2 Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judge3 ment. For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the 4 same

1

for he is a minister of God to thee 1 Or, it for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger 5 for wrath to him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be in subjection, not only because of 6 the wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause ye pay tribute also; for they are ministers of God's service, attending continually 7 upon this very thing. Render to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

8

Owe no man any thing, save to love one another for he that loveth his neighbour 2 Gr. the other. 9 hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt Or, law not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love 10 thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: love therefore is the fulfilment of 3 the law.

than when &c.

II And this, knowing the season, that now it is high time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we 'Or, our sal12 first believed. The night is far spent, and the vation nearer day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the 13 armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not

1 Or, for decisions of doubts

2 Gr. household-servant.

* Or, give praise

in chambering and wantonness, not in strife
and jealousy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus 14
Christ, and make not provision for the flesh,
to fulfil the lusts thereof.

But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet 1 14
not 'to doubtful disputations. One man hath 2
faith to eat all things: but he that is weak
eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth set at 3
nought him that eateth not; and let not him
that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God
hath received him. Who art thou that judgest 4
the servant of another? to his own lord he
standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to
stand; for the Lord hath power to make him
stand. One man esteemeth one day above 5
another another esteemeth every day alike.
Let each man be fully assured in his own
mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth 6
it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth
unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and
he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not,
and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth 7
to himself, and none dieth to himself. For 8
whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or
whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether
we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
For to this end Christ died, and lived again, 9
that he might be Lord of both the dead and
the living. But thou, why dost thou judge thy 10
brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at
nought thy brother? for we shall all stand
before the judgement-seat of God. For it is II
written,

As I live, saith the Lord, to me every
knee shall bow,

And every tongue shall confess to God.
So then each one of us shall give account of 12
himself to God.

13

authorities

Let us not therefore judge one another any more but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or 14 an occasion of falling. I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not 16 with thy meat him for whom Christ died. Let 17 not then your good be evil spoken of: for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the 18 Holy Ghost. For he that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men. 19 So then let us follow after things which make 'Many ancient for peace, and things whereby we may edify read we fol 20 one another. Overthrow not for meat's sake low. the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with 21 offence. It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do any thing whereby thy 22 brother stumbleth. The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he 23 proveth. But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please our2 selves. Let each one of us please his neighbour for that which is good, unto edifying. 3 For Christ also pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that re4 proached thee fell upon me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.

15 I

ap

and

2

Many ancient authorities fended, or is

add or is of

weak.
3 Or. putteth
to the test
4 Many autho-

rities, some

ancient, insert

here ch. xvi. 25-27.

1

authorities

Now the God of patience and of comfort grant 5 you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus: that with one accord 6 ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore 7 receive ye one another, even as Christ also 1 Some ancient received 1you, to the glory of God. For I say 8 that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given unto the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for 9 his mercy; as it is written, Therefore will I among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name.

read us.

2 Or, confess

And again he saith,

give praise unto thee

Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
And again,

Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles;
And let all the peoples praise him.

And again, Isaiah saith,

There shall be the root of Jesse,

And he that ariseth to rule over the
Gentiles;

On him shall the Gentiles hope.

10

11

12

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and 13
peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope,
in the power of the Holy Ghost.

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my 14 brethren, that ye yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. But I write the more 15 boldly unto you in some measure, as putting you again in remembrance, because of the grace that was given me of God, that I should be a minister 16 Gr. minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanc

ing in sacrifice.

1

Christ

17 tified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore my glorying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining 18 to God. For I will not dare to speak of any 'things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word 19 and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Ghost; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have 3fully preached the gospel of Christ; 20 yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's founda-Gr. being 21 tion; but, as it is written,

22

They shall see, to whom no tidings of him

came,

And they who have not heard shall under

stand.

Wherefore also I was hindered these many 23 times from coming to you: but now, having no more any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come unto you, 24 whensoever I go unto Spain (for I hope to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company) 25-but now, I say, I go unto Jerusalem, minister26 ing unto the saints. For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the 27 saints that are at Jerusalem. Yea, it hath been their good pleasure; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to 28 minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by you unto Spain. 29 And I know that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ.

Gr. of those things which wrought not through me. authorities read the Spirit of God. One reads the Spirit.

"Many ancient

Gr. fulfilled.

ambitious.