Salvation by Faith Alone: The Book of Romans

The Apostle Paul in Rome

Lesson #1 for October 7, 2017

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Scriptures: [Acts 28:17-31; Romans 1:7; 15:14,20-27; Ephesians 1; Philippians 1:12].

1.    This lesson focuses primarily on the historical background for the writing of the book of Romans. What do we know about that? The actual dates for most of Paul’s missionary journeys have been confirmed from extra-biblical sources. When and from where was the book of Romans written? Were any other books written by Paul about the same time? Do you think Paul personally knew any of the Christians in Rome? (Romans 16) Why would Paul write a book to a church he had never visited? How much of Romans would you understand if you were sitting in church or a home while someone read it out loud all the way through from beginning to end? Paul was obviously writing to the Christian group(s) in Rome at the time. Is that message still relevant to us in our day? Is Romans the first book that Paul wrote? If not, why do you think it is in the position of the first of his books in the Bible?

2.    Scholars have puzzled over the question of why the books of the New Testament are in this particular order in most manuscripts. It appears that there is no more significant reason than that they were arranged from longest to shortest! On his third missionary journey, Paul wrote to the Corinthians from Ephesus and then wrote the books of Galatians and Romans from Corinth. Following is more background for Paul’s journeys and writing of these books.

3.    During his early years, Paul had been the foremost persecutor of the young church. How had Paul changed as a result of his experience on the road to Damascus? Saul/Paul had had an exceptional education. After the experience on the Damascus road, did he have a different Bible? Had he changed his Decalogue? Had he switched his Sabbath? Had he changed his diet? What about his Pharisaical attitudes? Had he changed anything except his picture of God? Why would that make such a difference in his approach and attitude toward people? Does it make a difference what kind of picture of God we have? A difference in our lives now? In our prospects for heaven?

4.    If you had told a Jew or a Christian who had been a Jew at that time that God had chosen Saul/Paul to be a Christian missionary to the Gentiles, which would be a greater surprise: 1) That he had become a Christian? Or, 2) That he would preach the gospel to the Gentiles? After the experience on the Damascus road, Paul went to the desert for 3 years of study and to “digest” his new picture of God. (See Galatians 1:16-18[2].) When he returned to Jerusalem, God warned him that he must leave since some Jews were going to try to kill him. He went to Tarsus, his hometown, now in southern Turkey. Some time later, after some converts from Cyprus and Libya (Acts 11:20[3]) had gone to Antioch and had begun preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and the number of Christians exploded, Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Saul/Paul and asked him to help with the rapidly growing church(s) in Antioch in Syria, the third largest city in the world. Later, on Paul’s first missionary journey, he traveled from Antioch in Syria to the central part of Asia Minor which is now called Turkey. He was persecuted, stoned, and left for dead. (See Acts 14:19[4].) After establishing several churches, he returned to Antioch.

5.    On his second missionary journey (A.D. 49-52), (See Acts 18:1-18[5].) he went back to visit the churches that he had established in Asia Minor, traveling as far as Troas. While there, he may have become sick and sought the services of a doctor. Dr. Luke then joined Paul. (Acts 16:6-10)[6] A short time later, a vision called them to go into Macedonia (southeastern Europe). It should be noted that between them, those two friends-Paul and Luke-wrote most of the New Testament. At that point, Paul entered Europe for the first time and worked briefly in Thessalonica, Philippi, and Berea. After multiple threats and time in prison, Paul traveled to Athens and Corinth. He worked in Corinth where God instructed him to continue working for about a year and a half before returning by way of Asia Minor to his home church at Antioch, in Syria. On the way home, he visited Ephesus; they pleaded with him to come back again soon.

