Paul’s Use of His Freedom

¹⁹ Though I am free^(A) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,^(B) to win as many as possible.^{(C) 20} To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.^(D) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),^(E) so as to win those under the law. ²¹ To those not having the law I became like one not having the law^(F) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),^(G) so as to win those not having the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.^(H) I have become all things to all people^(I) so that by all possible means I might save some.^(J)

¹⁶ Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with^[a] water,^(A) but you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.’^{(B) 17} So if God gave them the same gift^(C) he gave us^(D) who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”

¹⁸ When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”^(E)

¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit,^(A) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.^(B)

²² And God placed all things under his feet^(A) and appointed him to be head^(B) over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body,^(C) the fullness of him^(D) who fills everything in every way.^(E)

¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(A) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(B) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(C) and builds itself up^(D) in love,^(E) as each part does its work.

¹⁸ And he is the head^(A) of the body, the church;^(B) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(C) from among the dead,^(D) so that in everything he might have the supremacy.