For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of God who subjected it – in hope

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually.”

For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing.

If someone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Now God indeed raised the Lord and he will raise us by his power.

But because of immoralities, each man should have relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband.

Because of the impending crisis I think it best for you to remain as you are.

For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.

by truthful teaching, by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left,

And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.

And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.

And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.

I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

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

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us,

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;