 CHAPTER 6 What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound, far be it. How shall we who died to sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that all we who were immersed into Jesus Christ were immersed into his death? We were buried therefore with him by the immersion into his death, that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with the likeness of his death, we shall be also with that of his resurrection, knowing this that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed in order that we should no longer be in bondage to sin. For he that died has been justified from sin, and if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more, death has dominion over him no more. For in that he died, he died to sin once, but in that he lives, he lives to God. So also reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey the lusts thereof, nor yield your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law, but under grace. What then shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? Far be it. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God that ye were servants of sin, but obeyed from the heart that form of teaching which was delivered to you, and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as ye yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto sanctification. For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free as to righteousness. What fruit therefore had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death, but now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Chapter 7 Know ye not, brethren, for I speak to those who know the law, that the law has dominion over a man for so long a time as he lives. For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives. But if the husband dies she is loosed from the law of the husband. So then if while the husband lives she be married to another man she shall be called an adulterous. But if the husband dies she is free from the law so that she is not an adulterous though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ in order that ye should be married to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh the emotions of sin which were by the law wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, having died to that wherein we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter. What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Far be it! But I had not known sin except through law, for I had not known coveting if the law had not said thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of coveting, for without law sin is dead. And I was alive without law once, but when the commandment came sin revived and I died, and the commandment which was for life that I found to be for death, for sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me. So that the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good. Has then that which is good become death to me? Far be it! But sin, that it might appear sin, working death to me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I perform, I know not, for not what I desire, that do I. But what I hate, that I do. But if what I desire not, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good. Now then, it is no longer I that perform it, but the sin that dwells in me. For I know that there dwells not in me, that is in my flesh, any good. For to desire is present with me, but to perform that which is good. I find not. For the good that I desire, I do not. But the evil that I desire not, that I do. But if what I desire not, that I do, it is no more I that perform it, but the sin that dwells in me. I find then the law that when I desire to do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man, but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, so then I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. CHAPTER 8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. For they that are according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh, but they that are according to the spirit the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it does not submit itself to the law of God, neither indeed can it, and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you, and if any man has not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. And if the spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortal bodies because of his spirit that dwells in you. So that brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if ye live according to the flesh ye shall die, but if by the spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are sons of God. For ye did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children also heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are of no account in comparison with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest longing of the creation is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who made it subject, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, though we have the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man sees, why does he also hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, we with patience wait for it. And in like manner does the spirit also help our weakness, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to his purpose, because whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, and whom he predestined them he also called, and whom he called them he also justified, and whom he justified them he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who shall be against us? He who spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's chosen? God is he that justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ is he that died, yea, rather, that has risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we were accounted as sheep for slaughter. Nay, and all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, neither angels, nor principalities, nor powers, neither things present, nor things to come, neither height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. CHAPTER IX I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great grief and continual anguish in my heart, for I myself could wish to be accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh who are Israelites, whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom as to the flesh is Christ, who is over all God blessed for ever. Ah, man, not as though the word of God has failed, for not all they are Israel who are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called, that is, not they who are the children of the flesh are children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed, for the word of promise is this, at this season I will come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only so, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one our father Isaac, for they being not yet born, nor having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, it was said to her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. What then shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with God? Far be it, for he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom soever I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom soever I have compassion. So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy, for the scripture says to Pharaoh, even for this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show forth my power in thee, and that my name might be declared in all the earth, so that on whom he will he has mercy, and whom he will he hardens. Thou wilt say then to me, why then does he yet find fault? For who resists his will? Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it? Why didst thou make me thus? Has not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? And what if God, willing to show forth his wrath and to make known his power, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory, whom he also called, even us, not from among the Jews only, but also from among the Gentiles? As also he says in Hosea, I will call them my people who were not my people, and her beloved who was not beloved, and it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ye are not my people, there shall they be called sons of the living God. And Isaiah cries concerning Israel, though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved, for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Isaiah has said before, except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had become as Sodom and been made light to Gomorrah. What then shall we say, that Gentiles who were not following after righteousness obtained righteousness the righteousness which is of faith, but Israel following after a law of righteousness attained not to such a law? Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as being by works of law, for they stumbled against the stone of stumbling, as it has written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame. CHAPTER X Brethren, it is my heart's desire and prayer to God on their behalf that they might be saved, for I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, for not knowing the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, the man that has done them shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith says thus, Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down, or who shall descend into the abyss, that is to bring up Christ from the dead. But what says it? The word is nithy in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is the word of faith which we preach, because if thou shalt profess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth profession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, Whoever believes on him shall not be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same is Lord of all, rich toward all that call upon him, for everyone who shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him on whom they believed not? And how shall they believe on him of whom they heard not? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent forth? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings, for Isaiah says, Lord, who believed our report? So then faith comes of hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, did they not hear? Yes, verily, their sound went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says, I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are no people, by a foolish nation I will move you to anger. But Isaiah is very bold, and says, I was found by those who sought me not, I became manifest to those who asked not after me. But of Israel, he says, all the day long I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people. The end of chapters 6 through 10, from the letter of Paul to the Romans, from the American Bible Union's New Testament, recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters 11 through 16, of the letter of Paul to the Romans, from the American Bible Union's New Testament. This Leprevox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters 11 through 16, of the letter of Paul to the Romans. CHAPTER 11 I say then, did God cast away his people? Far be it! For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. God did not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture says in the story of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, Lord, they killed thy prophets and digged down thine altars, and I was left alone, and they seek my life. But what says the answer of God to him? I reserved to myself seven thousand men who bowed not the knee to Baal. Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace, and if by grace it is no longer of works, otherwise grace becomes no longer grace, but if of works it is no longer grace, otherwise work is no longer work. What then? What Israel seeks after that he obtained not, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened, according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day. And David says, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back all way. I say then, did they stumble in order that they should fall? Far be it. But by their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy. But if their fall is the riches of the world, and their diminution the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness? For I am speaking to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office, if by any means I may provoke to emulation those who are my flesh, and may save some of them. For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead? And if the first fruit is holy, so also is the lump, and if the root is holy, so also are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and became a partaker with them of the root and the fatness of the olive tree, boast not over the branches. But if thou boast, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root, thee. Thou wilt say, then, the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in, well, because of their want of faith they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not high-minded, but fear, for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold, then, the goodness and severity of God toward those who fell severity, but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able again to graft them in. For if thou wast cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that hardness has come upon Israel in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. And so all Israel shall be saved. As it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob, and this is the covenant from me to them when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sakes, but as concerning the election they are beloved for the Father's sakes. For unrepented are the gifts and the calling of God. For as ye in times past disobeyed God, but now obtained mercy through their disobedience, so also they now disobeyed through the mercy shown to you that they also might obtain mercy, for God included all in disobedience that he might have mercy upon all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out! For who knew the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor? Or who first gave to him, and it shall be given back to him again? For of him, and through him, and unto him are all things, to him be the glory for ever. Ah, man! CHAPTER XII I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is your rational service, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may discern what is the will of God, the good, and well-pleasing and perfect. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God imparted to each one the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office, so we, the many, are one body in Christ, and several members one of another, and having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith, or ministry, let us wait on the ministry, or he that teaches on the teaching, or he that exhorts on the exhortation, he that gives, let him do it with simplicity, he that presides with diligence, he that shows mercy with cheerfulness. Let love be unfaigned, abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good, in brotherly love be kindly affectioned one to another, in honor preferring one another, in diligence not slothful, in spirit fervent serving the Lord, in hope rejoicing, in affliction patient, in prayer persevering, communicating to the necessities of the saints given to hospitality, bless those who persecute you, bless and curse not, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, be of the same mind one toward another, aspire not to things that are high, but condescend to the lowly, be not wise in your own conceits, recompense to no one evil for evil, provide things honorable in the sight of all men, if it be possible, as far as depends on you, be at peace with all men, avenge not yourselves beloved, but give place to the wrath of God, for it is written, to me belongs vengeance, I will recompense, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thy enemy hungers feed him, if he thirsts, give him drink, for in doing this, thou wilt keep coals of fire on his head, be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Chapter 13 Let every soul submit himself to the higher powers, for there is no power but from God, the powers that be have been ordained by God, so that he who resists the power, resists the ordinance of God, and they that resist will receive to themselves condemnation, for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil, and dost thou wish not to be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou wilt have praise from it, for he is God's minister to thee for good, but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he bears not the sword in vain, for he is God's minister, and avenger for wrath to him that does evil, wherefore it is necessary to submit yourselves not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience's sake, for for this cause ye pay tribute also, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing, render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor, own no one anything, but to love one another, for he that loves another has fulfilled the law, for this thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet, and if there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love works no ill to one's neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law, and that, knowing the time, that it is high time that we already were awaked out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far advanced, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in lewdness and wantonness, not in strife and envying, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. Chapter 14 Him that his weak in faith receive, not for the decision of disputes, for one believes that he may eat all things, but he that his weak eats herbs. Let not him that eats despise him that eats not, and let not him that eats not judge him that eats, for God received him. Who art thou that judges another servant? To his own master he stands or falls, but he shall be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One man esteems one day above another, another esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regards the day regards it to the Lord, and he that eats eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God, and he that eats not to the Lord he eats not, and gives thanks to God, for none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord, whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lords. For to this end Christ died and lived that he might be Lord of both the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother, or why dost thou despise thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God, for it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us therefore no longer judge one another, but judge this rather, not to put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in a brother's way. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself, but to him that accounts anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if because of food thy brother is grieved, thou no longer walkest in accordance with love. Destroy not him by thy food, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of, for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that in these things serves Christ is well pleasing to God and approved by men. So then let us follow after the things which make for peace, and things by which one may edify another, for the sake of food destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for that man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbles or is made to offend or is weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God? Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he allows, and he that doubts is condemned if he eat, because it is not a faith, and all that is not a faith is sin. Chapter 15 Now we that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For also Christ please not himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me. For whatever things were written aforetime were for our instruction, that we through patience and consolation of the scriptures may have hope. And the God of patience and consolation grant you to be of the same mind one with another, according to Christ Jesus, that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. For I say that Jesus Christ has been made a minister of the circumcision for the sake of God's truth in order to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles should glorify God for his mercy, as it is written. For this cause I will give thee praise among Gentiles, and to thy name we'll sing, and again he says, Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people, and again praise the Lord all ye Gentiles, and extol him all ye peoples, and again Isaiah says, there shall be the root of Jesse, and he who rises up to rule the Gentiles, on him will Gentiles hope. And the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. But I wrote the more boldly to you, brethren, in part as putting you in mind because of the grace that is given to me by God, that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest in the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. I have therefore my glorying in Christ Jesus as to things pertaining to God, for I will not dare to speak of any of the things which Christ wrought not through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Ilyricum, I have fully preached the good news of Christ, being emulous so to preach the good news, not where Christ was named lest I should build upon another's foundation, but as it is written, they to whom it was not announced concerning him shall see, and they that have not heard shall understand, for which cause also for the most part I was hindered from coming to you, but now having no longer place in these regions and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I go into Spain I hope to see you in my journey and to be sent forward thither by you, if first I shall be satisfied in a measure with your company. But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints, for Macedonia and Echaiya thought it good to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who were at Jerusalem, for they thought it good and their debtors are they, for if the Gentiles shared in their spiritual things they ought also to minister to them in carnal things, when therefore I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit I will go by you into Spain, and I know that when I come to you I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ, and I beseech you brethren by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from the unbelieving in Judea, and that my service which is for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints, that with joy I may come to you by the will of God and may with you be refreshed, and the God of peace be with you all. Amen. And Aquila, my fellow laborers in Christ Jesus, who for my life laid down their own necks, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles, and salute the church that is in their house. Salute a penitus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Asia unto Christ. Salute Mary, who bestowed much labor on us. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Salute Ampleus, my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbanus, our fellow laborer in Christ, and Stakus, my beloved. Salute Apelles, the approved in Christ. Salute those of the household of Aristobulus. Salute Herodian, my kinsmen. Salute those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. Salute Triphina and Trifosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. Salute Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Fleagon, Hermes, Patrobus, Hernius, and the brethren who are with them. Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympus, and all the saints who are with them. Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ salute you. Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the teaching which ye learned and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ but their own belly, and by their good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you, but I would have you wise as to that which is good and simple as to that which is evil, and the God of peace will shortly bruise Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Timothy, my fellow laborer, salutes you, and Lucius and Jason, and Sosa Peter, my kinsmen. I, Tertius, who wrote the letter, salute you in the Lord. Gaius, my host, and of the whole church, salutes you. Erastus, the chamberlain of the city, salutes you, and Cortus, the brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now to him who is able to establish you, according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept in silence during eternal ages, but now made manifest, and through the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, made known to all nations for obedience to the faith, to God only wise through Jesus Christ be the glory for ever. Amen. The end of chapters 11 through 16, and the end of the letter of Paul to the Romans from the American Bible Union's New Testament, recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters 1 through 4 of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians from the American Bible Union's New Testament. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters 1 through 4 of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Chapter 1 Paul, a called apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother, to the Church of God which is at Corinth, though sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything ye were made rich in Him, in all utterance and all knowledge, according as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that ye are behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you unto the end, unaccused in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. But I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it was made known to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. And I mean this, that each of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye immersed in the name of Paul? I thank God that I immersed none of you but Crispus and Gaius, that no one may say that I immersed in my own name, and I immersed also the household of Stefanus, besides I know not whether I immersed any other. For Christ did not send me to immerse, but to preach the glad tidings, not with wisdom of speech lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the preaching of the cross is to those who perish foolishness. But to us who are saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the prudence of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputor of this world? Did not God make foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom knew not God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe, since Jews require signs and Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness. But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised did God choose, and the things which are not that he might bring to not things that are, that no flesh should glory before God. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who from God was made wisdom to us, both righteousness and justification, and redemption, that, according as it is written, he that glories, let him glory in the Lord. CHAPTER II I also, when I came to you, brethren, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God, for I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling, and my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of man's wisdom, but with demonstration of the spirit and of power, that your faith might not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. But we speak wisdom among those who are perfect, but a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world who come to not. But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the worlds unto our glory, which no one of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, things which I saw not, nor ear heard, and which entered not into the heart of man, which God prepared for those who love him. But to us God revealed them by his spirit, for the spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man, save the spirit of the man which is in him? So also the things of God no one knows but the spirit of God. And we received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. Which things also we speak not in words taught by man's wisdom, but in those taught by the spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot know them because they are spiritually judged. But he that his spiritual judges all things, but he himself is judged by no one. For who knew the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. CHAPTER 3 I also, brethren, was not able to speak to you as spiritual, but as carnal, as babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with meat, for ye were not yet able to bear it, nay, nor even now are ye able, for ye are yet carnal, for whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk as men? For when one says, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to each one? I planted Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything, nor he that waters, but God that gives the increase, and he that plants, and he that waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow laborers, ye are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and another builds thereon, but let each one take heed how he builds thereon. For other foundation can no one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. And if anyone builds on this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, the work of each one will be made manifest, for the day will show it, because it is revealed in fire, and the fire itself will prove of what sort is each one's work. If anyone's work which he built thereon remains, he will receive reward. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. No ye not that ye are God's temple, and that the spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone defiles the temple of God, him will God destroy, for the temple of God is holy. The which are ye. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone seems to be wise among you in this world, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, he that takes the wise in their craftiness. And again, the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are vain. So then let no one glory in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world, or life or death or things present, or things to come. All are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's. Chapter 4 So let a man account us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by man's day. Nay, neither do I judge myself, for I am conscious to myself of nothing. Yet am I not hereby justified, but he that judges me is the Lord. So then judge not anything before the time until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the councils of the hearts. And then shall each one have his praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us ye may learn not to go beyond that which is written, that ye be not puffed up each for one against another. For who makes thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? But if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? Already ye are filled full, already ye became rich, without us ye reigned as kings, and I would ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For I think that God set forth us the apostles last, as condemned to death, for we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ. We are weak, but ye are strong, ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place. And labour, working with our own hands, being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we suffer it, being defamed, we entreat, we have become as the filth of the world, the off-scouring of all things unto this day. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I admonish you, for though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I begot you through the Gospel. I beseech you, therefore, be followers of me. For this cause I sent to you Timothy, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the Lord, who will bring to your remembrance my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere, in every church. Now some were puffed up as though I were not coming to you, but I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What will ye? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love, and the spirit of meekness? The end of chapters 1 through 4 of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians, from the American Bible Union's New Testament. Recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters 5 through 8 of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians from the American Bible Union's New Testament. This Liprivox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters 5 through 8 of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Chapter 5 It is commonly reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife, and ye are puffed up and did not rather mourn that he who did this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have already judged, as though I were present concerning him who has so done this. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ye being gathered together, and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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. Your glorying is not good. No ye not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, cleanse out there for the old leaven that ye may be a new lump according as ye are unleavened. For our Passover Christ was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to keep company with fornicators, yet not all together with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or idolaters, for then ye must needs go out of the world. But as it is, I wrote to you not to keep company if anyone called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolator or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one not even to eat. For what have I to do with judging those also who are without? Do not ye judge those who are within, but those who are without, God judges. Therefore put away that wicked man from among yourselves. Dare any one of you having a matter against another go to law before the unjust and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? No ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more the things of this life? If then ye have judgments about things of this life, set those to judge who are of no esteem in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not a wise man among you, not even one that shall be able to judge between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Now therefore it is altogether a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong and defraud, and that your brethren. No ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God? And such were some of you, but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. 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. Meets for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God will destroy both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, and God both raised the Lord, and will also raise up us by his power. No ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Far be it! No ye not that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? For the two, says he, shall be one flesh, but he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication! Every sin that a man commits is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. No ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom ye have from God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body. Chapter 7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman, but because of fornication let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to the wife her due, and in like manner the wife also to the husband. The wife has not power over her own body, but the husband, and in like manner the husband also has not power over his own body, but the wife. Defraud not one the other except it be with consent for a time that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come again together that Satan may not tempt you on account of your incontinency. But this I say by way of permission not of command, but I would that all men were as myself, but each one has his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that. And I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain as I also am, but if they have not self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn. And the married not I command, but the Lord, that the wife depart not from the husband, but if she have departed, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to her husband, and let the husband not put away his wife. But to the rest say I, not the Lord, if any brother has a wife that believes not, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, and a woman who has a husband that believes not, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband, for the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband, else your children are unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbelieving departs, let him depart. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband, or what knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife, only as the Lord apportioned to each one, as God has called each one, so let him walk, and so I ordain in all the churches. Was anyone called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called an uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let each one abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Wasst thou called being a servant? Care not for it, but if thou canst become free, use it rather. For he that was called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's freedman. In like manner also the free man being called is Christ's servant. Ye were bought with a price, become not servants of men. Brethren, let every man wherein he was called therein abide with God. Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord, but I give my judgment as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I consider therefore that this is good on account of the present necessity, that it is good for a man so to be. Art thou bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. But if also thou marry, thou sin its not, and if a virgin marry, she sinned not. But such shall have affliction in the flesh, but I spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time that remains is short, that both they who have wives may be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that use this world as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world is passing away. But I would have you without cares. He that is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord, but he that is married cares for the things of the world, how he shall please his wife. There is a difference also between the wife and the virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be wholly both in body and spirit, but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. But if anyone thinks that he behaves himself unseemly toward his virgin, if she be past the flower of her age and need so require, let him do what he will. He sins not, let them marry. But he that stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has determined this in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. So that both he that gives her in marriage does well, and he that gives her not in marriage, does better. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives, but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide after my judgment, and I too think that I have the spirit of God. Chapter 8 Now concerning the things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has known nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him. As concerning then the eating of the things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For though there are gods so called, whether in heaven or on earth, as there are gods many and lords many, yet to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. But there is not in all men this knowledge, for some with a consciousness till now of the idol eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and their conscience being weak is defiled. But food commends us not to God, for neither if we eat or we the better, nor if we eat not are we the worse. But take heed lest happily this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees thee who hast knowledge reclining at table in an idol's temple will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat the things offered to idols? And through thy knowledge he that his weak parishes, the brother for whom Christ died. But when ye so sin against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore if food cause my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh for ever more that I may not cause my brother to offend. The end of chapters five through eight of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians from the American Bible Union's New Testament. Recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters nine through twelve of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians from the American Bible Union's New Testament. This recording is in the public domain. Recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters nine through twelve of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Chapter nine. Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others, yet at least I am to you, for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord. This is my answer to those who examine me. Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister as a wife, as well as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or have only I and Barnabas not power to forbear working? Whoever goes to war at his own charges? Who plants a vineyard and eats not of the fruit thereof? Or who tends a flock and eats not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man? Or does not the law also say these things? For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle an ox while treading out the grain. Is it for the oxen that God cares? Or does he say it altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it was written, that he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope of partaking. If we sowed for you the things that are spiritual, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others partake of this power over you, do not we still more? But we used not this power, but we bear all things, that we may not cause any hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they who minister about the holy things eat of the temple and they who wait at the altar partake with the altar? So also did the Lord appoint to those who preach the gospel to live by the gospel? But I have used none of these things, and I wrote not these things that it should be so done to me. For it were better for me to die than that anyone should make my glorying void. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of. For a necessity is laid upon me. For woe is to me if I preach not the gospel. For if I do this willingly I have a reward. But if unwillingly I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may make the gospel without charge that I use not to the full my power in the gospel. For being free from all men I made myself servant to all that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain Jews. To those under law as under law not being myself under law that I might gain those under law. To those without law as without law not being without law to God but under law to Christ that I might gain those without law. To the weak I became as weak that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all that I may by all means save some and all things I do for the gospel's sake that I may become a partaker thereof with others. No ye not that they who run in a race all indeed run but one receives the prize so run that ye may obtain. And everyone who contends for the prize is temperate in all things they indeed to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run as not uncertainly I so fight as not beating the air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest happily having preached to others I myself should be rejected. Chapter 10 For I would not have you ignorant brethren that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were all immersed unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them and the rock was Christ but in the most of them God had no pleasure for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were examples to us in order that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted nor be ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play nor let us commit fornication as some of them did and fell in one day three and twenty thousand nor let us tempt Christ as some of them tempted and perished by the serpents nor murmur ye as some of them murmured and perished by the destroyer now all these things happened to them as examples and they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages are come where for let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall there has no temptation taken you but such as belongs to man and God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able but will with a temptation make also the way of escape that ye may be able to bear it wherefore my beloved flee from idolatry I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say the cup of blessing which we bless is it not a partaking of the blood of Christ the loaf which we break is it not a partaking of the body of Christ because we the many are one loaf one body for we all share in that one loaf behold Israel according to the flesh are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar what then do I say that an altar is anything or that what is offered to idols is anything nay but that what they sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God and I would not that ye should be partakers of the demons ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons ye cannot share in the table of the Lord and the table of demons do we provoke the Lord to jealousy are we stronger than he all things are lawful but not all things are expedient all things are lawful but not all things edify let no one seek his own but his neighbor's good whatever is sold in the market eat asking no question for conscience's sake for the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof if any of the unbelieving bids you to a feast and ye choose to go whatever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience's sake but if anyone say to you this is a thing sacrificed to a God eat it not for his sake that showed it and for conscience's sake conscience I say not thine own but that of the other for why is my liberty judged by another's conscience if I partake with thanks why am I evil spoken of for which I give thanks whether therefor ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the glory of God give no occasion of stumbling either to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God as I also please all and all things not seeking my own profit but that of the many that they may be saved Chapter 11 Be followers of me as I also am of Christ Now I praise you brethren that ye remember me in all things and hold fast the traditions as I delivered them to you and I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the head of Christ is God every man praying or prophesying having his head covered dishonors his head but every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered dishonors her head for it is one and the same as if she were shaven for if a woman is not covered let her also be shorn but if it is a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven let her be covered for a man indeed ought not to cover his head being the image and glory of God but the woman is the glory of the man for the man is not of the woman but the woman of the man and the man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man for this case ought the woman to have the token