The New Testament Part 31

2 [9:16]For if I preach the gospel I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for woe is me, if I preach not the gospel.

[9:17]For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am intrusted with a stewards.h.i.+p. [9:18]What then is my reward? That preaching I may make the gospel without expense, that I may not abuse my right in the gospel. [9:19]For being free from all men, I have made myself a servant of all, that I may gain more; [9:20]to the Jews I have been as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain those under the law; [9:21]to those without law, as without law, being not without law to G.o.d, but with law to Christ, that I might gain those without law; [9:22]to the weak I have been as weak, that I might gain the weak; I have been all things to all men, that I may save some in all conditions; [9:23]and I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may be a partaker of it.

3 [9:24]Know you not that those who run in the race all indeed run, but one takes the prize. So run that you may obtain. [9:25]And every one that contends in the games is temperate in all things, they indeed to obtain a perishable crown, we an imperishable. [9:26]I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, and so strike, not as one who beats the air; [9:27]but I brow-beat my body, and bring it into subjection, lest having preached to others I should myself be a reprobate.

4 [10:1]For I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all pa.s.sed through the sea, [10:2]and all were baptized to Moses by the cloud and by the sea, [10:3]and all eat the same spiritual food, [10:4]and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ; [10:5]but with many of them G.o.d was not pleased; for they were destroyed in the wilderness. [10:6]But these things are examples for us, that we should not desire evil things, as they did.

[10:7]Neither be idolaters, as some of them were, as it is written; The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. [10:8]Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them did and fell in one day twenty-three thousand. [10:9]Neither let us try Christ, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents. [10:10]Neither do you complain as some of them complained and were destroyed by the destroyer. [10:11]All these things happened to them as examples, and are recorded for our admonition on whom the ends of the ages have come; [10:12]so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall. [10:13]For no trial has befallen you but what is common to man; and G.o.d is faithful, who will not permit you to be tried beyond what you are able, but with the trial will order the event, that you may be able to endure.

5 [10:14]Wherefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. [10:15]I speak as to wise men; judge what I say. [10:16]The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a partic.i.p.ation of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a partic.i.p.ation of the body of Christ? [10:17]For we, being many, are one bread, one body; for we all partake of the one bread. [10:18]Consider Israel after the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers of the altar? [10:19]What then do I say? that an idol sacrifice is any thing, or that an idol is any thing?

[10:20]But what the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to G.o.d; and I do not wish you to be partakers with demons.

[10:21]You cannot drink the Lord's cup and the cup of demons; you cannot partake at the Lord's table and the table of demons. [10:22]Do we provoke the Lord to anger? Are we stronger than he?

6 [10:23]All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful, but all things do not edify. [10:24]Let no one seek his own but the good of another. [10:25]Whatever is sold in the market eat, asking no questions for conscience' sake; [10:26]for the earth is the Lord's and all it contains. [10:27]But if an unbeliever invites you and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for conscience' sake. [10:28]But if any one says to you, This has been offered to an idol, eat not for his sake that informed you, and for conscience' sake. [10:29]I mean not your conscience, but that of the other. For why is my freedom limited by the conscience of another? [10:30]If I partake with thanks, why am I blamed for that for which I give thanks? [10:31]Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of G.o.d. [10:32]Be without offense both to Jews and Greeks, and the church of G.o.d, [10:33]as I also please all in all things, not seeking my own profit but that of many, that they may be saved. [11:1]Be followers of me as I also am of Christ.

CHAPTER V.

PUBLIC WORs.h.i.+P, THE LORD'S SUPPER.

1 [11:2]I COMMEND you, brothers, that you have remembered all my [instructions], and that you retain the traditions as I delivered them to you. [11:3]But I wish you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman, the man, and the head of Christ, G.o.d. [11:4]Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered disgraces his head. [11:5]But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head; for it is one and the same as if she was shaved. [11:6]For if a woman is not veiled then let her hair be cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off, or to be shaved, let her wear a veil.

