For consider, brethren, God's call to you. Not many who are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many of noble birth have been called.

For everything is for your sakes, in order that grace, being more richly bestowed because of the thanksgivings of the increased number, may more and more promote the glory of God.

"for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many.

The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, and said, "'Sir, it was five talents that you entrusted to me: see, I have gained five more.'

"But many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.

Any one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

Many demons they expelled, and many invalids they anointed with oil and cured.

Then Jesus charged them to tell no one; but the more He charged them, all the more did they spread the news far and wide.

Soon on His feet once more, He enters the district of Judaea and crosses the Jordan: again the people flock to Him, and ere long, as was usual with Him, He was teaching them once more.

Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many.

He immediately cured many of diseases, severe pain, and evil spirits, and to many who were blind He gave the gift of sight.

"But on coming to himself he said, "'How many of my father's hired men have more bread than they want, while I here am dying of hunger!

For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many possessed by them, and many paralytics and lame persons were restored to health.

Saul, however, gained more and more influence, and as for the Jews living in Damascus, he bewildered them with his proofs that Jesus is the Christ.

And with many more appeals he solemnly warned and entreated them, saying, "Escape from this crooked generation."

and more and more believers in the Lord joined them, including great numbers both of men and women--

"But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people became many times more numerous in Egypt,

and as for the disciples, they were more and more filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

For if so-called gods do exist, either in Heaven or on earth--and in fact there are many such gods and many such lords--

For just as the human body is one and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many as they are, constitute but one body, so it is with the Church of Christ.

and those which we deem less honorable we clothe with more abundant honor; and so our ungraceful parts come to have a more abundant grace, while our graceful parts have everything they need.

Afterwards He was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once, most of whom are still alive, although some of them have now fallen asleep.

If in this present life we have a *hope* resting on Christ, and nothing more, we are more to be pitied than all the rest of the world.

For just as we have more than our share of suffering for the Christ, so also through the Christ we have more than our share of comfort.

while you on your part lend us your aid in entreaty for us, so that from many lips thanksgivings may rise on our behalf for the boon granted to us at the intercession of many.

And we send with them our brother, of whose zeal we have had frequent proof in many matters, and who is now more zealous than ever through the strong confidence which he has in you.

If however I should choose to boast, I should not be a fool for so doing, for I should be speaking the truth. But I forbear, lest any one should be led to estimate me more highly than what his own eyes attest, or more highly than what he hears from my lips.

and how in devotion to Judaism I outstripped many men of my own age among my people, being far more zealous than they on behalf of the traditions of my forefathers.

For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren woman that bearest not, break forth into a joyful cry, thou that dost not travail with child. For the desolate woman has many children--more indeed than she who has the husband."

And it is my prayer that your love may be more and more accompanied by clear knowledge and keen perception, for testing things that differ,

Moreover, brethren, as you learnt from our lips the lives which you ought to live, and do live, so as to please God, we beg and exhort you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live them more and more truly.

and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia. And we exhort you to do so more and more,

For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision.

chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, with a view to their obedience and to their being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May more and more grace and peace be granted to you.

May more and more grace and peace be granted to you in a full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,