6.    On his third missionary journey (A.D. 53-58) (See Acts 20:2-3[7].) while 40-45 years of age, Paul went through Asia Minor, ending up in Ephesus where he spent three full years ministering to the church at Ephesus and to the surrounding churches. While in Ephesus, he apparently wrote four separate letters to the church at Corinth. First, (See 1 Corinthians 5:9-13[8].) he probably wrote a letter which we may or may not have but may be partly recorded as 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1[9] as a warning against pagan influence. Then, after writing the letter we know as 1 Corinthians and getting almost no response from the Christians at Corinth, he made a brief visit there, probably traveling by ship from Ephesus. They ignored his advice and treated him with disrespect. After only a very short time, he returned to Ephesus. Realizing that the church at Corinth was in crisis and after a great deal of prayer, Paul sat down in Ephesus and wrote a very strong letter to the church at Corinth-now probably preserved as 2 Corinthians 10-13[10]. He sent Titus to hand-carry that letter to the Corinthians.

7.    Meanwhile, things in Ephesus were becoming more and more dangerous. The silversmiths in Ephesus were beginning to recognize that Paul’s preaching was having a very bad effect on the sale of the idols they made. They wanted to kill Paul. In the process, they started a riot. Paul needed to leave Ephesus at least temporarily, and he needed to visit Corinth to find out what had happened as a result of his very strong letter. Since it was late in the season and the waters of the Aegean Sea could be very dangerous at that time of year, he began the long journey on foot, walking around the sea through Macedonia to Corinth. Somewhere in Macedonia-probably in Philippi-he met Titus who was coming with the good news that the members of the church in Corinth had taken his strong letter very seriously and wished that Paul would return to Corinth to minister to them.

8.    Having received that very welcome news, Paul tarried a while longer in Macedonia to minister to the needs there while he sent Titus back to Corinth with his fourth letter to them; that letter we now have preserved in 2 Corinthians 1-9[11]. That was a letter of restoration, love, atonement, and reconciliation. A short time later, Paul proceeded on to Corinth where he spent the winter of A.D. 57-58.

9.    Probably during that trip from Ephesus to Corinth, he passed through some of the northern areas of Asia Minor and may have visited some of the churches of northern Galatia. (Acts 18:23) In any case, he heard about the problems that were arising in the churches of Galatia and thought that he must immediately write a letter to them.

10.    Paul also wrote to the church in Rome about the same time. Paul was dictating the book of Romans from Corinth or from Cenchreae which is near Corinth. (Romans 16:22[12]) So, who wrote the letter to the Romans? Tertius was a kind of secretary who wrote down the dictated thoughts of Paul.

11.    We have no idea who actually started the Christian church in Rome. Perhaps it was started by pilgrims who had attended that first Pentecost at Jerusalem. Perhaps it was started by later pilgrims or people who had returned to Rome after meeting Paul or some other Christian workers in Greece or Asia Minor. In any case, the church at Rome was apparently prospering. Paul stated that their reputation had gone all over the world. (Romans 1:8[13])

12.    While all of that was going on, Paul had also received letters or messages from Jerusalem telling him that the saints there were in dire straits apparently because of a famine. So, along with all of his other concerns, Paul began to raise money for the church in Jerusalem.

13.    Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth were large commercial cities. However, the capital of the world in those days was Rome. Paul had encountered enough problems in the cities where he had worked already that he wanted as far as possible to prevent such problems from arising in the new church in Rome. He wanted to visit Rome to establish the gospel there on a very firm footing. He was hoping then to get their help to go to Spain. Paul always looked forward to spreading the gospel in new areas.

14.    At the last minute as he was planning to travel to Jerusalem for Passover, he discovered that a group of Jews had apparently boarded the boat on which he wanted to travel and that those Jews intended to take his life. (See Acts 20:3[14] and AA 389.2[15].) So, instead of taking that easy route, he walked, once again, from Corinth up to Macedonia and around to Ephesus. Paul traveled with a group of several people from Greece and Macedonia, carrying a large sum of money for the Christian church in Jerusalem.

15.    From Asia Minor they sailed by boat, eventually reaching Tyre. Although Paul apparently believed that he was instructed by the Holy Spirit to visit Jerusalem, he was warned several times on his journey not to go there. On landing at Phoenicia, at Tyre, and later at Ptolemais, Paul was warned not to go to Jerusalem. (See Acts 21:4,11[16].) But, Paul was determined. Was Paul just being stubborn? On arriving in Jerusalem, Paul took the treasure that he had gathered during his trip and poured it out in front of the Christian church leaders at Jerusalem.

