So that what was ordered by the law might be done in us, who are living, not in the way of the flesh, but in the way of the Spirit.

But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience.

In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.

And not only this, but Rebecca also being with child by one, by our father Isaac??11 for the children not yet being born, nor having done any thing good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might continue, not of works but of him that calls,??12 it was said to her that the older shall serve the younger;

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

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.

For Moses lays down in writing the righteousness which is of the law, The man who has practised those things shall live by them.

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

or, 'Who shall go down to the abyss,' that is, Christ out of the dead to bring up.

God didn't reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don't you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? 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.

But what was God’s reply to him? I have left 7,000 men for Myself who have not bowed down to Baal.

But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works].

Now what are we to infer from this? That Israel has failed to secure the object of its quest; the elect have secured it, and the rest have been rendered insensible to it ??8 as it is written, God has given them a spirit of torpor, eyes that see not, ears that hear not ??down to this very day.

just as it is written [in Scripture],

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear,
[a spiritual apathy that has continued] to this very day.”

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear;

They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

For I don't desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

This done, all Israel will be saved ??as it is written, The deliverer will come from Sion, he will banish all godlessness from Jacob:

Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function,

As we have gifts that differ in accordance with the favor God has shown us, if it is that of preaching, let it be done in proportion to our faith;

Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don't curse.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Don't set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don't be wise in your own conceits.

Do not [try to] pay back a wrong done to you by doing something wrong to the other person. Think about how to live honorably in front of all people.

Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."

Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Therefore whoever resists [governmental] authority resists the ordinance of God. And those who have resisted it will bring judgment (civil penalty) on themselves.

The night is far advanced, and day is about to dawn. We must therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness, and clothe ourselves with the armour of Light.

Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues.

The one who eats [everything] is not to look down on the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat must not criticize or pass judgment on the one who eats [everything], for God has accepted him.

But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you again, why do you look down on your [believing] brother or regard him with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God [who alone is judge].

Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don't destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

Then don't let your good be slandered,

for the sake of victuals cast not down the work of God; all things, indeed, are pure, but evil is to the man who is eating through stumbling.

But he who is uncertain [about eating a particular thing] is condemned if he eats, because he is not acting from faith. Whatever is not from faith is sin [whatever is done with doubt is sinful].

Now those things which were put down in writing before our time were for our learning, so that through quiet waiting and through the comfort of the holy Writings we might have hope.

Still, on some points I have written to you very boldly and without reservation to remind you [about them] again, because of the grace that was given to me from God,

So, as a Christian, I am proud of the things that I have done for God.

For I will not [even] presume to speak of anything except what Christ has done through me [as an instrument in His hands], resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles [to the gospel], by word and deed,

My one ambition is to proclaim the gospel where the name of the Messiah is not known, so I don't build on someone else's foundation.

Yes, they have kindly done this, and, in fact, it was a debt they owed them. For seeing that the Gentiles have been admitted in to partnership with the Jews in their spiritual blessings, they in turn are under an obligation to render sacred service to the Jews in temporal things.

So when I have done this, and have given them this fruit of love, I will go on by you into Spain.

I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church at Cenchrea. [Note: This was a seaport town about seven miles east of Corinth].

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.

To Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard for the Master; to my dear friend Persis, for she has done much hard work for the Master;

For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

And the God of peace will soon beat down Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

I, Tertius, who have done the writing of this letter, send love 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.

Therefore, you don't lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus the Messiah to be revealed.

I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else.

For Christ did not send me to immerse people, but to preach the good news. [Note: Christ specifically commissioned Paul to preach; most of the immersing was done by his attendants]. It was not to be done with words of [human] wisdom, so that the [message of the] cross of Christ would not have its power taken away.

God has chosen what is mean and despised in the world ??things which are not, to put down things that are;

This was all done so that no human being could boast in front of God.

And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do];

We don't speak about these things with words taught us by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.

for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren't you fleshly, and don't you walk in the ways of men?

Still, though planter and waterer are on the same level, each will get his own wage for the special work that he has done.

For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ.

each one’s work will be clearly shown [for what it is]; for the day [of judgment] will disclose it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality and character and worth of each person’s work.

Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

If any one tear down God's sanctuary, God will tear him down; for the sanctuary of God is holy, and that is what you are.

It is of little importance to me that I should be evaluated by you or by any human court. In fact, I don’t even evaluate myself.

Therefore don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.

In writing this much, brethren, with special reference to Apollos and myself, I have done so for your sakes, in order to teach you by our example what those words mean, which say, "Nothing beyond what is written!" --so that you may cease to take sides in boastful rivalry, for one teacher against another.

we are fatigu'd by our manual toil: when reviled, we pray: when persecuted, we don't repine:

I don't write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

as if I were present, judged him who hath so done this, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit,

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough?

But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don't even eat with such a person.

For what have I to do with also judging those who are outside? Don't you judge those who are within?

Don't you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Don't you know that we will judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

Then if indeed you have judgments appertaining to this life, do you sit those down who are little esteemed in the church?

beside, you are absolutely in the wrong in going to law with one another at all: why don't you rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer loss?

Or don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,

Don't you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!

Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.

Or don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own,

Don't deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn't tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

But if they don't have self-control, let them marry. For it's better to marry than to burn.

(If she has done so, let her remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.

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.

Were you called being a bondservant? Don't let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

You were bought with a price. Don't become bondservants of men.

Are you bound to a wife? Don't seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don't seek a wife.

Yet if you do not marry, you have not done wrong; and if a girl marries, she has not done wrong. Such people, however, will have trouble in worldly affairs, and I wish to spare you.

But I say this, believers: the time has been shortened, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they did not;

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.

Thus both are right alike in marrying and in refraining from marriage, but he who does not marry will be found to have done better.

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.

Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forevermore, that I don't cause my brother to stumble.

Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?