Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him aside and turned back to Egypt in their hearts,

All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”

saying, “Give me this power too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”

especially saddened by what he had said, that they were not going to see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

Some of the disciples from Caesarea came along with us too, and brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, with whom we were to stay.

With difficulty we sailed along the coast of Crete and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea.

And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment?

But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.”

But who indeed are you – a mere human being – to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves.

Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand,

If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him – for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ,

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 in the things they boast about.

(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.

Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the descendant to whom the promise had been made. It was administered through angels by an intermediary.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will

and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.