American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his {Greek: bondservants.}servants.
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand {This talent was probably worth about £200 or $1000.}talents.
But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
The {Greek: bondservant.}servant therefore fell down and {See marginal note on chapter 2:2.}worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
And the lord of that {Greek: bondservant.}servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the {Greek: loan.}debt.
But that {Greek: bondservant.}servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred {The word in the Greek denotes a coin worth about eight pence half-penny, or nearly seventeen cents.}shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.
So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.
So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked {Greek: bondservant.}servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me:
shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.
So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.
{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.
For this is {Greek: grace.}acceptable, if for conscience {Greek: of.}toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully.
For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is {Greek: grace.}acceptable with God.
For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:
who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed {Or, his cause}himself to him that judgeth righteously:
who his own self {Or, carried up…to the tree Compare Colossians 2:14; 1 Macc. 4.53 (Greek:).}bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose {Greek: bruise.}stripes ye were healed.
They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? Jesus said unto them, {Or, Altogether that which I also speak unto you}Even that which I have also spoken unto you from the beginning.
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.
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife.
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.
But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.
{Many ancient authorities read For.}Yet I would that all men were even as I myself. Howbeit each man hath his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.
But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband
(but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife.
But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her.
And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called {Many ancient authorities read you.}us in peace.
For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches.
Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called.
Wast thou called being a bondservant? care not for it: {Or, but if}nay, even if thou canst become free, use it rather.
For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant.
Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men.
Brethren, let each man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.
Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be trustworthy.
I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a man {Greek: so to be.}to be as he is.
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
But shouldest thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I would spare you.
But this I say, brethren, the time {Or, is shortened henceforth, that both those &c.}is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none;
and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not;
and those that use the world, as not using it to the full: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
but he that is married is careful for the things of the world, how he may please his {Some ancient authorities read wife. And there is a difference also between the wife and the virgin. She that is unmarried is careful &c.}wife,
and is divided. So also the woman that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
And this I say for your own profit; not that I may cast a {Or, constraint Greek: noose.}snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his {Or, virgin (omitting daughter)}virgin daughter, if she be past the flower of her age, and if need so requireth, let him do what he will; he sinneth not; let them marry.
But he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power as touching his own will, and hath determined this in his own heart, to keep his own {Or, virgin (omitting daughter)}virgin daughter, shall do well.
So then both he that giveth his own {Or, virgin (omitting daughter)}virgin daughter in marriage doeth well; and he that giveth her not in marriage shall do better.
A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be {Greek: fallen asleep. See Acts 7:60.}dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
But she is happier if she abide as she is, after my judgment: and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.
Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?