2 [11:7]For a man ought not to cover his head, being an image and glory of G.o.d; but the woman is a glory of man. [11:8]For man is not of woman, but woman of man; [11:9]for man also was not created because of the woman, but woman because of the man. [11:10]For this reason ought the woman to have a power [veil] on her head because of the angels.

[11:11]But neither is woman without man, nor man without woman in the Lord; [11:12]for as the woman is of the man, so also the man is through the woman, but all things are from G.o.d. [11:13]Judge of yourselves; is it becoming that a woman should pray to G.o.d unveiled? [11:14] Does not nature herself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace to him? [11:15]but if a woman wears long hair it is her glory; for the hair is given her for a covering. [11:16]But if any one is disposed to be contentious, we have no such custom neither have the churches of G.o.d.

3 [11:17]But I tell you this, not to praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse. [11:18]For first, when you come together in an a.s.sembly, I hear that there are divisions among you, and some part of it I believe. [11:19]For it is necessary that there should be heresies among you, that the approved may be manifest among you.

[11:20]When you come together therefore, it is not to eat the Lord's supper, [11:21]for each one in eating takes his supper before the rest, and one is hungry and another drunk. [11:22] Have you not [food] to eat and drink at your houses? or do you despise the church of G.o.d, and shame those who have not [houses]? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you? In this I commend you not.

4 [11:23]For I received of the Lord, what I also delivered to you; that on the night in which he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread [11:24]and giving thanks broke, and said, This is my body, which is for you; this do in remembrance of me. [11:25]In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant [sealed] with my blood; this do, as often as you drink, in remembrance of me. [11:26]For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you declare the Lord's death till he comes. [11:27]So that whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [11:28]But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup; [11:29]for he eats and drinks judgment to himself, who eats and drinks not discerning the body.

5 [11:30]For this reason many are weak and sick among you and some sleep. [11:31]For if we judged ourselves we should not be judged; [11:32]but being judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. [11:33]Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait one for another. [11:34]If any one is hungry let him eat at home, that you come not together for judgment.

The other things I will arrange when I come.

CHAPTER VI.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

1 [12:1]AND I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, of the spiritual gifts. [12:2]You know that when you were gentiles, you followed dumb idols as you were led. [12:3]I a.s.sure you, therefore, that no one speaking by the Spirit of G.o.d calls Jesus an accursed thing, and no one can call Jesus Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

2 [12:4]And there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit; [12:5]and there are diversities of services and the same Lord; [12:6]and there are diversities of operations and the same G.o.d, who performs all things in all. [12:7]But a manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for a useful purpose. [12:8]For to one is given by the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge by the same Spirit, [12:9]and to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of performing cures by the same Spirit, [12:10]and to another the performance of mighty works, and to another prophecy, and to another discrimination of spirits, and to another different tongues, and to another an interpretation of tongues; [12:11]but all these [works] performs one and the same Spirit, distributing to each in particular as it wills.

3 [12:12]For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body being many are one body, so also is Christ; [12:13]for we have all been baptized with one Spirit in one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and have all been made to drink one Spirit. [12:14]For the body also is not one member but many. [12:15]If the foot says, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? [12:16]and if the ear says, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? [12:17]If the whole body was an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole was a hearing, where would be the smelling?

[12:18]But now G.o.d has placed the members each one of them in the body, as he pleased. [12:19]But if all were one member, where would be the body? [12:20]But now there are many members, but one body. [12:21]The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, or again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you; [12:22]but much more those members of the body which seem to be weak are necessary, [12:23]and those which we esteem to be less honorable members of the body, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our uncomely members have more abundant comeliness, [12:24]for our comely ones have no need. But G.o.d has commingled the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which was lacking, [12:25]that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. [12:26]And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; and if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it.

4 [12:27]And you are a body of Christ, and members in particular.

