But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty.

by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.

So he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed.

Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you – it has not proven to be purposeless.

But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?

When harvest time came, he sent a slave to the tenants so that they would give him his portion of the crop. However, the tenants beat his slave and sent him away empty-handed.

who said by the Holy Spirit through your servant David our forefather, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot foolish things?

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

I went there because of a revelation and presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so only in a private meeting with the influential people, to make sure that I was not running – or had not run – in vain.

Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

So when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.