American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and {Some ancient authorities omit of the gift.}of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.
So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life.
Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know {Or, law}the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth?
For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh, the {Greek: passions of sins.}sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through {Or, law}the law: for I had not known {Or, lust}coveting, except the law had said, {Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:21}Thou shalt not {Or, lust}covet:
but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of {Or, lust}coveting: for apart from {Or, law}the law sin is dead.
And I was alive apart from {Or, law}the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;
and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:
for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.
So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; — that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which I {Greek: work.}do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do.
But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good.
So now it is no more I that {Greek: work.}do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to {Greek: work.}do that which is good is not.
For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise.
But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that {Greek: work.}do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.
I find then {Or, in regard of the law Compare verse 12, 14.}the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present.
For I delight {Greek: with.}in the law of God after the inward man:
but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity {Greek: in. Many ancient authorities read to.}under the law of sin which is in my members.
Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of {Or, this body of death}the body of this death?
{Many ancient authorities read But thanks be to God. Compare chapter 6:17.}I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit:
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies {Many ancient authorities read because of.}through his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
My defence to them that examine me is this.
Have we no right to eat and to drink?
Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a {Greek: sister.}believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?
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,
or saith he it {Or, altogether}assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking.
If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel of Christ.
Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?
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.
But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
For if I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach not the gospel.
For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.
What then is my reward? That, when I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach the gospel, I may make the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel.
For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
And I do all things for the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
Know ye not that they that run in a {Greek: race course.}race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so {Greek: box.}fight I, as not beating the air:
but I {Greek: bruise. Luke 18:5.}buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I {Or, have been a herald}have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
and were all baptized {Greek: into.}unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
and did all eat the same spiritual food;
and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was {Or, the Christ Compare Hebrews 11:26.}Christ.
Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now {Or, in these things they became figures of us}these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, {Exodus 32:6.}The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Neither let us make trial of the {Some ancient authorities read Christ.}Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
Now these things happened unto them {Greek: by way of figure.}by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.
Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a {Or, participation in}communion of the blood of Christ? The {Or, loaf}bread which we break, is it not a {Or, participation in}communion of the body of Christ?
{Or, seeing that there is one bread, we, who are many, are one body}seeing that we, who are many, are one {Or, loaf}bread, one body: for we are all partake {Greek: from.}of the one {Or, loaf}bread.
Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?
What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.
Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things {Greek: build up.}edify.
Let no man seek his own, but each {Greek: the other's. See Romans 13:8.}his neighbor's good.
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake;
for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
If one of them that believe not biddeth you to a feast, and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake:
conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
{Or, If I by grace partake}If I partake with thankfulness, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God:
even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.
to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
always bearing about in the body the {Greek: putting to death.}dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised {Or, long ages ago}before times eternal;
that, being justified by his grace, we might be made {Or, heirs, according to hope, of eternal life}heirs according to the hope of eternal life.