Study Desk

For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own sight, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,

With respect to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but with respect to election, they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

For just as you formerly were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of the disobedience of these,

so also these have now been disobedient for your mercy, in order that they also may now be shown mercy.

For God confined them all in disobedience, in order that he could have mercy on them all.

"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for eternity! Amen.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone who is among you not to think more highly of yourself than what one ought to think, but to think sensibly, as God has apportioned a measure of faith to each one.

For just as in one body we have many members, but all the members do not have the same function,

Pay back no one evil for evil. Take thought for what is good in the sight of all people.

Do not take revenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God's wrath, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

But "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this, you will heap up coals of fire upon his head."

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God.

For rulers are not a cause of terror for a good deed, but for bad conduct. So do you want not to be afraid of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it,

for it is God's servant to you for what is good. But if you do what is bad, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword to no purpose. For it is God's servant, the one who avenges for punishment on the one who does what is bad.

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God, busily engaged in this very thing.

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another, for the one who loves someone else has fulfilled the law.

For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are summed up in this statement: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."