Daily Reading

1 In my distress I called out to Jehovah, / And He answered me.

2 O Jehovah, deliver my soul from lying lips, / From a tongue of deceit.

3 What should be given to you, / And what further shall be done to you, / O tongue of deceit?

4 The sharp arrows of a mighty man, / With the burning coals of the broom tree!

5 Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech, / I dwell among the tents of Kedar.

6 Long has my soul had its dwelling / With him who hates peace.

7 I am for peace; but when I speak, / They are for war.

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills. / From where will my help come?

2 My help comes from Jehovah, / Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip; / He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, Israel’s Keeper / Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 Jehovah is your Keeper; / Jehovah is your shade at your right hand.

6 The sun will not strike you by day, / Nor the moon by night.

7 Jehovah will keep you from all evil; / He will keep your soul.

8 Jehovah will keep your going out and your coming in / From now and to eternity.

1 I rejoiced when they said to me, / Let us go to the house of Jehovah.

2 Our feet are standing / Within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem has been built as a city / That has been compacted together;

4 To which the tribes go up, / The tribes of Jehovah — / A testimony for Israel — / To give thanks to the name of Jehovah.

5 For there thrones are set for judgment, / Thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. / Those who love you will prosper.

7 Peace be within your bulwarks, / And prosperity within your citadels.

8 For my brothers’ and companions’ sake I will now say, / Peace be within you.

9 For the sake of the house of Jehovah our God / I will seek your good.

1 To You do I lift up my eyes, / You who sit enthroned in heaven.

2 Behold, as the eyes of the servants / Look to the hand of their masters, / As the eyes of a servant girl / Look to the hand of her mistress, / So our eyes look to Jehovah our God, / Until He is gracious to us.

3 Be gracious to us, O Jehovah, be gracious to us; / For we are greatly filled with contempt.

4 Our soul is greatly filled / With the scorn of those who are at ease, / With the contempt of the proud.

1 If it had not been Jehovah who was on our side, / Let Israel say,

2 If it had not been Jehovah who was on our side / When men rose up against us;

3 Then they would have swallowed us up alive / When their anger burned against us;

4 Then the waters would have washed us away; / The stream would have passed over our soul;

5 Then the proud waters / Would have passed over our soul.

6 Blessed be Jehovah, who has not given us / As prey to their teeth.

7 Our soul has escaped like a bird, / Out of the snare of the fowlers; / The snare is broken, / And we have escaped.

8 Our help is in the name of Jehovah, / Who made heaven and earth.

1 Those who trust in Jehovah are like Mount Zion, / Which cannot be moved but abides forever.

2 Jerusalem — mountains surround her; / And Jehovah surrounds His people / From now and to eternity.

3 For the scepter of wickedness will not rest / Upon the allotment of the righteous, / That the righteous would not put forth / Their hands to iniquity.

4 Do good, O Jehovah, to the good / And to those upright in their hearts.

5 But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, / Jehovah will lead them off with the workers of iniquity. / Peace be upon Israel.

1 When Jehovah turned again the captivity of Zion, / We were like those who dream.

2 At that time our mouth was filled with laughter / And our tongue with a ringing shout. / At that time they said among the nations, / Jehovah has done great things for them.

3 Jehovah has done great things for us; / We are joyful.

4 Turn again, O Jehovah, our captivity / Like the streams in the south.

5 Those who sow in tears / Will reap with a ringing shout.

6 He who goes forth and weeps, / Bearing seed for scattering, / Will no doubt come in with a ringing shout, / Bearing his sheaves with him.

1 Unless Jehovah builds the house, / Those who build it labor in vain. / Unless Jehovah keeps the city, / The guard watches in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, / To stay up late, / To eat the bread of toil; / All the same, He gives to His beloved while they sleep.

3 Behold, children are the heritage of Jehovah, / The fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, / So are the children of one’s youth.

5 Blessed is the man / Who fills his quiver with them. / He will not be put to shame / When he speaks with enemies in the gate.

1 Blessed is everyone who fears Jehovah, / Who walks in His ways.

2 You will indeed eat the labor of your hands; / You will be blessed, and it will go well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine / In the innermost parts of your house. / Your children will be like olive shoots / Round about your table.

