What advantage then shall we say that Abraham our father had as to the flesh?

for if Abraham was justified by works, he had matter of pretension, whereas he had no such claim from God.

But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.

How, then, was it judged? when he had circumcision, or when he had it not? Not when he had it, but when he did not have it:

And, a sign, he received namely of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while yet uncircumcised; to the end he might be father of all that believe during uncircumcision, to the end the same righteousness might be reckoned unto them, -

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

For the promise made to Abraham and his descendants, that he should own the world, was not conditioned on the law, but on the right standing he had with God through faith.

because the effect of the law is punishment: for if there had been no law, there could have been no transgression.

(As it is said in the holy Writings, I have made you a father of a number of nations) before him in whom he had faith, that is, God, who gives life to the dead, and to whom the things which are not are as if they were.

Who, past hope, upon hope believed, so that he became father of many nations, - according to what had been said - So shall be thy seed; -

And, without growing weak in faith, he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly 100 years old--and Sarah's barrenness.

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.

Through whom also we have had, our introduction, by our faithinto this favour wherein we stand; and let us boast in hope of the glory of God.

For this cause, - just as, through one man, sin into the world entered, and through sin, death, - and, so, unto all men death passed through, for that all had sinned; -

Yet still, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them who had not sinned after the likeness of the transgression of Adam, - who is a type of the Coming One; -

And the free giving has not the same effect as the sin of one: for the effect of one man's sin was punishment by the decision of God, but the free giving had power to give righteousness to wrongdoers in great number.

Now the law made some entrance, that the offence might appear to abound; but where sin abounded, grace hath superabounded; that as sin had reigned in death,

That as sin had reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by the help of Jesus Christ.

Or are you without the knowledge that all we who had baptism into Christ Jesus, had baptism into his death?

What fruit, therefore, had ye then - in things for which ye now are taking shame to yourselves? For, the end of those things, is death.

But now we are free from the law, having been made dead to that which had power over us; so that we are servants in the new way of the spirit, not in the old way of the letter.

What, then, shall we say? Is the law sin? Far be it! On the contrary, I had not discovered, sin, save through law, for even, of coveting, I had not been aware if, the law, had not kept on saying - Thou shall not covet;

But when sin had gained a vantage-ground, by means of the commandment, it stirred up within me all manner of lust; for where there is no law, sin is dead.

I was once alive when I had no connection with the law, but when the command came, sin revived, and then I died;

And I made the discovery that the law whose purpose was to give life had become a cause of death:

For sin, when it had gained a vantage-ground through the commandment, beguiled me, and through it slew me.

Was that, then, which is good made death unto me? God forbid. Nay, sin was death unto me, that it might appear: how that sin by the means of that which is good, had wrought death in me: that sin which is under the commandment, might be out of measure sinful.

Because those of whom he had knowledge before they came into existence, were marked out by him to be made like his Son, so that he might be the first among a band of brothers:

who are Israelites; who had the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the form of divine worship, and the promises;

It is not, however, as though the word of God had failed; for, not all they who are of Israel, the same are Israel.

and they are not all the children of Abraham because they are his descendants [by blood], but [the promise was]: “Your descendants will be named through Isaac” [though Abraham had other sons].

And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand—

For even before the twins were born, and therefore had not done anything good or bad, Rebecca was told [Gen. 25:23], "The older one [i.e., Esau] will serve the younger one [i.e., Jacob]." This was so that God's purpose of choosing and calling [whomever He wanted to] might prevail, instead of [it depending on] what a person did.

Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate.

if the divine Being has patiently bore with those objects of his displeasure, that had been working out their own destruction, why may he not reveal himself to make them feel his vindictive power,

And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

And, even as Isaiah hath before said, - If, the Lord of hosts, had not left us a seed, as Sodom, had we become, and, as Gomorrha, had we been made like.

For Moses describes the justice that was to be had by the law, thus : "the man who performeth the things here required, shall have life thereby."

"And [do not ask yourself], 'Who will go down into the deep hole?'" (in order to bring Christ up from the dead). [Note: This "deep hole" probably refers to the unseen place of departed spirits, or possibly the grave. Being made right with God does not require something as difficult as bringing Christ down from heaven or up from the dead (which God had already done), but is within easy reach of everyone].

But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher?

But they have not all given ear to the good news. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has had faith in our word?

But may I ask, They had no chance to hear, did they? Yes, indeed: "All over the earth their voices have gone, to the ends of the world their words."

But I say, Had Israel no knowledge? First Moses says, You will be moved to envy by that which is not a nation, and by a foolish people I will make you angry.

God has not repudiated his people, which he had marked out from the first. Do you not know what the Scripture says in speaking of Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel?

I say then, did the Jews trip [over Jesus] just so they could fall [away from God]? Certainly not! [There was another reason]: Instead, it was by means of their sin that salvation was made available to the Gentiles, so that the Jews might become jealous of them [i.e., causing them to want what the Gentiles now had].

Truly, because they had no faith they were broken off, and you have your place by reason of your faith. Do not be lifted up in pride, but have fear;

For, just as, ye, at one time had not yielded unto God, and yet now have received mercy by their refusal to yield,

Let every individual be obedient to those who rule over him; for no one is a ruler except by God's permission, and our present rulers have had their rank and power assigned to them by Him.

