For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn't bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God's service, attending continually on this very thing.

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

For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not give false testimony," "You shall not covet," and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.

The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let's therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let's put on the armor of light.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.

Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.

Don't let him who eats despise him who doesn't eat. Don't let him who doesn't eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

Who are you who judge another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn't eat, to the Lord he doesn't eat, and gives God thanks.

For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.

For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.

For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For it is written, "'As I live,' says the Lord, 'to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.'"

Therefore let's not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way, or an occasion for falling.

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.

for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

Don't overthrow God's work for food's sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.

Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

For even Christ didn't please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name."

For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God's Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

whenever I journey to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things.

Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.

who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.

Greet Mary, who labored much for us.

Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

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.

For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.

(14:25) but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations;

I always thank my God concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus;

so that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;

For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News -- not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn't be made void.

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing."

For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn't know God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,

For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;

For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,

which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."

But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit.

Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

"For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?" But we have Christ's mind.

I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you weren't yet ready. Indeed, not even now are you ready,

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?

For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," aren't you fleshly?

For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's farming, God's building.

For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

each man's work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is.

If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.

If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God's temple is holy, which you are.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He has taken the wise in their craftiness."

Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn't receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing.

are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.

yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world.

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

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are expedient. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be brought under the power of anything.

"Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods," but God will bring to nothing both it and them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

Or don't you know that he who is joined to a prostitute is one body? For, "The two," says he, "will become one flesh."

for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

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 I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

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

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

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

For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord's free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ's bondservant.

I think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a man to be as he is.

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

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;