Or who has first given to Him that it would be paid back to him?

For this is the reason that Christ died and [now] lives again, so that He could be Lord of both those who have [already] died and those who are [still] alive.

[So], it is better [for you] not to eat bread, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything [else] that could cause your brother to fall [away from God].

For whatever things were written previously [i.e., in the Old Testament], were intended for us to learn from, so that we could have hope [i.e., in the face of difficult times] through remaining steadfast, and through the encouragement [received] from reading the Scriptures.

For I tell you that Christ was [appointed] to be a servant of the circumcised ones [i.e., the Jews], in order to uphold the truth of God. This was so He could confirm [as valid] the promises made to our forefathers,

so that none of you could say that you were immersed into my name.

This was all done so that no human being could boast in front of God.

And I did not use persuasive words of [human] wisdom in my message and preaching, but they were [accompanied by] a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power [from God]. [Note: This "demonstration" could have included the evidence of miraculous spiritual gifts which Paul utilized while there in Corinth. See 14:18].

But we [apostles] did not receive the spirit of the world [i.e., human wisdom. See verse 6], but the Holy Spirit from God, so that we could understand what was freely given to us from God [i.e., the gift of inspiration. See verses 9-10].

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you could not take it. Why, you cannot take it even now,

You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you!

For even if you were to have ten thousand spiritual instructors--for all that you could not have several fathers. It is I who in Christ Jesus became your father through the Good News.

I say this to put you to shame. Has it come to this, that there is not a single wise man among you who could decide a dispute between members of the brotherhood,

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? then taking the members of Christ, shall I make them the members of a harlot? it could not be so.

I wish all people could be like myself, but each one has his own gift from God, one in this way and another in that way.

But pay attention [to this], so that somehow this liberty of yours [i.e., to eat whatever you want to] does not become an occasion over which weak people could fall [away from God].

For if I preached because [I personally decided] I wanted to, I could claim a reward. But if I did not preach from a personal decision to do so, then it would be because I was entrusted with the task [by God].

Why, free as I am from all, I have made myself the slave of all, to win over as many as I could.

I behaved like a weak person in front of weak people [See 8:9-12], in order to win them over [i.e., to help them become stronger]. I have become all things to all people so that, in every way, I could save some of them.

Neither should we commit sexual immorality as some of them did, [with] 23,000 people falling dead in one day. [Note: Num. 25:9 mentions 24,000 people slain, but that number could have included the additional people slain by the judges. See Num. 25:5].

Do not [do what could] cause Jews, Greeks [i.e., Gentiles] or the church of God to fall [away from God].

Every man who prays or prophesies [i.e., speaks in a public assembly, since prophecy was always for the benefit of others] with his [physical] head covered [Note: The Greek word here denotes "something hanging down" and could refer to long hair or a cloth shawl], shows disrespect for his head [i.e., Christ].

You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols; however you were led off [whether by impulse or habit].

If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?

And if all the parts were one part, how could there be a [whole] body?

If I could speak the languages of men, of angels too, and have no love, I am only a rattling pan or a clashing cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Now I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages, but especially that you could prophesy. The person who prophesies is more important than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless he interprets it so that the church may be built up.

Suppose now I were to come to you speaking with 'tongues,' my brothers; what good could I do you, unless I had some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching to lay before you?

For we want you to know, brothers, about the trouble that we experienced in Asia. [See I Cor. 16:19]. We were under a heavy burden [which was] more than we could stand, even to the point of despairing of life.

Actually, we felt within us that we had [already] received a death sentence, so that we could [learn] not to trust in ourselves but in God, who raises the dead.

I planned with this confidence to come to you first, so you could have a double benefit,

why should I make you uneasy, for who then could give me comfort, but those to whom I give uneasiness?

Because for this [reason] also I wrote, in order that I could know your proven character, whether you are obedient in everything.

my spirit could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there; so saying goodbye to them, I left for Macedonia.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

He made the one who did not know sin [to be] sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

by preaching the truth; through the power of God [i.e., possibly including miracles]; and by [using] weapons of righteousness in [our] right and left hands. [Note: This could allude to offensive and defensive weapons and means that Paul was fully equipped to do whatever was right].

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.

I do not say this to condemn you; for I have said before, that you are in our hearts, so that we could die with you, and live with you.

For even after our arrival in Macedonia we could get no relief such as human nature craves. We were greatly harassed; there were conflicts without and fears within.

Because, if I even grieved you by the letter, I do not regret, - though I could even have regretted, - I see that that letter, if even for an hour, did cause you grief.

So, although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the person who did the wrong, nor for the one who was wronged, but so that you could realize before God how devoted to us you are.

Not only [did they give materially] as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His representatives] by the will of God [disregarding their personal interests and giving as much as they possibly could].

so that we could not but desire Titus to accomplish the same benevolence among you also, even as he had begun.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

Did I commit a sin when I humbled myself by proclaiming to you the gospel of God free of charge, so that you could be exalted?

I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you!

For I am afraid I may perhaps come and find you are not what I could wish, while you may find I am not what you could wish; I am afraid of finding quarrels, jealousy, temper, rivalry, slanders, gossiping, arrogance, and disorder ??21 afraid that when I come back to you, my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn for many who sinned some time ago and yet have never repented of the impurity, the sexual vice, and the sensuality which they have practised.

Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, don't you, that Jesus the Messiah lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test?

which is really not another [gospel]; but there are [obviously] some [people masquerading as teachers] who are disturbing and confusing you [with a misleading, counterfeit teaching] and want to distort the gospel of Christ [twisting it into something which it absolutely is not].

For do I now obey man, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I could not have been a servant of Christ.

to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.

But if seeking to be justified in Christ, we may also be found sinners, then is Christ the minister of sin? it could not be so.

For it was by means of [this system of] law-keeping that I [realized I] was dead. This was so I could find life through a relationship with God.

I do not set aside God's grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith.

And this I affirm, that the covenant which had been before confirmed by God with respect to Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, could not annul so as to make the promise of no effect.

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

But the scripture imprisoned all under sin, in order that the promise could be given by faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe.

So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith.

so that He could buy back [from Satan] those who were [still] under [obligation to] the law of Moses, and that we could become adopted children.

But at that time, when you did not know [the true] God and were unacquainted with Him, you [Gentiles] were slaves to those [pagan] things which by [their very] nature were not and could not be gods at all.

And when you could have been tempted to look down on me [because of the nature of my affliction], instead you welcomed me as [if I were] an angel, or even Christ Jesus Himself!

Now, what has become of all that? (I can bear witness that you would have torn out your very eyes, if you could, and given me them.)

but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

Christ set us free [from condemnation under the law of Moses], so we could stay free! Remain where you are then, and do not get tangled up again in the enslaving harness [of the law of Moses].

I could even wish that the people who are unsettling you would go further still and mutilate themselves.

But it could not be that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has become crucified to me, and I to the world.

This was so that, to future ages [of people on earth and in heaven], God could demonstrate the tremendous abundance of His unearned favor, expressed by His kindness to us in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus.

It was not the result of your own [good] deeds [See Titus 3:5], so that no one could boast [about it].

by abolishing in His fleshly body the [entire Jewish] law of commandments contained in decrees. [This was] so that He could create in [unity with] Himself one new person [i.e., the church] out of the two peoples [i.e., Jews and Gentiles], thereby bringing about peace [between them].

To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],

This was done so that now God's many-sided wisdom could be made known through the church, to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the world around us, where these angelic beings (good or bad) view the unfolding of God's wonderful plan],

May there be to God, who is able to do infinitely more [for us] than we could [even] ask or think, according to [His] power at work in us ---

The One who descended [i.e., from heaven to earth] is the same One [i.e., Christ] who also ascended high above the all the heavens, so that He could fill the entire universe [with His presence]).

so that He could dedicate her [to Himself], after cleansing her by means of the washing of water [i.e., immersion], accompanied by the word. [Note: "The word" here refers either to a person's profession of faith (See Rom. 10:9) or to the Gospel message (See Rom. 10:17), both of which are associated with immersion].

[This is] so He could present the church to Himself in all her splendor, without any kind of stain or wrinkle, but that she should be holy and without [moral] flaw.

For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.

But I hope in [harmony with the wishes of] the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I could be encouraged when I learn of your situation [i.e., when Timothy returns with news from Philippi].

since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me.

although I [could] have confidence even in the flesh.

as to my zeal, I was a persecutor of the church; and by the Law's standard of uprightness, no fault could be found with me.

Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do , forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,

You should let your gentleness be known to all people. The Lord is near. [Note: This "nearness" could refer to Christ's second coming or to His nearness to His people in a spiritual sense].

It was a great joy to me in the Lord that your care for me could revive again; for what you lacked was never the care but the chance of showing it.

And He is the head of the [spiritual] body, the church. He is [its] source, the firstborn One from the dead [i.e., the first one to return to life, never to die again], so that He could rank first [in importance] over all things.

[In doing this] Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities [i.e., evil forces] and made a public display of them, triumphing over them through the cross. [Note: This could possibly be rendered "God triumphed over them through Christ"].

Do not allow anyone, who delights in acting humble [i.e., living an ascetic life] and who worships angels, to rob you of your reward [in heaven]. [Note: This "angel worship" could mean holding angels in high regard because of their role as God's messengers, or the claim that God can be approached only through angelic intermediaries]. He places great importance on what he [claims to] see [i.e., visions], being inflated with pride by his fleshly mind for no [good] reason.

[He is coming], together with Onesimus our faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. [Note: This could mean either "from your town" or, "a fellow-Christian"]. They will tell you about everything that is happening here.

And when this letter has been read to you people, see that it is read in the church of the Laodicians also. And see that you read the letter [coming] from Laodicia also. [Note: This could have been a reference to the letter to the Ephesians].

Nor, of men, seeking glory - either from you, or from others, though we could have assumed, dignity, as Apostles of Christ;

{Although we could have insisted on our own importance} as apostles of Christ, yet we became infants in your midst, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

Thus, yearning after you, we could have been well-pleased to impart unto you - not only the glad-message of God, but, our own lives also, - because, very dear to us, had ye become.

Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

for now we [really] live, if you [continue to] stand firm in [the service of] the Lord [i.e., Paul could enjoy life much more in knowing that the Thessalonians were living for the Lord faithfully].