See then that the time has come for you to be awake from sleep: for now is your salvation nearer than when you first had faith.

by the force of miracles and marvels, by the power of the Spirit of God. Thus from Jerusalem right round to Illyricum, I have been able to complete the preaching of the gospel of Christ ??20 my ambition always being to preach it only in places where there had been no mention of Christ's name, that I might not build on foundations laid by others,

Although, thus, - as ambitious to be announcing the glad-message - not where Christ had been named, lest, upon another's foundation, I should be building;

But as it is said in the holy Writings, They will see, to whom the news of him had not been given, and those to whose ears it had not come will have knowledge.

But now, having no longer any place in these parts and having had for a number of years a great desire to come to you,

for I hope to see you as I pass by, and to be brought forward by you on my way thither, after I have first had some enjoyment of you.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure; and they are in their debt. For if the Gentiles have had a part in the things of the Spirit which were theirs, it is right for them, in the same way, to give them help in the things of the flesh.

Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow-captives, who, indeed, are of note among the Apostles, who also before me had come to be in Christ.

But I beg you, brothers, to keep on the lookout for those who stir up divisions and put hindrances in your way, in opposition to the instruction that you had, and always avoid them.

To Him who can make you strong in accordance with the good news I bring and in accordance with the message preached about Jesus Christ, in accordance with the uncovering of the secret which for ages past had not been told,

I give praise to God that not one of you had baptism from me, but Crispus and Gaius;

So that no one may be able to say that you had baptism in my name.

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

For because, by the purpose of God, the world, with all its wisdom, had not the knowledge of God, it was God's pleasure, by so foolish a thing as preaching, to give salvation to those who had faith in him.

And as for myself, brethren, when I came to you, it was not with surpassing power of eloquence or earthly wisdom that I came, announcing to you that which God had commanded me to bear witness to.

For I had made the decision to have knowledge of nothing among you but only of Jesus Christ on the cross.

I came to you in [a state of] weakness and fear and great trembling.

But we give the news of the secret wisdom of God, which he had kept in store before the world came into existence, for our glory;

Of which not one of the rulers of this world had knowledge: for if they had, they would not have put the Lord of glory on the cross:

But as it says in the holy Writings, Things which the eye saw not, and which had not come to the ears or into the heart of man, such things as God has made ready for those who have love for him.

[Isa. 40:13 says], "For who knows [what is in] the Lord's mind? And who is capable of instructing Him? But we have the mind of Christ. [Note: The "we" may refer to the apostles, who had the gift of inspiration (See verse 12), or to all Christians who have spiritual discernment].

So, for my part, brothers, I could not treat you as spiritual persons; I had to treat you just as creatures of flesh and blood, as babies in Christian living.

In fulfillment of the charge which God had entrusted to me, I laid the foundation like a skillful master-builder; but another man is now building upon it. Let every one take care how he builds;

Let no one of you deceive himself. If any one of you imagines that he is wiser than the rest of you, in what this world calls wisdom, he had better become a fool, so as to become really wise.

For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?

Already, ye have become full, already, ye are become rich, - apart from us, ye are become kings! And I would indeed ye had become kings, that, we also, with you, might have together become kings!

for it seems as if God had exposed us apostles the last upon the stage, as persons appointed to death. for we are made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.

To this very hour we have gone hungry, thirsty, poorly clad; we have been roughly knocked around; we have had no home.

For even if you had ten thousand teachers in Christ, you have not more than one father: for in Christ Jesus I have given birth to you through the good news.

And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I myself, though absent in body, have been present with you in spirit, and in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already passed judgment, just as if I had been present, upon the man who has acted in this way.

But I had not in mind the sinners who are outside the church, or those who have a desire for and take the property of others, or those who give worship to images; for it is not possible to keep away from such people without going out of the world completely:

But the sense of my letter was that if a brother had the name of being one who went after the desires of the flesh, or had the desire for other people's property, or was in the way of using violent language, or being the worse for drink, or took by force what was not his, you might not keep company with such a one, or take food with him.

Therefore truly, already is there wholly a misfortune in you, that ye have judgments with yourselves. Wherefore had ye not rather be treated ill? wherefore had ye not rather be defrauded?

And all this describes what some of you were. But now you have had every stain washed off: now you have been set apart as holy: now you have been pronounced free from guilt; in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God.

But there is so much immorality that every man had better have a wife of his own, and every woman a husband of her own.

If any man who is a Christian has had circumcision, let him keep so; and if any man who is a Christian has not had circumcision, let him make no change.

You were a slave when you were called? Never mind. Of course, if you do find it possible to get free, you had better avail yourself of the opportunity.

About unmarried women I have no command from the Lord, but I will give you my opinion as of one who is trustworthy, since I have had mercy shown me by the Lord.

But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not;

And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing;

and those who use the world [taking advantage of its opportunities], as though they did not make full use of it. For the outward form of this world [its present social and material nature] is passing away.

If other people have the right to receive a share of what you have, should we not have even more [right to it]? Yet we did not make use of this right, but instead we put up with whatever we had to so we would not become a hindrance to [the spread of] the good news [about Christ].

but I have not made use of these advantages. neither have I writ this to obtain such maintenance: for I had rather die for want, than be deprived of such matter of glorying.

And unto the Jews, I became as a Jew, to win the Jews. To them that were under the law, was I made as though I had been under the law, to win them that were under the law.

To them that were without law, became I as though I had been without law - when I was not without law as pertaining to God, but under a law as concerning Christ - to win them that were without law.

And they all had baptism from Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

But in many of them had God no delight. For they were overthrown in the wilderness.

It is no superhuman temptation that you have had. And God can be depended on, not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but when temptation comes, to give you a way out of it, so that you can withstand it.

Whatever meat may be had at the public market, take as food without question of right or wrong;