CHAPTER XIII.

LET every soul be subject unto the powers that are supreme. For there is no power but from God; the powers that be are or2 dained by God. So that he who resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God; and they who resist shall receive to themselves 3 condemnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that 4 which is good, and thou shalt have praise for the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him 5 that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only 6 because of wrath, but for conscience' sake. On this very account also pay tribute; for they are God's ministers who attend continu7ally upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute; custom to whom custom; fear to whom s fear; honor to whom honor. Owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this is, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, 10 namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh

no ill to one's neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 And this, too, knowing the time, that it is the hour to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we became be12 lievers. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the 13 armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and wantonness, not 14 in strife and envy; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the lusts of the flesh.

CHAPTER XIV.

HIM that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to judge of his 2 scruples. One indeed believeth that he may eat everything, but

he who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise 3 him that eateth not; but let not him that eateth not condemn him that eateth; for God hath accepted him. Who art thou that con- 4 demnest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth

or falleth; but he shall stand, for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth 5 every day alike. Let each one be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord, and 6 he that regardeth not the day to the Lord, he doth not regard it. He also that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth. not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to 7 himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and 8 whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died and 9 lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. But why dost thou condemn thy brother? or why dost thou set at 10 naught thy brother? for we must all stand before the judgmentseat of God. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every 11 knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So 12 then every one of us shall give account of himself unto God.

Let us not therefore judge one another any more, but judge this 13 rather, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, in in his brother's way. I know and am persuaded in the Lord 14 Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything as unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy 15 brother be grieved on account of thy meat, now walkest thou no longer charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not your good, then, be evil spoken of; for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that in these things 18 serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved by men. Let 19 us therefore pursue the things that make for peace and mutual edification. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things 20 indeed are pure; but it is evil to that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine, nor to do any-21 thing whereby thy brother stumbleth. Thou hast faith. Have it 22

to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself 23 in that thing which he alloweth. But he who has scruples is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatever is not of faith is sin.

CHAPTER XV.

BUT we who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the 2 weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his 3 neighbor in respect to that which is good unto edification. For

even Christ did not please himself; but as it is written, The re4 proaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written formerly were written for our instruction, in order that we, through the patience and the consolation of the 5 Scriptures, might have hope. And may the God of patience and consolation grant that you may be like-minded one toward another, 6 according to Christ Jesus; that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore welcome you one another, as Christ also welcomed you, 8 to the glory of God. For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises 9 made to the fathers, that the Gentiles should glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess thee among 10 the Gentiles, and I will sing unto thy name. And again he 11 saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the 12 Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him all ye people. And again

Isaiah saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and one shall rise to 13 reign over the Gentiles, in whom the Gentiles shall hope. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

14

But I myself also am persuaded concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able 15 also to admonish one another. Yet I have written the more boldly unto you in part, as further putting you in mind, because of the 16 grace that is given unto me by God, that I should be the minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God,

that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. I have therefore cause of glorying 17 in Christ Jesus as to the things which pertain to God. For I will 18 not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, through the power of signs and wonders, through the 19 power of the spirit, so that from Jerusalem, and round about even to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ. But I 20 was very desirous so to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation; but as it 21 is written, They shall see, to whom he was not spoken of, and they who have not heard shall understand.

Wherefore also I have been much hindered from coming to you; 22 but now having no longer a place in these regions, and having a 23 great desire for many years to come to you, whenever I shall go 24 into Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you as I pass through, and to be sent on my way thitherward by you, after I have first been somewhat satisfied with your society. But now I go 25 unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased 26 Macedonia and Achaia to make some contribution for the poor saints who are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily, and 27 their debtors they are; for if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual contributions, they ought also to minister unto them in temporal things. When, therefore, I have accomplished this, and 28 sealed to them this fruit, I will pass by you on my way to Spain. And I know that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the ful- 29 ness of the blessing of Christ. But I beseech you by our Lord 30 Jesus Christ and the love of the spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God in my behalf; that I may be delivered 31 from them that do not believe, in Judæa; and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints; that I may come unto 32 you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed with you. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

33

CHAPTER XVI.

Now I commend to you Phebe, our sister, who is a deaconess of 2 the church at Cenchrea; that you may receive her in the Lord, in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatsoever she may have need of you; for she hath been a helper of many, and of myself also.

3

Salute Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-laborers in Christ Jesus 4 (who have for my life exposed their own, to whom not only I 5 give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles); and the church which is in their house. Salute Epenetus, my beloved, 6 who is the first-fruits of Asia unto Christ. Salute Mary, who 7 labored much for us. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who s also preceded me in Christ. Salute Amplias, my beloved in the 9 Lord. Salute Urbanus, our fellow-laborer in Christ, and Stachys, 10 my beloved. Salute Apelles, approved in Christ. Salute them 11 who are of the household of Aristobulus. Salute Herodion, my

kinsman. Salute them who are of the household of Narcissus, 12 who are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the 13 Lord. Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and 14 mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, 15 and the brethren with them. Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints with them. 16 Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ salute you.

17

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; 18 and avoid them. For such persons serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetite, and by good words and fair 19 speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is known to all. I rejoice therefore concerning you, yet I wish you to be wise as to that which is good, but simple as to that which is 20 evil. And the God of peace shall quickly bruise Satan under your feet.

The grace

of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.