[12:28]And G.o.d has set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then powers, then gifts of performing cures, aids, governments, different tongues. [12:29]Are all apostles?

are all prophets? are all teachers? are all powers? [12:30]have all gifts of performing cures? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

[12:31]But desire earnestly the best gifts: and I will still more fully show you the way.

5 [13:1]If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I am a sounding bra.s.s and a tinkling cymbal. [13:2]And if I have prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. [13:3]And if I deal out all my property to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, and have not love, I shall not be profited.

6 [13:4]Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love is not boastful, is not puffed up, [13:5]does not behave unbecomingly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, devises not evil, [13:6]rejoices not in wickedness, but rejoices in the truth; [13:7]bears all things, believes all things, hopes for all things, and endures all things.

7 [13:8]Love never fails; but if there are prophecies, they shall pa.s.s away; if tongues, they shall cease; if knowledge, it shall pa.s.s away.

[13:9]And we know in part and we prophesy in part; [13:10]when the perfect has come, that which is in part shall pa.s.s away. [13:11]When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man I put away childish things. [13:12]For now we see by a mirror darkly, but then we shall see face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully as I also am known.

[13:13]And now remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

8 [14:1]Cherish love, and be earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy. [14:2]For he that speaks with a tongue speaks not to men but to G.o.d; for no one understands him, but in spirit he speaks mysteries; [14:3]but he that prophesies speaks to men to edification and exhortation and consolation. [14:4]He that speaks with a tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies an a.s.sembly.

[14:5]I wish you all to speak with tongues, but rather that you should prophesy; and he that prophesies is greater than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, that the a.s.sembly may receive edification.

9 [14:6]But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you by a revelation, or by a knowledge, or by a prophecy, or by a doctrine? [14:7]So of irrational objects making a sound, whether a flute or harp; if it makes no distinction of sounds, how shall it be known what is played on the flute or harp? [14:8]For also if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle? [14:9]So also you by a tongue if you utter a word not easily understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for you will speak to the air. [14:10]There are perhaps as many kinds of voices in the world, and no one is without significance; [14:11]if therefore I do not know the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks will be a barbarian to me. [14:12]So also you, since you are earnestly desirous of spirits [spiritual gifts], seek to abound for the edification of the church.

[14:13]Let him therefore that speaks with a tongue pray that he may interpret, [14:14]For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. [14:15]What then is [to be done]? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding; [14:16]

since if you bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the place of the unlearned say, Amen, to your thanksgiving, since he knows not what you say? [14:17]For you indeed give thanks well; but the other is not edified. [14:18]I thank G.o.d I speak with a tongue more than you all; [14:19]but in an a.s.sembly I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may also teach others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

10 [14:20]Brothers, be not children in understanding, but in malice be children, and in understanding be perfect men. [14:21]For it is written in the law, With other tongues, and with other lips will I speak to this people, and so they shall not understand me, says the Lord. [14:22]Tongues therefore are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, but prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.

[14:23]If, therefore, the whole church comes together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in the unlearned and unbelieving, will they not say that you are mad? [14:24]But if all prophesy, and there comes in an unbeliever or an unlearned man, he is convinced by all, he is examined by all, [14:25]and the secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so falling down on his face he wors.h.i.+ps G.o.d, declaring that G.o.d is really among you.

11 [14:26]What then is [to be done] brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a revelation, has an interpretation; let all things be done for edification. [14:27]If any one speaks with a tongue, let it be by two or at most by three, and by turns, and let one interpret; [14:28] and if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the a.s.sembly, and let him speak to himself and to G.o.d. [14:29]Let two or three prophets speak, and let the rest judge; [14:30]but if any thing is revealed to another sitting by, let the first be silent. [14:31]For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all be comforted. [14:32]And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets; [14:33]for G.o.d is not [the friend] of disorder but of peace.

