Study Desk

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore recognize such people.

and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will.

As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker for you; as for our brothers, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone.

And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, they lack understanding.

I fear that when I come my God will again humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented of the moral impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality they practiced.

And they glorified God because of me.

When James, Cephas, and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.

But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?”

For even the circumcised don’t keep the law themselves, and yet they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh.

They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.

They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.

All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines.

Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God