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also you are saved, if you adhere to the word we preached to you, unless indeed you believed in vain. For I delivered to you at first, what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Afterwards he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, of whom the most continue even to the present time, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, and am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God; but by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, but not I but the grace of God with me. Whether therefore it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.

2 But if Christ is preached that he was raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is not a resurrection of the dead, Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then both our preaching is vain, and your faith also vain; and we are found also false witnesses of God, because we testified in regard to God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up if indeed the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, Christ was not raised; and if Christ was not raised, your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins, and those then who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

But each one in his

3 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, a first fruit of those that have slept. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ also shall all be made alive. own order; Christ a first fruit, then those who are Christ's at his coming; then is the end, when he delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when he will destroy every principality and every authority and power. For he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy, death, shall be destroyed, for he put all things under his feet. But when he says that all things are put under him, it is clear that he is excepted who puts

all things under him; and when all things have been put under him, then will the Son also himself be subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

4 Else what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? and why are they baptized for them? Why also do we encounter danger every hour? By the joy on account of you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, of what advantage is it to me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. Be not deceived; evil companionships corrupt good morals. Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not a knowledge of God. I speak to your shame.

5 But some one will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Foolish man, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies; and what you sow, you sow not the body which shall be, but the naked grain, it may be of wheat, or some of the other grains; but God gives it a body as he pleases, and to each of the grains its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is oné flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and of the earthly another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in destruction, it is raised in indestructibleness; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. And thus it is written; The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam is a life-giving spirit. But the spiritual was not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, earthly, the second man is from heaven. Like the earthly, such also are the earthly; and like the heavenly, such also are the heavenly; and as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

6 But I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor shall destruction inherit indestructibleness. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all

be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead be raised, indestructible, and we shall be changed. For this destructible must put on indestructibleness, and this mortal must put on immortality. And when this destructible has put on indestructibleness, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall the word be accomplished that is written; Death was swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your sting? where, death, is your victory? And the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

CHAPTER VIII.

CHARITABLE COLLECTIONS, TIMOTHY, APOLLOS, FAMILY OF STEPHANAS, SALUTATIONS.

1 CONCERNING the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so also do you. On the first day of the week let each one of you lay aside by himself in store as God has prospered him, that there may be no collections made when I come. And when I come, whom you shall approve, these will I send with letters to carry your charity to Jerusalem; and if it seems best that I should go, they shall go with me. And I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia; for I will pass through Macedonia and perhaps remain and spend the winter, that you may send me forward wherever I go. For I do not wish now to see you by the way; for I hope to continue some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will remain at Ephesus till Pentecost, for a great and effectual door is opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

2 If Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he performs the work of the Lord, as I also do; let no one therefore despise him. But send him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I look for him with the brothers.

3 But concerning Apollos the brother, I have exhorted him much to come to you with the brothers; but he was entirely indis

posed to come now,

time.

but he will come when he has a convenient

4 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be manly, be strong, let all your [works] be in love.

5 And I exhort you, brothers, know the family of Stephanas, for it is a first fruit of Achaia, and they devoted themselves to serving the saints; that you also be in subjection to such, and to every one that works and labors with us. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaiacus, for they supplied your lack, and refreshed my spirit and yours. Know therefore

such.

6 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the assembly [church] at their house. All the brothers salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss.

7 The salutation with my hand, Paul's. friend to the Lord, let him be accursed.

If any one is not a
The Lord comes.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.

SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

PHILIPPI, A.D. 58. (Acts, 16: 1.)

CHAPTER I.

THE APOSTLE'S LOVE OF THE CORINTHIANS, HIS TRIALS, HIS DESIGN TO VISIT THEM, HIS FORMER LETTER, ETC.

1 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia. Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those in every affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God, because as Christ's sufferings abound in us, so also through Christ does our comfort abound. And if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, wrought by a patient endurance c

the same sufferings which we also suffer, and our hope for you is strong; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort and salvation, knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.

3 For we wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, of our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly oppressed beyond our power, so that we despaired even of life; but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death and will deliver, in whom we hope that he will also still deliver, you also striving together for us in prayer, that thanks may be rendered for us by many persons for the gift bestowed on us by many.

4 For this is our rejoicing; the testimony of our conscience that in purity and godly sincerity, not with a carnal wisdom, but with a divine grace, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and most abundantly towards you. For we do not write to you of other things, but of what you read and acknowledge; and I hope you will also acknowledge to the end, as you have also acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

5 And in this confidence I wished to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit, and to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again from Macedonia to you, and by you to be sent forward to Judea. Wishing this therefore, did I use lightness? or what I wish do I wish according to the flesh, that with me there may be the yes, yes, and the no, no? But as God is faithful, our word to you was not yes and no. For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yes and no, but was yes in him; for all the promises of God, the yes in him, and the Amen in him, are for glory to God by us. And he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God, who has also sealed us and given us the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.

6 But I call God to witness on my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth. Not that we are lords of your faith, but co-laborers of your joy; for you stand firm by the faith. But I determined this with myself, not to come again to you in sorrow; for if I grieve you, who is he that gladdens me, but hẹ

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