4 Thus will the man be blessed / Who fears Jehovah.

5 Jehovah bless you from Zion; / And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem / All the days of your life.

6 May you also see the children of your children. / Peace be upon Israel.

1 Many times have they afflicted me since my youth, / Let Israel say,

2 Many times have they afflicted me since my youth, / Yet they did not prevail against me.

3 The plowers plowed on my back; / They made their furrows long.

4 Jehovah is righteous; / He has cut the cords of the wicked.

5 May all who hate Zion / Be put to shame and turned back.

6 May they be like grass on the housetops, / Which withers before it grows up,

7 With which the reaper does not fill his hand, / Or he who binds sheaves, his bosom.

8 Nor may those who pass by say, / The blessing of Jehovah be upon you! / We bless you in the name of Jehovah.

1 Out of the depths I have called upon You, O Jehovah.

2 O Lord, hear my voice; / Let Your ears be attentive / To the voice of my supplications.

3 If You, O Jehovah, marked iniquities, / Who, O Lord, would stand?

4 But with You there is forgiveness, / That You would be feared.

5 I wait for Jehovah; my soul waits, / And in His word I hope.

6 My soul waits for the Lord / More than watchmen for the morning, / Yes, watchmen for the morning.

7 Hope in Jehovah, O Israel; / For with Jehovah there is lovingkindness, / And with Him abundantly there is redemption;

8 And it is He who will redeem Israel / From all its iniquities.

1 O Jehovah, my heart is not proud, / Nor are my eyes haughty; / Nor do I go about in things too great / Or too wondrous for me.

2 Surely I have calmed / And quieted my soul, / Like a weaned child with its mother; / Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 Hope in Jehovah, O Israel, / From now and to eternity.

1 For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And all ate the same spiritual food,

4 And all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ.

5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn along in the wilderness.

6 Now these things occurred as examples to us, that we should not be ones who lust after evil things, even as they also lusted.

7 Neither become idolaters, as some of them did; as it is written, “ The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand.

9 Neither let us test Christ, as some of them tested Him and were destroyed by the serpents.

10 Neither murmur, just as some of them murmured and perished by the destroyer.

11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our admonition, unto whom the ends of the ages have come.

12 So then let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

13 No temptation has taken you except that which is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow that you be tempted beyond what you are able, but will, with the temptation, also make the way out, that you may be able to endure it.

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

15 I speak as to prudent men; you judge what I say.

16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ?

17 Seeing that there is one bread, we who are many are one Body; for we all partake of the one bread.

18 Look at Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who eat the sacrifices those who have fellowship with the altar?

19 What then am I saying? That what is sacrificed to an idol is anything? Or that an idol is anything?

20 No, but that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become those who have fellowship with demons.

21 You cannot drink the Lord’s cup and the demons’ cup; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the demons’ table.

22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable; all things are lawful, but not all things build up.

24 Let no one seek his own profit, but that of the other.

25 Everything sold in a meat market eat, asking no question for conscience’ sake;

26 For the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.

27 If any of the unbelievers invites you and you wish to go, eat everything that is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.

28 But if anyone says to you, This has been offered in sacrifice, do not eat, for his sake who pointed it out and for conscience’ sake.

29 Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s. For why is my freedom judged by some other conscience?

30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I spoken evil of concerning that for which I give thanks?

31 Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Do not become a stumbling block, both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God;

33 Even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own advantage but that of the many, that they may be saved.

1 Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ.

2 But I praise you because in all things you have remembered me and hold fast the things that I have handed down even as I handed them down to you.

3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.

4 Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered disgraces his head.

5 But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head; for it is one and the same as she who is shaved.

6 For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off; but if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, let her be covered.

7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is God’s image and glory; but the woman is the glory of the man.

8 For man is not out of woman, but woman out of man;

9 For also man was not created for the sake of the woman, but woman for the sake of the man.

10 Therefore the woman ought to have a sign of submission to authority on her head for the sake of the angels.

11 However neither is woman without man, nor man without woman, in the Lord.

12 For just as the woman is out from the man, so also is the man through the woman; but all things are out from God.

13 Judge this in your own selves: Is it fitting for a woman to pray uncovered to God?

14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her long hair has been given to her for a covering.

16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we do not have such a custom of being so, neither the churches of God.

17 But I give you this charge and do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

18 For first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and some part of it I believe.

19 For there must even be parties among you, that those who are approved may become manifest among you.

20 When therefore you come together in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper;

21 For in your eating, each one takes his own supper first, and one is hungry and the other is drunk.

22 Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and put those to shame who have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.

