1 Corinthians 16:13-24

Expanded Bible

Paul Ends His Letter

¹³ Be ·alert [watchful; on your guard]. ·Continue strong [Stand firm] in the faith. ·Have courage [or Act like men (ready for battle)], and be strong. ¹⁴ Do everything in love.

¹⁵ You know that the ·family [household] of Stephanas were the ·first believers in [^Lfirstfruits of] Achaia [^Csouthern Greece] and that they have given themselves to the service of ·God’s people [^Tthe saints]. I ask you, brothers and sisters, ¹⁶ to ·follow the leading of [or submit to the authority of] people like these and anyone else who ·works and serves with them [or works hard in our common task].

¹⁷ I ·am happy [rejoice] that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come. ·You are not here, but they have filled your place [or They have supplied the help you could not]. ¹⁸ [^LFor] They have refreshed my spirit and yours. You should ·recognize the value of [or give recognition to] people like these.

¹⁹ The churches in Asia [^Cthe Roman province, in present-day Turkey] send greetings to you. Aquila and Priscilla [Acts 18:2–3, 18, 26] greet you in the Lord, as does the church that meets in their house. ²⁰ All the brothers and sisters here send greetings. Greet each other with a holy kiss.

²¹ I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand [^Cthe rest of the letter was evidently dictated to a scribe, called an amanuensis; see Rom. 16:22].

²² If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be ·separated from God—lost forever [^Lanathema]!

·Come, O Lord [^LMaranatha; ^CAramaic phrase meaning either “Our Lord, Come!” or “Our Lord has come”]!

²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

²⁴ My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.^[a]