American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
These words Jehovah spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me.
And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
and ye said, Behold, Jehovah our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he liveth.
Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more, then we shall die.
For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
Go thou near, and hear all that Jehovah our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that Jehovah our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
And Jehovah heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and Jehovah said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
{Or, Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me, and keep all my commandments, that &c.}Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
Go say to them, Return ye to your tents.
But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.
Ye shall observe to do therefore as Jehovah your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
Ye shall walk in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
My son, give me thy heart;And let thine eyes {Another reading is, observe.}delight in my ways.
א ALEPH.Blessed are they that are {Or, upright in way}perfect in the way,Who walk in the law of Jehovah.
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,That seek him with the whole heart.
Yea, they do no unrighteousness;They walk in his ways.
Thou hast commanded us thy precepts,That we should observe them diligently.
Oh that my ways were establishedTo observe thy statutes!
Then shall I not be put to shame,When I have respect unto all thy commandments.
I will give thanks unto thee with uprightness of heart,When I learn thy righteous judgments.
I will observe thy statutes:Oh forsake me not utterly.
ב BETH.Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way?By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
With my whole heart have I sought thee:Oh let me not wander from thy commandments.
Thy word have I laid up in my heart,That I might not sin against thee.
Blessed art thou, O Jehovah:Teach me thy statutes.
With my lips have I declaredAll the ordinances of thy mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies,As much as in all riches.
I will meditate on thy precepts,And have respect unto thy ways.
I will delight myself in thy statutes:I will not forget thy word.
ג GIMEL.Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live;So will I observe thy word.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may beholdWondrous things out of thy law.
I am a sojourner in the earth:Hide not thy commandments from me.
My soul breaketh for the longingThat it hath unto thine ordinances at all times.
Thou hast rebuked the proud {Or, Cursed are they that &c.}that are cursed,That do wander from thy commandments.
Take away from me reproach and contempt;For I have kept thy testimonies.
Princes also sat and talked against me;But thy servant did meditate on thy statutes.
Thy testimonies also are my delightAnd {Hebrew: the men of my counsel.}my counsellors.
ד DALETH.My soul cleaveth unto the dust:Quicken thou me according to thy word.
I declared my ways, and thou answeredst me:Teach me thy statutes.
Make me to understand the way of thy precepts:So shall I meditate on thy wondrous works.
My soul {Hebrew: droppeth.}melteth for heaviness:Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
Remove from me the way of falsehood;And grant me thy law graciously.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness:Thine ordinances have I set before me.
I cleave unto thy testimonies:O Jehovah, put me not to shame.
I will run the way of thy commandments,When thou shalt enlarge my heart.
ה HE.Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of thy statutes;And I shall keep it unto the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law;Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me to go in the path of thy commandments;For therein do I delight.
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies,And not to covetousness.
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity,And quicken me in thy ways.
Confirm unto thy servant thy word, {Or, Who is devoted to}Which is in order unto the fear of thee.
Turn away my reproach whereof I am afraid;For thine ordinances are good.
Behold, I have longed after thy precepts:Quicken me in thy righteousness.
ו VAV.Let thy lovingkindnesses also come unto me, O Jehovah,Even thy salvation, according to thy word.
So shall I have an answer for him that reproacheth me;For I trust in thy word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth;For I have hoped in thine ordinances.
So shall I observe thy law continuallyFor ever and ever.
And I shall walk at liberty;For I have sought thy precepts.
I will also speak of thy testimonies before kings,And shall not be put to shame.
And I will delight myself in thy commandments,Which I have loved.
I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved;And I will meditate on thy statutes.
ז ZAYIN.Remember the word unto thy servant, {Or, Wherein}Because thou hast made me to hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction; {Or, That}For thy word hath quickened me.
The proud have had me greatly in derision:Yet have I not swerved from thy law.
I have remembered thine ordinances of old, O Jehovah,And have comforted myself.
{Or, Horror}Hot indignation hath taken hold upon me,Because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
Thy statutes have been my songsIn the house of my pilgrimage.
I have remembered thy name, O Jehovah, in the night,And have observed thy law.
This I have had, {Or, That}Because I have kept thy precepts.
ח HHETH. {Or, Jehovah is my portion, have I said: That may observe &c.}Jehovah is my portion:I have said that I would observe thy words.
I entreated thy favor with my whole heart:Be merciful unto me according to thy word.
I thought on my ways,And turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
I made haste, and delayed not,To observe thy commandments.
The cords of the wicked have wrapped me round;But I have not forgotten thy law.
At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto theeBecause of thy righteous ordinances.
I am a companion of all them that fear thee,And of them that observe thy precepts.
The earth, O Jehovah, is full of thy lovingkindness:Teach me thy statutes.
ט TETH.Thou hast dealt well with thy servant,O Jehovah, according unto thy word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge;For I have believed in thy commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray;But now I observe thy word.
Thou art good, and doest good;Teach me thy statutes.
The proud have forged a lie against me:With my whole heart will I keep thy precepts.
Their heart is as fat as grease;But I delight in thy law.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted;That I may learn thy statutes.