23 For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread,

24 And having given thanks, He broke it and said, This is My body, which is given for you; this do unto the remembrance of Me.

25 Similarly also the cup after they had dined, saying, This cup is the new covenant established in My blood; this do, as often as you drink it, unto the remembrance of Me.

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you declare the Lord’s death until He comes.

27 So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man prove himself, and in this way let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not discern the body.

30 Because of this many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

31 But if we discerned ourselves, we would not be judged.

32 But being judged by the Lord, we are disciplined that we may not be condemned with the world.

33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, that you may not come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

2 You know that when you were Gentiles, you were always being led away to dumb idols, whenever and however you were led.

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, Jesus is accursed; and no one can say, Jesus is Lord! except in the Holy Spirit.

4 But there are distinctions of gifts, but the same Spirit;

5 And there are distinctions of ministries, yet the same Lord;

6 And there are distinctions of operations, but the same God, who operates all things in all.

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for what is profitable.

8 For to one through the Spirit a word of wisdom is given, and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;

9 To a different one faith in the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing in the one Spirit,

10 And to another operations of works of power, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits; to a different one various kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.

11 But the one and the same Spirit operates all these things, distributing to each one respectively even as He purposes.

12 For even as the body is one and has many members, yet all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ.

13 For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, it is not that because of this it is not of the body.

16 And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, it is not that because of this it is not of the body.

17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were the hearing, where would the smelling be?

18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, even as He willed.

19 And if all were one member, where would the body be?

20 But now the members are many, but the body one.

21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22 But much rather the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

23 And those members of the body which we consider to be less honorable, these we clothe with more abundant honor; and our uncomely members come to have more abundant comeliness,

24 But our comely members have no need. But God has blended the body together, giving more abundant honor to the member that lacked,

25 That there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same care for one another.

26 And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the Body of Christ, and members individually.

28 And God has placed some in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then works of power, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all have works of power?

30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret tongues?

31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And moreover I show to you a most excellent way.

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3 And if I dole out all my possessions to feed others, and if I deliver up my body that I may boast, but do not have love, I profit nothing.

4 Love suffers long. Love is kind; it is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not puffed up;

5 It does not behave unbecomingly and does not seek its own things; it is not provoked and does not take account of evil;

6 It does not rejoice because of unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

7 It covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never falls away. But whether prophecies, they will be rendered useless; or tongues, they will cease; or knowledge, it will be rendered useless.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

10 But when that which is complete comes, that which is in part will be rendered useless.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; since I have become a man, I have done away with childish things.

12 For now we see in a mirror obscurely, but at that time face to face; now I know in part, but at that time I will fully know even as also I was fully known.

13 Now there abide faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

1 Pursue love, and desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one hears, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

3 But he who prophesies speaks building up and encouragement and consolation to men.

4 He who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but he who prophesies builds up the church.

5 I desire that you all speak in tongues, but especially that you would prophesy; and greater is he who prophesies than he who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, that the church may receive building up.

6 But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you, unless I speak to you either in revelation or in knowledge or in prophecy or in teaching?

7 Yet even lifeless things, whether flute or harp, in giving a sound, if they give no distinction in the tones, how will what is played on the flute or on the harp be known?

8 For also if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

9 So also you, unless you give with the tongue a word easy to understand, how will what is being said be known? For you will be speaking into the air.

10 There are perhaps many kinds of voices in the world, and not one is without significance.

11 If then I do not know the meaning of the voice, I will be to him who is speaking a barbarian, and he who is speaking a barbarian to me.

12 So also you, since you are zealous of spirits, seek that you may excel for the building up of the church.

13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

15 What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray also with the mind; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing also with the mind.

16 Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how shall he who fills the place of the unlearned in tongues say the Amen at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

17 For you give thanks well, but the other is not built up.

18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than all of you,

19 But in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 Brothers, do not be children in your understanding, but in malice be babes and in your understanding be full-grown.

21 In the law it is written, “ By those of other tongues and with the lips of others I will speak to this people; even so they will not listen to Me, says the Lord.”

22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to the unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign not to the unbelievers but to those who believe.

23 If therefore the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak in tongues, and some unlearned in tongues or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are insane?

24 But if all prophesy and some unbeliever or unlearned person enters, he is convicted by all, he is examined by all;

25 The secrets of his heart become manifest; and so falling on his face, he will worship God, declaring that indeed God is among you.