of authority on her head because of the angels nevertheless neither is the woman without the man nor the man without the woman in the Lord for as the woman is of the man so also is the man by the woman but all things of God judge in your own selves is it seemingly that a woman pray to God uncovered does not even nature itself teach you that if a man have long hair it is a shame to him but if a woman have long hair it is a glory to her for her hair is given her for a covering but if any man seems to be contentious we have no such custom nor the churches of God and while I enjoin this I praise you not that ye come together not for the better but for the worse for first of all when ye come together in the church I hear that there are divisions among you and I partly believe it for there must be also sects among you that they who are approved may be made manifest among you when therefore ye come together into one place there is no eating of a supper of the Lord for in eating each takes without waiting his own supper and one is hungry and another is drunken what have ye not houses to eat and to drink in or despise ye the church of God and shame those who have not what shall I say to you shall I praise you in this I praise you not for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took a loaf and having given thanks he broke it and said this is my body which is for you this do in remembrance of me in like manner also the cup after they had supped saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood this do as often as ye drink it in remembrance of me for as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye show the Lord's death till he come so that whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup for he that eats and drinks eats and drinks condemnation to himself if he discern not the body for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep for if we judged ourselves we should not be judged but being judged we are chastened by the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world wherefore my brethren when coming together to eat wait for one another if anyone is hungry let him eat at home that ye come not together unto condemnation and the rest I will set in order when I come Chapter 12 Now concerning the spiritual gifts brethren I would not have you ignorant ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away to the dumb idols as ye were led wherefore I give you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus a cursed and no one can say Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit and there are diversities of ministrations and the same Lord and there are diversities of operations but the same God who works all in all but to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profiting for to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit to another faith by the same Spirit to another gifts of healings by the one Spirit to another the working of miracles to another prophecy to another discerning of spirits to another diversities of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues but all these works the one and self same Spirit dividing to each one separately as he will 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 for by one Spirit we were all immersed into one body whether Jews or Greeks whether bond or free and we're all made to drink of one Spirit for the body is not one member but many if the foot say because I am not a hand I am not of the body it is not therefore not of the body and if the ear say because I am not an eye I am not of the body it is not therefore not of the body if the whole body were an eye where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling but now God set the members each one of them in the body as it pleased him and if they were all one member where were the body but now there are many members but one body and the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the foot I have no need of you nay much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary and those which we think to be less honorable parts of the body on these we bestow more abundant honor and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness and our comely parts have no need but God attempted the body together giving more abundant honor to that which lacked that there may be no division in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another and whether one member suffers all the members suffer with it or one member is honored all the members rejoice with it now ye are the body of Christ and members each one and God set some in the church apostles first secondly prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles then gifts of healings helps governings diversities of tongues are all apostles are all prophets are all teachers are all workers of miracles have all gifts of healings do all speak with tongues do all interpret but desire earnestly the greater gifts and moreover i show to you a more excellent way the end of chapters nine through twelve of the first letter of paul to the carinthians from the american bible union's new testament recording by mark pennfold chapters thirteen through sixteen of the first letter of paul to the carinthians from the american bible union's new testament this lipovox recording is in the public domain recording by mark pennfold chapters thirteen through sixteen of the first letter of paul to the carinthians chapter thirteen though i speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love i am become a sounding brass or a tinkling symbol and though i have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though i have all faith so as to remove mountains and have not love i am nothing and though i bestow all my goods in food and though i give up my body that i may be burned and have not love it profits me nothing love suffers long is kind love envies not love wants not itself is not puffed up does not behave itself unseemly seeks not its own is not easily provoked imputes no evil rejoices not at unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth bears all things believes all things hopes all things endures all things love never fails but whether there are prophesies they will be done away whether tongues they will cease whether knowledge it will be done away for we know in part and we prophesy in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part will be done away when i was a child i spoke as a child i thought as a child i reasoned as a child but now that i am become a man i have done away the things of the child for we see now in a mirror obscurely but then face to face now i know in part but then i shall know fully even as i also am fully known and now remain faith hope love these three and the greatest of these is love chapter 14 pursue after love and desire earnestly the spiritual gifts but rather that ye may prophesy for he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men but to god for no one understands but with the spirit he speaks mysteries but he that prophesies to men he speaks edification and exhortation and comfort he that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself but he that prophesies edifies the church i would that ye should all speak with tongues but rather that ye should prophesy for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues except he interpret that the church may receive edification and now brethren if i come to you speaking with tongues what shall i profit you except i shall speak to you either in revelation or in knowledge or in prophesying or in teaching and things without life giving sound whether pipe or harp yet if they give no distinction in the sounds how shall that be known which is piped or harped for if a trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself for battle so also ye if ye utter not by the tongue words easily understood how shall that be known which is spoken for ye will be speaking into the air so many it may be are the kinds of speaking sounds in the world and none is without significance if that i know not the meaning of the sound i shall be to him that speaks a barbarian and he that speaks a barbarian to me so also ye since he are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye may abound in them to the edification of the church wherefore let him that speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret for if i pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prays but my understanding is unfruitful what then i will pray with a spirit and i will pray with the understanding also i will sing with a spirit and i will sing with the understanding also else if thou shalt bless with a spirit how shall he that occupies the place of the unlearned say the amen at thy giving of thanks since he knows not what thou sayest for thou indeed give us thanks well but the other is not edified i thank god i speak with tongues more than y'all yet in the church i would rather speak five words with my understanding that i may also instruct others than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue brethren be not children in your understandings but in malice be as children but in your understandings be men in the law it is written for with men of other tongues and with strange lips i will speak to this people and not even so will they harken to me sayeth the lord so that the tongues are for a sign not to those who believe but to the unbelieving but prophesying is not for the unbelieving but for those who believe if therefore the whole church has come together into one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those who are unlearned or unbelievers will they not say that ye are mad but if all prophesy and there come in one that is an