The law of thy mouth is better unto meThan thousands of gold and silver.
י YODH.Thy hands have made me and {Or, established}fashioned me:Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
They that fear thee shall see me and be glad,Because I have hoped in thy word.
I know, O Jehovah, that thy judgments are righteous,And that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.
Let, I pray thee, thy lovingkindness be for my comfort,According to thy word unto thy servant.
Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live;For thy law is my delight.
Let the proud be put to shame; for they have overthrown me {Or, with falsehood}wrongfully:But I will meditate on thy precepts.
Let those that fear thee turn unto me; {Anothing reading is, Even they that know.}And they shall know thy testimonies.
Let my heart be perfect in thy statutes,That I be not put to shame.
כ KAPH.My soul fainteth for thy salvation;But I hope in thy word.
Mine eyes fail for thy word,While I say, When wilt thou comfort me?
For I am become like a wine-skin in the smoke;Yet do I not forget thy statutes.
How many are the days of thy servant?When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
The proud have digged pits for me,Who are not according to thy law.
All thy commandments are faithful:They persecute me {Or, with falsehood}wrongfully; help thou me.
They had almost consumed me upon earth;But I forsook not thy precepts.
Quicken me after thy lovingkindness;So shall I observe the testimony of thy mouth.
ל LAMEDH.For ever, O Jehovah,Thy word is settled in heaven.
Thy faithfulness is unto all generations:Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
{Or, As for thine ordinances, they abide this day}They abide this day according to thine ordinances;For all things are thy servants.
Unless thy law had been my delight,I should then have perished in mine affliction.
I will never forget thy precepts;For with them thou hast quickened me.
I am thine, save me;For I have sought thy precepts.
The wicked have waited for me, to destroy me;But I will consider thy testimonies.
I have seen an end of all perfection;But thy commandment is exceeding broad.
מ MEM.Oh how love I thy law!It is my meditation all the day.
{Or, Thou through thy commandments makest}Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies;For they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers;For thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,Because I have kept thy precepts.
I have refrained my feet from every evil way,That I might observe thy word.
I have not turned aside from thine ordinances;For thou hast taught me.
How sweet are thy words unto my {Hebrew: palate.}taste!Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through thy precepts I get understanding:Therefore I hate every false way.
נ NUN.Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,And light unto my path.
I have sworn, and have confirmed it,That I will observe thy righteous ordinances.
I am afflicted very much:Quicken me, O Jehovah, according unto thy word.
Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill-offerings of my mouth, O Jehovah,And teach me thine ordinances.
My soul is continually in my hand;Yet do I not forget thy law.
The wicked have laid a snare for me;Yet have I not gone astray from thy precepts.
Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever;For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutesFor ever, even unto the end.
ס SAMEKH.I hate them that are of a double mind;But thy law do I love.
Thou art my hiding-place and my shield:I hope in thy word.
Depart from me, ye evil-doers,That I may keep the commandments of my God.
Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live;And let me not be ashamed of my hope.
Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe,And shall have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Thou hast set at nought all them that err from thy statutes;For their deceit is {Or, vain}falsehood.
Thou {Hebrew: causest to cease.}puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross:Therefore I love thy testimonies.
My flesh trembleth for fear of thee;And I am afraid of thy judgments.
ע AYIN.I have done justice and righteousness:Leave me not to mine oppressors.
Be surety for thy servant for good:Let not the proud oppress me.
Mine eyes fail for thy salvation,And for thy righteous word.
Deal with thy servant according unto thy lovingkindness,And teach me thy statutes.
I am thy servant; give me understanding,That I may know thy testimonies.
It is time for Jehovah to work;For they have made void thy law.
Therefore I love thy commandmentsAbove gold, yea, above fine gold.
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right;And I hate every false way.
פ PE.Thy testimonies are wonderful;Therefore doth my soul keep them.
The opening of thy words giveth light;It giveth understanding unto the simple.
I opened wide my mouth, and panted;For I longed for thy commandments.
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me,As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
Establish my footsteps in thy word;And let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
Redeem me from the oppression of man:So will I observe thy precepts.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant;And teach me thy statutes.
Streams of water run down mine eyes,Because they observe not thy law.
צ TSADHE.Righteous art thou, O Jehovah,And upright {Or, in thy judgements}are thy judgments.
Thou hast commanded thy testimonies in righteousnessAnd very faithfulness.
My zeal hath {Hebrew: cut me off.}consumed me,Because mine adversaries have forgotten thy words.
Thy word is very {Hebrew: tried, or, refined.}pure;Therefore thy servant loveth it.
I am small and despised;Yet do I not forget thy precepts.
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,And thy law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have {Or, found me}taken hold on me;Yet thy commandments are my delight.
Thy testimonies are righteous for ever:Give me understanding, and I shall live.
ק QOPH.I have called with my whole heart; answer me, O Jehovah:I will keep thy statutes.
I have called unto thee; save me,And I shall observe thy testimonies.
I anticipated the dawning of the morning, and cried:I hoped in thy words.
Mine eyes anticipated the night-watches,That I might meditate on thy word.
Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness:Quicken me, O Jehovah, {Or, as thou art wont}according to thine ordinances.
