Because that, when they knew God, they glorified {him} not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

For the time past of {our} life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort {you} by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, {so} ye would abound more and more. {beseech: or, request} {exhort: or, beseech}

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

And you {hath he quickened}, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

For when they speak great swelling {words} of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, {through much} wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. {clean: or, for a little, or, a while, as some read}

And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, {as} silver and gold, from your vain conversation {received} by tradition from your fathers;

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day. {admonished...: Heb. testified against you}

And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews {that} Jesus {was} Christ. {was Christ: or, is the Christ}

And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear. {withdrew...: Heb. they gave a withdrawing shoulder}

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, {beguile...: or, judge against you} {in a...: Gr. being a voluntary in humility}

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Understand, ye brutish among the people: and {ye} fools, when will ye be wise?

In those days saw I in Judah {some} treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all {manner of} burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified {against them} in the day wherein they sold victuals.

I charge {thee} before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. {preferring...: or, prejudice}

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

And this I say, {that} the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

I charge {thee} therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

That no {man} go beyond and defraud his brother in {any} matter: because that the Lord {is} the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. {defraud: or, oppress, or, overreach} {in...: or, in the matter}

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are {these}; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and {before} Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; {confession: or, profession}

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

And hath put all {things} under his feet, and gave him {to be} the head over all {things} to the church,

But this {I say}, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what {is} that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified {him} not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. {sure: or, steady}

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, {as} silver and gold, from your vain conversation {received} by tradition from your fathers;

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, {of the Lord: or, in the Lord}

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, {that they are} the enemies of the cross of Christ:

And {that} he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are {these}; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

That he no longer should live the rest of {his} time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

For the time past of {our} life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. {desires: Gr. wills}

For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and {then} to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people {as} they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

Of these things put {them} in remembrance, charging {them} before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, {but} to the subverting of the hearers.

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: {imagination: or, stubbornness} {drunkenness...: Heb. the drunken to the thirsty}

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. {by...: Heb. after them}

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell {it} unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. {Perverse...: or, Gallings one of another}

Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them: {imagination: or, stubbornness}

For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day {that} I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, {even} unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. {imagination: or, stubbornness}

These {are} the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: {execute...: Heb. judge truth, and the judgment of peace}

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened {bread} of sincerity and truth. {the feast: or, holyday}

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

That no {man} go beyond and defraud his brother in {any} matter: because that the Lord {is} the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. {defraud: or, oppress, or, overreach} {in...: or, in the matter}

But this {I say}, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. {honestly: or, decently}

As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father {doth} his children,

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,

The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day. {admonished...: Heb. testified against you}

And this I say, {that} the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

The woman also with whom man shall lie {with} seed of copulation, they shall {both} bathe {themselves} in water, and be unclean until the even.

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous {man}, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

In those days saw I in Judah {some} treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all {manner of} burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified {against them} in the day wherein they sold victuals.

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. {imagination: or, stubbornness}