16.    In spite of that presentation of financial assistance, those Christian leaders had a lot of misgivings about Paul. Paul had been working so freely with Gentiles and treating them just as he treated Jews. The Christian leaders advised Paul to take a vow and join several other Christian Jews in rites of purification at the temple to prove that he was still a faithful Jew as well as a Christian. Paul finally gave in to their appeals and agreed.

Paul realized that so long as many of the leading members of the church at Jerusalem should continue to cherish prejudice against him, they would work constantly to counteract his influence. He felt that if by any reasonable concession he could win them to the truth he would remove a great obstacle to the success of the gospel in other places. But he was not authorized of God to concede as much as they asked.—Ellen G. White, Acts of the Apostles* 405.1. [Bold type is added.]

17.    Did Paul make a serious mistake by compromising with the “leading brethren” of the church in his day? What was the result? Do we need to be careful about compromising, even with church leaders in our day?

18.    He paid the money and shaved his head. On the last day of the ceremonies, Paul was spotted in the temple, arrested, and put in jail. Thus began a long period of imprisonment in Caesarean Maritima during which he finally appealed to Rome and was taken there as a prisoner.

19.    Paul had not planned to go to Rome just as a sightseer; but, he did not intend to go as a prisoner. As his ministry Paul had taken it upon himself to start churches in places where the gospel had never been preached. Thus, as we noted earlier, he had been hoping to visit Rome and with their help to proceed on to Spain and open up new churches there.

20.    What do we know about Rome at that time? What happened as Paul arrived in Rome?

The Roman Republic was established c. 510 B.C. From relatively inauspicious beginnings the city had grown, surviving civil wars and military campaigns, until in Paul’s day it had become a metropolis of wealth and power, as well as of poverty and slavery. Moral and spiritual deterioration was apparent enough when Christianity first began its permeation of the empire, but Rome’s aura of greatness still prevailed. Although it is impossible to estimate accurately the number of Christians in Rome at the close of the first century, the enormous number of graves in the catacombs bears testimony to the rapidity and extent of the Christian advance. The fact that 27 persons are saluted by Paul in Romans 16 tends to verify that, by the time of writing (ca. A.D. 57), the church in Rome was numerically prosperous. The beginnings of the church in Rome are shrouded in antiquity. Conceivably, couriers present at Pentecost carried the message of the new faith back to Rome. It is also possible that Pauline converts from the east (i.e., Galatia,

Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Achaia) had migrated here and had planted, or at least added to, the congregation of believers. In any case, representatives from a sizable and aggressive congregation met Paul and Luke at the Appii Forum and The Three Taverns when he approached Rome (Acts 28:15).

One can imagine something of the excitement that gripped Paul, though a prisoner at the time, as he faced the dual prospect of viewing the legendary Rome and seeing the congregation of believers whom he had desired to meet. Though the Roman epistle predates that rendezvous, some of the same spirit of anticipation can be observed in the epistle.—Believer’s Study Bible* - entry for Romans 1:7.

21.    After being in Rome a short time, he was allowed to rent a house and was kept in what amounted to house arrest. Soon, he sent a message to the Jews in Rome, asking them to come and visit him. Can you imagine what that was like? A visit was set up and Paul was allowed to speak to those Jews for most of a day. Some accepted his message; but, others did not. By reviewing the letters Paul wrote from prison in Rome, we come to understand that despite his chains he became a great evangelistic force in that city.

22.    Read Acts 28:17-31[17]. Try to imagine yourself visiting Paul in Rome. What might Paul have to say to us in our day? Paul actually converted a number of people from Nero’s household while he was there under house arrest. Those were not Nero’s relatives as we would call them; however, they were probably members of his private security guard who were given the responsibility of guarding Paul.