They draw nigh {Or, that persecute me with wickedness}that follow after wickedness;They are far from thy law.
Thou art nigh, O Jehovah;And all thy commandments are truth.
Of old have I known from thy testimonies,That thou hast founded them for ever.
ר RESH.Consider mine affliction, and deliver me;For I do not forget thy law.
Plead thou my cause, and redeem me:Quicken me according to thy word.
Salvation is far from the wicked;For they seek not thy statutes.
Great are thy tender mercies, O Jehovah:Quicken me according to thine ordinances.
Many are my persecutors and mine adversaries;Yet have I not swerved from thy testimonies.
I beheld the treacherous, and {Or, loathed them}was grieved,Because they observe not thy word.
Consider how I love thy precepts:Quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thy lovingkindness.
The sum of thy word is truth;And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.
שׁ SHIN.Princes have persecuted me without a cause;But my heart standeth in awe of thy words.
I rejoice at thy word,As one that findeth great spoil.
I hate and abhor falsehood;But thy law do I love.
Seven times a day do I praise thee,Because of thy righteous ordinances.
Great peace have they that love thy law;And they have no occasion of stumbling.
I have hoped for thy salvation, O Jehovah,And have done thy commandments.
My soul hath observed thy testimonies;And I love them exceedingly.
I have observed thy precepts and thy testimonies;For all my ways are before thee.
ת TAV.Let my cry come near before thee, O Jehovah:Give me understanding according to thy word.
Let my supplication come before thee:Deliver me according to thy word.
Let my lips utter praise;For thou teachest me thy statutes.
Let my tongue sing of thy word;For all thy commandments are righteousness.
Let thy hand be ready to help me;For I have chosen thy precepts.
I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah;And thy law is my delight.
Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee;And let thine ordinances help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant;For I do not forget thy commandments.
With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
And certain men came down from Judæa and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.
And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.
And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them,Brethren, ye know that {Greek: from early days.}a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the {Or, good tidings}gospel, and believe.
And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.
And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying,Brethren, hearken unto me:
Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
{Amos 9:11, 12.}After these things I will return,And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;And I will build again the ruins thereof,And I will set it up:
That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,And all the {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
Saith the Lord, {Or, who doeth these things which were known & c.}who maketh these things known from of old.
Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God;
but that we {Or, enjoin them}write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
and they wrote thus by them, {Or, The apostles and the elder brethren}The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
Forasmuch as we have heard that certain {Some ancient authorities omit who went out.}who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;
it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.
And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the {Or, exhortation}consolation.
And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, {Or, comforted}exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. {Some ancient authorities insert with variations, verse 34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.}
- - -
But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare.
And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.
But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus;
but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the {See marginal note on chapter 1:1.}gospel to the whole creation.
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles,—
if so be that ye have heard of the {Or, stewardship}dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward;
how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,
whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the {Or, good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel,
whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to {Greek: bring good tidings of the &c. Compare chapter 2:17.}preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
and to {Some ancient authorities read bring to light what is.}make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,
if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;
whereof I was made a minister, according to the {Or, stewardship See 1 Corinthians 9:17}dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,
even the mystery which hath been hid for {Or, from all the ages &c. Greek: from the ages and from the generations.}ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me {Or, in power}mightily.
But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, {Or, seared}branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth.
But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.
Paul, a {Greek: bondservant.}servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of God,
which he promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
who was {Greek: determined.}declared to be the Son of God {Or, in}with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection {Or, of the dead}from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord,
through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience {Or, to the faith}of faith among all the {Or, Gentiles}nations, for his name's sake;
among whom are ye also, called to be Jesus Christ's:
to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, {Or, because}that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers
making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered {Greek: in.}by the will of God to come unto you.
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
that is, that I with you may be comforted {Or, among}in you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.
And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit {Or, among}in you also, even as {Or, among}in the rest of the Gentiles.
I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to {Greek: bring good tidings Compare chapter 10:15 f.}preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome.
For I am not ashamed of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, {Habakkuk 2:4.}But the righteous shall live {Greek: from.}by faith.
For the {Or, a wrath}wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who {Or, hold the truth Compare 1 Corinthians 7:30 (Greek)}hinder the truth in unrighteousness;
because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them.
For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; {Or, so that they are}that they may be without excuse:
because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves:
for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed {Greek: unto the ages.}for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto {Greek: passions of dishonor.}vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:
and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.
And even as they {Greek: did not approve.}refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
backbiters, {Or, haters of God}hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:
who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them.
For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: {Or, only until he that now restraineth be taken &c.}only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord {Some ancient authorities omit Jesus.}Jesus shall {Some ancient authorities read consume.}slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his {Greek: presence.}coming;
even he, whose {Greek: presence.}coming is according to the working of Satan with all {Greek: power and signs and wonders of falsehood.}power and signs and lying wonders,
and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that {Or, are perishing}perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you {Many ancient authorities read as firstfruits.}from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and {Or, faith}belief of the truth:
whereunto he called you through our {Greek: good tidings: see chapter 1:8.}gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.