The man among you who is by nature tender and sensitive will turn against his brother, his beloved wife, and his remaining children.

Likewise, the most ¹  tender and delicate of your women, who would never think of putting even the sole of her foot on the ground because of her daintiness, ²  will turn against her beloved husband, her sons and daughters,

But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members.

Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ¹ 

I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them; ¹  I will remove the hearts of stone from their bodies ²  and I will give them tender hearts, ³ 

One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables.

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble. ¹ 

And his affection for you is much greater ¹  when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.

I beg you, brothers and sisters, ¹  become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

Instead, ¹  be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. ² 

You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.

For when we were in the flesh, ¹  the sinful desires, ²  aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body ³  to bear fruit for death.

‘You displayed a sensitive spirit ¹  and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people. ²  You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord.

‘You displayed a sensitive spirit ¹  and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its residents. You humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord.

But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled.

For see what this very thing, this sadness ¹  as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, ²  what indignation, ³  what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, ⁴  what punishment! ⁵  In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, ¹