unbeliever or unlearned he is convicted by all he is judged by all the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling on his face he will worship god reporting that god is in truth among you how is it then brethren when ye come together each of you has a psalm has an instruction has a tongue has a revelation has an interpretation let all things be done to edification if anyone speaks in an unknown tongue let it be by two or at the most by three and in turn and let one interpret but if there be no interpreter let him keep silence in the church and let him speak to himself and to god and of prophets let two or three speak and the others judge but if a revelation be made to another sitting by let the first be silent for ye can all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all be comforted and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets for god is not a god of confusion but of peace as in all churches of the saints let your women keep silence in the churches for it is not permitted to them to speak but they are to be in subjection as the law also says and if they wish to learn anything let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church did the word of god come forth from you or came it unto you alone if anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandments but if anyone is ignorant let him be ignorant wherefore brethren desire earnestly the gift of prophecy and forbid not to speak with tongues but let all things be done decently and in order Chapter 15 And I make known to you brethren the gospel which I preached to you which also ye received in which also ye stand through which also ye are saved if ye hold fast the word with which I preached to you unless ye believed in vain for I delivered to you first of all what I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he has risen on the third day according to the scriptures and that he appeared to Cephas then to the twelve after that he appeared to above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater parts remain until now but some are fallen asleep after that he appeared to James then to all the apostles and last of all he appeared to me also as the one born out of due time for I am the least of the apostles who am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I labored more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me therefore whether it were I or they so we preach and so ye believed now if Christ is preached that he has risen from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead but if there is no resurrection of the dead then neither has Christ risen and if Christ has not risen then is our preaching vain and vain also your faith and we are also found false witnesses of God because we testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not if it be so that the dead rise not for if the dead rise not neither has Christ risen and if Christ has not risen your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins then also they who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable but now Christ has risen from the dead the first fruits of those who sleep for since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all die so also in Christ will all be made alive but each in his own order Christ the first fruits afterward they who are Christ's at his coming then comes the end when he delivers up the kingdom to God the Father when he shall have done away all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet as the last enemy death shall be done away for he subjected all things under his feet but when he says all things are subjected it is manifest that he is accepted who subjected all things to him and when all things shall be subjected to him then will also the Son himself be subject to him who subjected all things to him that God may be all in all else what shall they do who are immersed for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then immersed for them why also are we in peril every hour I protest by my glorying in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily if after the manner of men I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus what is the profit to me if the dead rise not let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die be not deceived evil communications corrupt good manners await to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I say it to your shame but someone will say how do the dead rise and with what kind of body do they come thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die and what thou sowest not the body that shall be sowest thou but bear grain per chance of wheat or of some other grain but God gives it a body as it pleased him and to each of the seeds its own body all flesh is not the same flesh but there is one flesh of men another flesh of beasts another of fishes another of birds there are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies but the glory of the heavenly is one and that of the earthly is another 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 so also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption it rises in incorruption it is sown in dishonor it rises in glory it is sown in weakness it rises in power it is sown a natural body it rises a spiritual body if there is a natural body there is also a spiritual so also it is written the first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam a life-giving spirit but the spiritual is not first but the natural and afterward the spiritual the first man was of the earth earthy the second man is from heaven as was the earthy such are they also that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly and as we bore the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly and this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God nor does corruption inherit incorruption behold I tell you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality and when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then will be brought to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in victory where oh death is thy sting where oh death is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ therefore might be beloved brethren be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord Chapter 16 now concerning the collection for the saints as I gave order to the churches of Galatia so also do ye on each first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store according as he is prospered that there may be no collections when I come and when I come whomsoever ye shall approve them I will send with letters to carry your benefaction to Jerusalem and if it be worthy of my going also they shall go with me and I will come to you when I shall pass through Macedonia for I pass through Macedonia and it may be that I will remain or even pass the winter with you that ye may bring me on my journey wither soever I go for I wish not to see you now in passing for I hope to remain some time with you if the Lord permit but I shall remain at Ephesus until the Pentecost for a great and effectual door is open to me and there are many adversaries now if Timothy come see that he may be with you without fear for he works the work of the Lord as I also do let no one therefore despise him but send him forward in peace that he may come to me for I look for him with the brethren and concerning Apollos the brother I besought him much to come to you with the brethren and it was not at all his will to come at this time but he will come when he shall have a convenient time watch stand fast in the faith acquit you like men be strong let all your acts be done in love and I beseech you brethren ye know the house of Stefanus that it is the first fruits of Achaia and that they devoted themselves to the service of the saints that ye also submit yourselves to such and to everyone that works with us and labors I am glad of the coming of Stefanus and Fortunatus and Achaicus for what was lacking on your part they supplied for they refreshed my spirit and yours therefore acknowledge those who are such the churches of Asia salute you Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church that is in their house all the brethren salute you salute one another with a holy kiss the salutation of me Paul with my own hand if anyone loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed maranatha the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you my love be with you all in Christ Jesus amen the end of chapters 13 through 16 and the end of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians from the American Bible Union's New Testament recording by Mark Penfold chapters one through five of the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians from the American Bible Union's New Testament this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Mark Penfold chapters one through five of the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians chapter one Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy the brother to the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are in all Achaia grace to you in peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation who consoles us in all our affliction that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction by the consolation wherewith we ourselves are consoled by God because as the sufferings of Christ abound toward us so through Christ abounds also our consolation but whether we are afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation which is effective in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we are consoled it is for your consolation and salvation and our hope of you is steadfast knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings so are ye also of the consolation for we would not brethren that ye should be ignorant of our affliction which befell us in Asia that we were exceedingly oppressed above our strength so that we despaired even of life yay we ourselves had in ourselves the sentence of death that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead who delivered us from so great a death and does deliver in whom is our hope that he will still deliver ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication that for the mercy bestowed on us through many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf for our glorying is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God did we deport ourselves in the world and more abundantly toward you for we write no other things to you than what ye read or even acknowledge and I trust ye will acknowledge even to the end as also ye did acknowledge us in part that we are your glorying even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus and in this confidence I was desirous to come to you before that ye might have a second benefit and to pass by you into Macedonia and from Macedonia to come again to you and by you to be brought on my way to Judea when therefore I purposed this did I act with levity or the things that I purposed do I purposed according to the flesh that with me there should be the ye ye and the nay nay but God is faithful our word to you is not ye and nay for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us by me and Sylvainus and Timothy was not made ye and nay but has been made ye in him for however many are the promises of God in him is the ye and in him the amen to the glory of God through us now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God he who also sealed us and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts but I invoke God for a witness upon my soul that to spare you I came not yet to Corinth not that we have dominion over your faith but our helpers of your joy for in faith ye stand fast Chapter 2 And I determined this with myself that I would not come again to you in sorrow for if I make you sorry who then is he that makes me glad but the same who is made sorry by me and I wrote this very thing to you that I might not when I came have sorrow from those of whom I ought to have joy having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all for out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears not that ye might have sorrow but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly toward you but if any has caused sorrow he has not caused sorrow to me but in part that I be not too severe on him to you all sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many so that on the contrary ye ought rather to forgive and console him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with over much sorrow wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him for to this end also I wrote that I might know the proof of you whether ye are obedient in all things to whom ye forgive anything I forgive also for what I have forgiven if I have forgiven anything for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ that no advantage might be gained over us by Satan for we are not ignorant of his devices and when I came to Troas to preach the good news of Christ and a door was opened to me in the Lord I had no rest in my spirit because I found not Titus my brother but taking leave of them I went forth into Macedonia but thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ and makes manifest by us in every place the savor of the knowledge of him because we are to God a sweet savor of Christ in those who are saved and in those who perish to the one a savor of death unto death to the other a savor of life unto life and who is sufficient for these things for we are not as the many corrupting the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God we speak in Christ Chapter 3 Do we again begin to commend ourselves or need we as some letters of commendation to you or of commendation from you? Ye are our letter written in our hearts known and read by all men being made manifest that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in tablets of stone but in fleshly tablets of the heart and such confidence have we through Christ toward God not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves but our sufficiency is of God who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter kills but the spirit makes alive but if the ministration of death engraven with letters in stones was made glorious so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious for if the ministration of condemnation is glory much more does the ministration of righteousness abound in glory for even that which was made glorious has no glory in this respect on account of the glory that excels for if that which is done away was glorious much more that which abides is glorious having therefore such hope we use great plainness of speech and not as Moses put a veil over his face that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away but their understandings were hardened for until this day the same veil on the reading of the old covenant remains not being taken away which veil is done away in Christ but even unto this day when Moses is read a veil lies upon their heart but whenever it turns to the Lord the veil is taken away now the Lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty but we all with unveiled face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord Chapter 4 therefore having this ministry as we received mercy we faint not but we renounced the hidden things of shame not walking in craftiness nor falsifying the word of God but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God but if our gospel is veiled it is veiled in those who perish in whom the God of this world blinded the understandings of the unbelieving that they should not discern the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God for we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake because it is God who commands light to shine out of darkness who shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the exceeding greatness of the power may be God's and not of us being pressed in every way yet not straightened perplexed yet not despairing persecuted yet not forsaken cast down yet not destroyed always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus that also the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body for we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh so that death works in us but life in you but having the same spirit of faith according to what is written I believed therefore did I speak we also believe therefore also speak knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus and will present us with you for all things are for your sakes that the grace abounding through the greater number might make the thanksgiving more abundant to the glory of God for which cause we faint not but though our outward man perishes yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light affliction which is but for a moment works out for us a far more exceeding an eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Chapter 5 for we know that if our earthly house of the tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens for in this we groan longing to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven seeing that we shall be found clothed not naked for we who are in the tabernacle groan being burdened in that we do not desire to be unclothed but to be clothed upon that what is mortal might be swallowed up by life now he who wrought us out for this very thing is God who also gave to us the earnest of the spirit being therefore always confident and knowing that while at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight we are confident and are well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord wherefore we also strive that whether at home or absent we may be well pleasing to him for we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things done in the body according to the things which he did whether good or bad knowing therefore the fear of the Lord we persuade men but to God we have been made manifest and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences for we are not again commending ourselves to you but giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf that you may have somewhat to answer those who glory in appearance and not in art for whether we were beside ourselves it was for God or whether we are of sound mind it is for you for the love of Christ constrains us because we thus judged that if one died for all then they all died and he died for all that they who live should live no longer to themselves but to him who for them died and rose again so that we henceforth know no one according to the flesh and if also we have known Christ according to the flesh yet now we no longer know him so that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature the old things passed away behold all things have become new and all things are of God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation as that God was in Christ reconciling a world to himself not reckoning to them their trespasses and having committed to us the word of reconciliation we are then ambassadors on behalf of Christ as though God were beseeching by us on behalf of Christ we pray be reconciled to God him who knew not sin he made to be sin for us that we might become God's righteousness in him the end of chapters one through five of the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians from the American Bible Union's New Testament recording by Mark