American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much {Or, stedfastness}patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.
As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world.
Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
{Or, Every scripture is inspired of God, and profitable}Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for {Or, discipline}instruction which is in righteousness:
that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.
Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth {Greek: the other. Compare 1 Corinthians 6:1; 10:24; Galatians 6:4.}his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.
doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;
In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;
We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.
Let as many as are {Greek: bondservants.}servants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine be not blasphemed.
And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but let them serve them the rather, because they that {Or, lay hold of}partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. These things teach and exhort.
not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked;
Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.
For the scripture saith, {Deuteronomy 25:4.}Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his hire.
Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor rob him: the wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, {Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17.}Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother {Many ancient authorities insert without cause.} shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, {An expression of contempt.}Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, {Or, Moreh, a Hebrew expression of condemnation.}Thou fool, shall be in danger {Greek: unto or into.}of the {Greek: Gehenna of fire.}hell of fire.
If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,
leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge {Some ancient authorities omit deliver thee.}deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.
Ye have heard that it was said, {Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18 }Thou shalt not commit adultery:
but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into {Greek: Gehenna.}hell.
And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into {Greek: Gehenna.}hell.
It was said also, {Deuteronomy 24:1, 3}Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery.
Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, {Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21.}Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;
nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor {Or, toward}by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.
{Some ancient authorities read But your speech shall be.}But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of {Or, evil: as in verse 39; 6:13.}the evil one.
Ye have heard that it was said, An {Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21.}eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
but I say unto you, Resist not {Or, evil}him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
And whosoever shall {Greek: impress.}compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Ye have heard that it was said, {Leviticus 19:18}Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:
but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the {That is, collectors or renters of Roman taxes. }publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?
Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
{Or, And a second is like unto it, Thou shalt love &c.}And a second like unto it is this, {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
But let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
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:
I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you—
Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel should live of the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel.
What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?
For it is written in the law of Moses, {Deuteronomy 25:4.}Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,
If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Behold, I come quickly; and my {Or, wages}reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth {Greek: with blessings. Compare verse 5.}bountifully shall reap also {Greek: with blessings. Compare verse 5.}bountifully.
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a {Greek: bondservant.}servant, {Greek: becoming in.}being made in the likeness of men;
and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.
Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem.
Yea, it hath been their good pleasure; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister unto them in carnal things.