Not by Paul’s sermons, but by his bonds, was the attention of the court attracted to Christianity. It was as a captive that he broke from so many souls the bonds that held them in the slavery of sin. Nor was this all. He declared:

“Many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Philippians 1:14.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles* 464.1.

Have you not experienced times when things did not work out the way you expected? (See Philippians 1:12.) Do we need to work our way through difficult times in order to increase our trust in God?

23.    Why do you think Paul had not visited Rome earlier? Read Romans 1:13; 15:22-25[18]; and compare 1 Thessalonians 2:18. In what ways do you think the Devil had prevented Paul from making those planned visits? When Paul thought that he had fairly well completed his work in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece, he was convinced that it was time to visit Rome.

24.    For a moment, consider Satan’s side in the great controversy. Several times in the years before Paul’s story, Satan thought that he had almost eliminated God’s people from the earth. Then came John the Baptist, and shortly thereafter, Jesus. The Devil did his best to get rid of both of them. Then came Pentecost and the birth of the Christian church! Satan must have been very happy with the performance and work of Saul (Paul) in his early years. And then, suddenly, Paul became a Christian!

25.    Read Romans 1:1[19]. The word translated servant in most translations is actually the word for slave. Why would Paul call himself a slave? Paul was so compelled by his passion for the gospel that he could not sit still and relax for a moment. The gospel burned in his bones. On his third missionary journey, he had traveled-mostly by foot-about 2700 miles (4350 kilometers) from Antioch to Asia Minor to Corinth and then back to Jerusalem. That is about the same distance as from Los Angeles, California to Washington, D.C.

26.    Read Romans 1:7. Compare Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 2:9; and 2 Peter 3:9.

Romans 1:7: To all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.—New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.* (1995). (Romans 1:7). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

27.    What did Paul mean when he called the Christians at Rome “saints”? Saint is a Latin word translated from the Greek hagios which means God’s chosen people-those set apart to be His true followers. They were beloved of God. (Ephesians 1:4[20]) As we noted earlier, Paul said that the whole world was hearing about the faith of the church in Rome. (Romans 1:8[21])

28.    From what Paul said, we may conclude that the church in Rome was alive and vibrant. None of the known apostles had apparently been there. Remember that earlier the Christians had been chased out of Rome. But, it sounds like they had made a rapid recovery. How did they manage to do that? Later, Nero accused them of starting the fires that burned down much of the city, and many of the Christians were killed. (AA 487)

29.    What kind of issues do we face in our churches today? What can we do about those issues? Are the church leaders the only ones who can deal with church problems? Or, should members be involved as well? Are we making progress toward finishing the gospel? Or, not? It has now been 173 years since the Great Disappointment. What do you think Paul would say about the Adventist Church today? What kind of a letter do you think he might write to us?

30.    The book of Romans:

The event that split history into “before” and “after” and changed the world took place about 30 years before Paul wrote this letter. The event-the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus-took place in a remote corner of the extensive Roman Empire: the province of Judea in Palestine. Hardly anyone noticed, certainly no one in busy and powerful Rome.

And when this letter arrived in Rome, hardly anyone read it, certainly no one of influence. There was much to read in Rome-imperial decrees, exquisite poetry, finely crafted moral philosophy-and much of it was world-class. And yet in no time, as such things go, this letter left all those other writings in the dust. Paul’s letter to the Romans has had a far larger impact on its readers than the volumes of all those Roman writers put together.

The quick rise of this letter to a peak of influence is extraordinary, written as it was by an obscure Roman citizen without connections. But when we read it for ourselves, we begin to realize that it is the letter itself that is truly extraordinary, and that no obscurity in writer or readers could have kept it obscure for long.

The letter to the Romans is a piece of exuberant and passionate thinking.

This is the glorious life of the mind enlisted in the service of God. Paul takes the well-witnessed and devoutly believed fact of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth and thinks through its implications.

[This is what sets the book of Romans apart. How should that affect you and me today?] How does it happen that in the death and resurrection of Jesus, world history took a new direction, and at the same moment the life of every man, woman, and child on the planet was eternally affected? What is God up to? What does it mean that Jesus “saves”? What’s behind all this, and where is it going?

