American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye.
Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.
And when I arrive, {Or, whomsoever ye shall approve by letters, them will I send &c.}whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem:
and if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me.
only they would that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.
Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings:
Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the {Greek: Hellenists.}Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not {Greek: pleasing.}fit that we should forsake the word of God, and {Or, minister to tables}serve tables.
{Some ancient authorities read But, brethren, look ye out from among you.}Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte of Antioch;
whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.
And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.
But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the {Or, Freemen}Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.
Then they suborned men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council,
and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:
for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us.
And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia;
how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their {Greek: singleness. See Romans 12:8.}liberality.
For according to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,
beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints:
and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.
Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also.
But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in {Some ancient authorities read our love to you.}your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.
And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will.
But now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability.
For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not.
For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed;
but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality:
as it is written, {Exodus 16:18.}He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack.
But thanks be to God, who putteth the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
For he accepted indeed our exhortation; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord.
And we have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the {See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel is spread through all the churches;
and not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter of this grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to show our readiness:
avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us:
for we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he hath in you.
Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow-worker to you-ward; or our brethren, they are the {Greek: apostles.}messengers of the churches, they are the glory of Christ.
{Or, Show ye therefore in the face…on your behalf unto them.}Show ye therefore unto them in the face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your behalf.
Brethren, my heart's {Greek: good pleasure.}desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.
For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth.
For Moses writeth that {Leviticus 18:5}the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby.
But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, {Deuteronomy 30:12 f.}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 Christ up from the dead.)
But what saith it? {Deuteronomy 30:14}The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
{Or, that}because if thou shalt {Some ancient authorities read confess the word with thy mouth, that Jesus is Lord.}confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, {Isaiah 28:16}Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him:
for, {Joel 2:32}Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, {Isaiah 52:7}How beautiful are the feet of them that bring {Or, a gospel}glad tidings of good things!
But they did not all hearken to the {Or, gospel}glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, {Isaiah 53:1}Lord, who hath believed our report?
So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, {Psalm 19:4}Their sound went out into all the earth,And their words unto the ends of {Greek: the inhabited earth.}the world.
But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, {Deuteronomy 32:21}I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation,With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.
And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, {Isaiah 65:1}I was found of them that sought me not;I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.
But as to Israel he saith, {Isaiah 65:2}All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, {Greek: well-pleasing.}acceptable to God, which is your {Greek: belonging to the reason.}spiritual {Or, worship}service.
And be not fashioned according to this {Or, age}world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is {Or, the will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect}the good and {Greek: well-pleasing.}acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.
For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office:
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.
And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching;
or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with {Greek: singleness.}liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;
in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving {Some ancient authorities read the opportunity.}the Lord;
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;
communicating to the necessities of the saints; {Greek: pursuing.}given to hospitality.
Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.
Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but {Greek: be carried away with.}condescend to {Or, them}things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.
Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto {Or, wrath}the wrath of God: for it is written, {Deuteronomy 32:35}Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.
But {(Proverbs 25:21 f.)}if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led.
Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in 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 workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.
For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:
to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;
and to another workings of {Greek: powers.}miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:
but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the 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 hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now they are many members, but one body.
And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary:
and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we {Or, put on}bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;
whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked;
that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is {Or, glorified}honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and {Or, members each in his part}severally members thereof.
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then {Greek: powers.}miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, {Or, wise counsels}governments, divers kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of {Greek: powers.}miracles?
have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you.
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,
with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore he saith, {Psalm 68:18.}When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive,And gave gifts unto men.
(Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended {Some ancient authorities insert first.}into the lower parts of the earth?
He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:
till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
but {Or, dealing, truly}speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;
from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together {Greek: through every joint of the supply.}through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind,
being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;
who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, {Or, to make a trade of}to work all uncleanness with {Or, covetousness Compare chapter 5:3; Colossians 3:5.}greediness.
But ye did not so learn Christ;
if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:
that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
and put on the new man, {Or, that is after God, created & c.}that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
Wherefore, putting away falsehood, {Zechariah 8:16.}speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
{Psalm 4:4.}Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your {Greek: provocation.}wrath:
neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.
Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for {Greek: the building up of the need.}edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice:
and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave {Many ancient authorities read us.}you.
And it came to pass in Iconium that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.
But the Jews that were disobedient stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and made them evil affected against the brethren.
Long time therefore they tarried there speaking boldly in the Lord, who bare witness unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
But the multitude of the city was divided; and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
And when there was made an onset both of the Gentiles and of the Jews with their rulers, to treat them shamefully and to stone them,
they became aware of it, and fled unto the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region round about:
and there they {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preached the gospel.
And at Lystra there sat a certain man, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked.
The same heard Paul speaking, who, fastening his eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,
said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped up and walked.
And when the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, {Greek: Zeus.}Jupiter; and Paul, {Greek: Hermes.}Mercury, because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the multitudes.
But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multitude, crying out
and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like {Greek: nature.}passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:
who in the generations gone by suffered all the {Or, Gentiles}nations to walk in their own ways.
And yet He left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them.
But there came Jews thither from Antioch and Iconium: and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and entered into the city: and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe.
And when they had {Greek: brought good tidings. Compare chapter 5:42.}preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch,
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
And they passed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia.
And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia;
and thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles.
And they tarried no little time with the disciples.
But speak thou the things which befit the {Greek: healthy.}sound {Or, teaching}doctrine:
that aged men be temperate, grave, sober-minded, {Greek: healthy.}sound in faith, in love, in {Or, stedfastness}patience:
that aged women likewise be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;
that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed:
the younger men likewise exhort to be sober-minded:
in all things showing thyself an ensample of good works; in thy doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity,
sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.
Exhort {Greek: bondservants.}servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing to them in all things; not gainsaying;
not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
For the grace of God {Or, hath appeared to all men, bringing salvation}hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present {Or, age}world;
looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory {Or, of our great God and Saviour}of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works.
These things speak and exhort and reprove with all {Greek: commandment.}authority. Let no man despise thee.