Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. ¹  Do not be conceited. ² 

Think about the circumstances of your call, ¹  brothers and sisters. ²  Not many were wise by human standards, ³  not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. ⁴ 

So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? ¹ 

The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

But if the unbeliever wants a divorce, let it take place. In these circumstances the brother or sister is not bound. ¹  God has called you in peace.

These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals ¹  in the things they boast about.

He did this by predestining ¹  us to adoption as his ²  sons ³  through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure ⁴  of his will –

I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, ¹  urge you to live ²  worthily of the calling with which you have been called, ³ 

Masters, ¹  treat your slaves ²  the same way, ³  giving up the use of threats, ⁴  because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, ⁵  and there is no favoritism with him.

Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes ¹  of the devil.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances ¹  and that he may encourage your hearts.

I feel torn between the two, ¹  because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,

so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy ¹  of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering.

He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant ¹  and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact. ² 

For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves ¹  and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ² 

Do not lay hands on anyone ¹  hastily and so identify with the sins of others. ²  Keep yourself pure.

For every high priest is taken from among the people ¹  and appointed ²  to represent them before God, ³  to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.