26 What then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two, or at the most three, and in turn, and one should interpret;

28 But if there is no interpreter, he should be silent in the church, and speak to himself and to God.

29 And as to prophets, two or three should speak, and the others discern.

30 But if something is revealed to another sitting by, the first should be silent.

31 For you can all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be encouraged.

32 And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

34 The women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they should be subject, even as the law also says.

35 But if they desire to learn anything, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.

36 Or was it from you that the word of God went forth? Or did it reach only to you?

37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him fully know the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

38 But if anyone ignores this, let him ignore it.

39 So then, my brothers, desire earnestly the prophesying, and do not forbid the speaking in tongues.

40 But all things must be done becomingly and in order.

1 Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I announced to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

2 Through which also you are being saved, if you hold fast the word which I announced to you as the gospel, unless you have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you, first of all, that which also I received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;

4 And that He was buried, and that He has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures;

5 And that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve;

6 Then He appeared to over five hundred brothers at one time, of whom the majority remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

7 Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

8 And last of all He appeared to me also, as it were to one born prematurely.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace unto me did not turn out to be in vain, but, on the contrary, I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I but the grace of God which is with me.

11 Therefore whether it is I or they, so we preach and so you have believed.

12 But if Christ is proclaimed that He has been raised from the dead, how is it that some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is vain; your faith is vain also.

15 And also we are found to be false witnesses of God because we have testified concerning God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if indeed the dead are not raised.

16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised.

17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19 If it is only that we have hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most miserable.

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

21 For since through man came death, through man also came the resurrection of the dead.

22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

23 But each one in his own order: the firstfruits, Christ; then those who are Christ’s at His coming;

24 Then the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to His God and Father, once He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

25 For He must reign until God puts all His enemies under His feet.

26 Death, the last enemy, is being abolished.

27 For He has subjected all things under His feet. But when He says that all things are subjected, it is evident that all things are except Him who has subjected all things to Him.

28 And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to Him who has subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all.

29 Otherwise what shall they who are baptized for the dead do? If the dead are actually not raised, why then are they baptized for them?

30 Why also do we brave danger every hour?

31 I protest by the boasting in you, brothers, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

32 If after the manner of men I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.

33 Do not be deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.

34 Awake from the drunken stupor righteously and do not sin, for some of you are ignorant of God. I speak to your shame.

35 But someone will say, How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?

36 Foolish man, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies;

37 And what you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of some other of the rest.

38 But God gives it a body even as He willed, and to each of the seeds its own body.

39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but one is of men, and another flesh is of cattle, and another is of birds, and another is of fish.

40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another.

41 There is another glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption;

43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

44 It is sown a soulish body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a soulish body, there is also a spiritual one.

45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul”; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.

46 But the spiritual is not first but the soulish, then the spiritual:

47 The first man is out of the earth, earthy; the second man is out of heaven.

48 As the earthy is, such are they also that are earthy; and as the heavenly is, such are they also that are heavenly.

49 And even as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

50 Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 And when this corruptible will put on incorruption and this mortal will put on immortality, then the word which is written will come to pass, “ Death has been swallowed up unto victory.”

55 Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, just as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also do.

2 On the first day of the week each one of you should lay aside in store to himself whatever he may have been prospered, that no collections be made when I come.

3 And when I arrive, whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem;

4 And if it is fitting for me also to go, they will go with me.

5 Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia, for I will pass through Macedonia.

6 And perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, that you may send me forward wherever I may go.

7 For I do not wish to see you now just in passing, for I am hoping to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits.

8 But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost,

9 For a door is opened to me, great and efficacious, and there are many opposers.

10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear; for he is working the work of the Lord, even as I am.

11 Let no one therefore despise him, but send him forward in peace that he may come to me; for I am awaiting him with the brothers.

12 And concerning our brother Apollos, I urged him many times to come to you with the brothers; yet it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.

13 Watch, stand firm in the faith, be full-grown men, be strong.

14 Let all your matters be done in love.

15 Now I exhort you, brothers: You know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and they have set themselves to minister to the saints;

16 You also be subject to such ones, and to everyone co-working and laboring.

17 Now I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because these have filled up the lack caused by your absence;

18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Acknowledge therefore such ones.

19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you much in the Lord, with the church, which is in their house.

20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

21 The greeting in my own hand — Paul.

22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed! The Lord comes!

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

24 My love in Christ Jesus be with you all.