12 [14:34]As in all the churches of the saints, let your women keep silence in the a.s.semblies; for it is not permitted to them to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law also says. [14:35]But if they wish to learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in an a.s.sembly. [14:36]Did the word of G.o.d go out from you, or did it come to you alone?

13 [14:37]If any one thinks he is a prophet, or a spiritual man, let him acknowledge the [things] which I write to you, that they are the Lord's; [14:38] but if any one is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

[14:39]Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues; [14:40]but let all things be done becomingly and in order.

CHAPTER VII.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.

1 [15:1]I DECLARE to you, brothers, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which also you stand, [15:2]by which also you are saved, if you adhere to the word we preached to you, unless indeed you believed in vain. [15:3]For I delivered to you at first, what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [15:4]and that he was buried, and that he rose on the third day according to the Scriptures, [15:5]and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. [15:6]Afterwards he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, of whom the most continue even to the present time, but some have fallen asleep. [15:7]Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, [15:8]and last of all he appeared to me also, as one born out of due time. [15:9]For I am the least of the apostles, and am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of G.o.d; [15:10] but by the grace of G.o.d I am what I am, and his grace to me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, but not I but the grace of G.o.d with me. [15:11]Whether therefore it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.

2 [15:12]But if Christ is preached that he was raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

[15:13]But if there is not a resurrection of the dead, Christ has not been raised; [15:14]and if Christ has not been raised, then both our preaching is vain, and your faith also vain; [15:15]and we are found also false witnesses of G.o.d, because we testified in regard to G.o.d that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up if indeed the dead are not raised. [15:16]For if the dead are not raised, Christ was not raised; [15:17]and if Christ was not raised, your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins, [15:18]and those then who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. [15:19]If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

3 [15:20]But now Christ has been raised from the dead, a first fruit of those that have slept. [15:21]For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. [15:22]For as in Adam all die, so in Christ also shall all be made alive. [15:23]But each one in his own order; Christ a first fruit, then those who are Christ's at his coming; [15:24]then is the end, when he delivers up the kingdom to the G.o.d and Father, when he will destroy every princ.i.p.ality and every authority and power. [15:25]For he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. [15:26]The last enemy, death, shall be destroyed, [15:27]for he put all things under his feet. But when he says that all things are put under him, it is clear that he is excepted who puts all things under him; [15:28]and when all things have been put under him, then will the Son also himself be subject to him that put all things under him, that G.o.d may be all in all.

4 [15:29]Else what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? and why are they baptized for them? [15:30]Why also do we encounter danger every hour? [15:31]By the joy on account of you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. [15:32]If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, of what advantage is it to me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. [15:33]Be not deceived; evil companions.h.i.+ps corrupt good morals. [15:34]Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not a knowledge of G.o.d. I speak to your shame.

5 [15:35]But some one will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? [15:36]Foolish man, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies; [15:37]and what you sow, you sow not the body which shall be, but the naked grain, it may be of wheat, or some of the other grains; [15:38]but G.o.d gives it a body as he pleases, and to each of the grains its own body. [15:39] All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. [15:40]And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and of the earthly another. [15:41]There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. [15:42]So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in destruction, it is raised in indestructibleness; [15:43]it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; [15:44]it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. [15:45]And thus it is written; The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam is a life-giving spirit. [15:46] But the spiritual was not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. [15:47]

The first man was from the earth, earthly, the second man is from heaven. [15:48]Like the earthly, such also are the earthly; and like the heavenly, such also are the heavenly; [15:49]and as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

6 [15:50]But I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of G.o.d, nor shall destruction inherit indestructibleness.

[15:51] Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [15:52]in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead be raised, indestructible, and we shall be changed. [15:53]For this destructible must put on indestructibleness, and this mortal must put on immortality. [15:54]And when this destructible has put on indestructibleness, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall the word be accomplished that is written; Death was swallowed up in victory. [15:55]Where, death, is your sting? where, death, is your victory? [15:56]And the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; [15:57]but thanks be to G.o.d who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [15:58] Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.