed up in this one precept- -'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'

But, for my part, may I never boast of anything except the cross of Jesus Christ, our Master, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has blessed us on high with every spiritual blessing, in Christ.

In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--

And to make clear what is God's way of working out that hidden purpose which from the first has been concealed in the mind of the Creator of all things;

In accordance with that purpose which runs through all the ages and which he has now accomplished in Jesus, the Christ, our Master.

Every one of us, however, has been entrusted with some charge, each in accordance with the extent of the gift of the Christ.

For of this you may be sure--that no one who is unchaste or impure or greedy of gain (for to be greedy of gain is idolatry) has any place awaiting him in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

For everything that has its true character made manifest is clear as light. And that is why it is said--'Sleeper, awake! Arise from the dead, and the Christ shall give thee light!'

For you know that every one will be rewarded by the Master for any honest work that he has done, whether he is a slave or a freeman.

Brothers, I want you to realize that what has happened to me has actually served to forward the Good News.

It has even become evident, not only to all the Imperial Guard, but to every one else, that it is for Christ's sake that I am in chains.

But you know what Timothy has proved himself to be, and how, like a child working for his father, he worked hard with me in spreading the Good News.

For he has been longing to see you all, and has been distressed because you heard of his illness.

Who, by the exercise of his power to bring everything into subjection to himself, will make this body that we have in our humiliation like to that body which he has in his Glory.

And who told us of the love with which the Spirit has inspired you.

For God has rescued us from the tyranny of Darkness, and has removed us into the Kingdom of his Son, who is the embodiment of his love,

All has been created through him and for him. He was before all things, and all things unite in him;

But now he has reconciled you to himself by the sacrifice of Christ's earthly body in death--it has pleased God that you should stand in his presence holy, pure, and blameless,

If only you remain true to your Faith, firm and immovable, never abandoning the hope held out in the Good News to which you listened, which has been proclaimed among all created things under Heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

That Truth which has been hidden from former ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to God's People,

He canceled the bond which stood against us--the bond that consisted of ordinances--and which was directly hostile to us! He has taken it out of our way by nailing it to the cross!

And when this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read before the Church at Laodicea, and that you yourselves read the letter which will be forwarded from there.