These are the questions that drive Paul’s thinking. Paul’s mind is supple and capacious. He takes logic and argument, poetry and imagination, Scripture and prayer, creation and history and experience, and weaves them into this letter that has become the premier document of Christian theology.—Eugene Peterson, The Message,* Introduction to the book of Romans. [Bold type and content in brackets are added; italic type is in the original.]

31. The book of Romans is regarded as the greatest treatise on salvation ever written. We will have a great time exploring its pages. Understanding something of the circumstances under which it was written will help a great deal in understanding its content. The key passage of the book is Romans 1:16-17:

Romans 1:16-17: 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”—New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.* (1995). (Romans 1:16-17). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. [Capitalization of entire words is in the original.]

© 2017, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged. *Electronic version.    Info@theox.org

1-Act 28:17-31 NIV Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: "My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. (18) They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. (19) The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. (20) For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." (21) They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. (22) But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect." (23) They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. (24) Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. (25) They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: (26) "'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." (27) For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' (28) "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!" (30) For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. (31) He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ--with all boldness and without hindrance!

Rom 1:7 NIV To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 15:14 NIV I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

Rom 15:20-27 NIV It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. (21) Rather, as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand." (22) This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. (23) But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, (24) I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. (25) Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there. (26) For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. (27) They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.

Eph 1:1-23 NIV Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: (2) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (3) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (4) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (5) he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (7) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace (8) that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, (9) he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, (10) to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment--to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (11) In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, (12) in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (13) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, (14) who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. (15) For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, (16) I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (17) I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (18) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, (19) and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength (20) he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, (21) far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (22) And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, (23) which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Php 1:12 NIV Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually

2-Gal 1:16-18 NIV to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. (17) I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. (18) Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.

3-Act 11:20 NIV Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

4-Act 14:19 NIV Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.

5-Act 18:1-18 NIV After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. (2) There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, (3) and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. (4) Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. (5) When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. (6) But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." (7) Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. (8) Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. (9) One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. (10) For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." (11) So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. (12) While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. (13) "This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law." (14) Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, "If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. (15) But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law--settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things." (16) So he drove them off. (17) Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever. (18) Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken

6-Act 16:6-10 NIV Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. (7) When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. (8) So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. (9) During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." (10) After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

7-Act 20:2-3 NIV He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, (3) where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

8-1Co 5:9-13 NIV I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- (10) not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. (11) But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. (12) What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? (13) God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked person from among you."

9-2Co 6:14-18 NIV Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (15) What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? (16) What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." (17) Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." (18) And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

2Co 7:1 NIV Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

10-2Co 10:1-18 NIV By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" toward you when away! (2) I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. (3) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. (4) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (5) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (6) And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. (7) You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. (8) So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. (9) I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. (10) For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." (11) Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. (12) We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. (13) We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. (14) We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. (15) Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, (16) so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else's territory. (17) But, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." (18) For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

2Co 11:1-33 NIV I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! (2) I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. (3) But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (4) For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. (5) I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." (6) I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. (7) Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? (8) I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. (9) And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. (10) As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. (11) Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! (12) And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. (13) For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. (14) And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. (15) It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (16) I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. (17) In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. (18) Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. (19) You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! (20) In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. (21) To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! Whatever anyone else dares to boast about--I am speaking as a fool--I also dare to boast about. (22) Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. (23) Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. (24) Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. (25) Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, (26) I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. (27) I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (28) Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (29) Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? (30) If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (31) The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. (32) In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. (33) But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

2Co 12:1-21 NIV I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. (2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. (3) And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows-- (4) was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. (5) I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. (6) Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, (7) or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. (9) But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (10) That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (11) I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. (12) I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. (13) How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! (14) Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. (15) So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? (16) Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! (17) Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? (18) I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit? (19) Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. (20) For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. (21) I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

2Co 13:1-14 NIV This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." (2) I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, (3) since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. (4) For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him in our dealing with you. (5) Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? (6) And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. (7) Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong--not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. (8) For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. (9) We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. (10) This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. (11) Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (12) Greet one another with a holy kiss. (13) All God's people here send their greetings. (14) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

11-2Co 1:1-24 NIV Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia: (2) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (3) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, (4) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (5) For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (6) If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. (7) And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (8) We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. (9) Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. (10) He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, (11) as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (12) Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace. (13) For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, (14) as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus. (15) Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. (16) I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. (17) Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both "Yes, yes" and "No, no"? (18) But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." (19) For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us--by me and Silas and Timothy--was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes." (20) For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. (21) Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, (22) set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (23) I call God as my witness--and I stake my life on it--that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. (24) Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.

2Co 2:1-17 NIV So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. (2) For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? (3) I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. (4) For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. (5) If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent--not to put it too severely. (6) The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. (7) Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. (8) I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. (9) Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. (10) Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, (11) in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (12) Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, (13) I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia. (14) But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. (15) For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (16) To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? (17) Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

2Co 3:1-18 NIV Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? (2) You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. (3) You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (4) Such confidence we have through Christ before God. (5) Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. (6) He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (7) Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, (8) will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? (9) If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! (10) For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. (11) And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! (12) Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. (13) We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. (14) But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. (15) Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. (16) But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (18) And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2Co 4:1-18 NIV Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. (2) Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. (3) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. (4) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (5) For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. (6) For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. (7) But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (8) We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; (9) persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (10) We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (11) For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. (12) So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. (13) It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, (14) because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. (15) All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (16) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (17) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (18) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2Co 5:1-21 NIV For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2) Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, (3) because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. (4) For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. (5) Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (6) Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. (7) For we live by faith, not by sight. (8) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (9) So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (11) Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. (12) We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. (13) If we are "out of our mind," as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. (14) For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. (15) And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (16) So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. (17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (18) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: (19) that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (20) We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. (21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2Co 6:1-18 NIV As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. (2) For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. (3) We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. (4) Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; (5) in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; (6) in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; (7) in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; (8) through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; (9) known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; (10) sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (11) We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. (12) We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. (13) As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also. (14) Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (15) What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? (16) What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." (17) Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." (18) And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

2Co 7:1-16 NIV Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2) Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. (3) I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. (4) I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. (5) For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. (6) But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, (7) and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. (8) Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- (9) yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. (10) Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (11) See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. (12) So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. (13) By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. (14) I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. (15) And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. (16) I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.

2Co 8:1-24 NIV And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. (2) In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. (3) For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, (4) they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. (5) And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (6) So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. (7) But since you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you--see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (8) I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. (9) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (10) And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. (11) Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. (12) For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. (13) Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. (14) At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, (15) as it is written: "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little." (16) Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. (17) For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. (18) And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. (19) What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. (20) We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. (21) For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man. (22) In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. (23) As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. (24) Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

2Co 9:1-15 NIV There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord's people. (2) For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. (3) But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. (4) For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we--not to say anything about you--would be ashamed of having been so confident. (5) So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. (6) Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (7) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (8) And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (9) As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever." (10) Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. (11) You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (12) This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (13) Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. (14) And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. (15) Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

12-Rom 16:22 NIV I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

13-Rom 1:8 NIV First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

14-Act 20:3 NIV where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

15-AA 389.2Having completed his work at Corinth, he determined to sail directly for one of the ports on the coast of Palestine. All the arrangements had been made, and he was about to step on board the ship, when he was told of a plot laid by the Jews to take his life. In the past these opposers of the

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faith had been foiled in all their efforts to put an end to the apostle’s work. { AA 389.2}

16-Act 21:4 NIV We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

Act 21:11 NIV Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"

17-Act 28:17-31 NIV Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: "My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. (18) They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. (19) The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. (20) For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." (21) They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. (22) But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect." (23) They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. (24) Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. (25) They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: (26) "'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." (27) For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' (28) "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!" (30) For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. (31) He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ--with all boldness and without hindrance!

18-Rom 1:13 NIV I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Rom 15:22-25 NIV This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. (23) But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, (24) I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. (25) Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there.

19-Rom 1:1 NIV Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--

20-Eph 1:4 NIV For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

21-Rom 1:8 NIV First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

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