Study Desk

But in this letter I have been quite bold about certain subjects of which I have reminded you. I have been bold because of the privilege God has given me

But now that I have finished my work in these regions and since I have been wanting for so many years to come to see you,

That decision was their own; but, as a matter of fact, they have an obligation to help them. Since the Jews shared their spiritual blessings with the Gentiles, the Gentiles ought to use their material blessings to help the Jews.

they risked their lives for me. I am grateful to them—not only I, but all the Gentile churches as well.

For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people.

Everyone has heard of your loyalty to the gospel, and for this reason I am happy about you. I want you to be wise about what is good, but innocent in what is evil.

(Oh yes, I also baptized Stephanas and his family; but I can't remember whether I baptized anyone else.)

For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power.

but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free.

and my teaching and message were not delivered with skillful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit.

Your faith, then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God's power.

Yet I do proclaim a message of wisdom to those who are spiritually mature. But it is not the wisdom that belongs to this world or to the powers that rule this world—powers that are losing their power.

The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from human beings, but which he had already chosen for our glory even before the world was made.

But it was to us that God made known his secret by means of his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God's purposes.

So then, we do not speak in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual truths to those who have the Spirit.

Whoever has the Spirit, however, is able to judge the value of everything, but no one is able to judge him.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow.

Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build.

But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.