If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, ¹  what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. ² 

All flesh is not the same: People have one flesh, animals have another, birds and fish another. ¹ 

So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living person”; ¹  the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Therefore we do not despair, ¹  but even if our physical body ²  is wearing away, our inner person ³  is being renewed day by day.

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, ¹  we try to persuade ²  people, ³  but we are well known ⁴  to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows)

Now this secret ¹  was not disclosed to people ²  in former ³  generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by ⁴  the Spirit,

I pray that ¹  according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,

So ¹  we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes. ² 

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become ¹  one flesh. ² 

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.

who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets ¹  and persecuted us severely. ²  They are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people,

Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority ¹  but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

In fact this is why ¹  we work hard and struggle, ²  because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, ³  especially of believers.

Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

And entrust what you heard me say ¹  in the presence of many others as witnesses ²  to faithful people ³  who will be competent ⁴  to teach others as well.

And just as Jannes and Jambres ¹  opposed Moses, so these people – who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith ²  – also oppose the truth.

For the law appoints as high priests men subject to weakness, ¹  but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever.