The Collection for the Lord’s People

16 Now about the collection^(A) for the Lord’s people:^(B) Do what I told the Galatian^(C) churches to do. ² On the first day of every week,^(D) each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.^{(E) 3} Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve^(F) and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

Personal Requests

⁵ After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you^(G)—for I will be going through Macedonia.^{(H) 6} Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey,^(I) wherever I go. ⁷ For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.^{(J) 8} But I will stay on at Ephesus^(K) until Pentecost,^{(L) 9} because a great door for effective work has opened to me,^(M) and there are many who oppose me.

¹⁰ When Timothy^(N) comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord,^(O) just as I am. ¹¹ No one, then, should treat him with contempt.^(P) Send him on his way^(Q) in peace^(R) so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

¹² Now about our brother Apollos:^(S) I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

¹³ Be on your guard; stand firm^(T) in the faith; be courageous; be strong.^{(U) 14} Do everything in love.^(V)

¹⁵ You know that the household of Stephanas^(W) were the first converts^(X) in Achaia,^(Y) and they have devoted themselves to the service^(Z) of the Lord’s people.^(AA) I urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹⁶ to submit^(AB) to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. ¹⁷ I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.^{(AC) 18} For they refreshed^(AD) my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.^(AE)

Final Greetings

¹⁹ The churches in the province of Asia^(AF) send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla^[a](AG) greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.^{(AH) 20} All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.^(AI)

²¹ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.^(AJ)

²² If anyone does not love the Lord,^(AK) let that person be cursed!^(AL) Come, Lord^[b]!^(AM)

²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.^(AN)

²⁴ My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.^[c]

Various Laws

19 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel^(A) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,^(B) am holy.^(C)

³ “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father,^(D) and you must observe my Sabbaths.^(E) I am the Lord your God.^(F)

⁴ “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.^(G) I am the Lord your God.^(H)

⁵ “‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. ⁶ It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.^{(I) 7} If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.^{(J) 8} Whoever eats it will be held responsible^(K) because they have desecrated what is holy^(L) to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people.^(M)

⁹ “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges^(N) of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^{(O) 10} Do not go over your vineyard a second time^(P) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.^(Q) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.^(R) I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ “‘Do not steal.^(S)

“‘Do not lie.^(T)

“‘Do not deceive one another.^(U)

¹² “‘Do not swear falsely^(V) by my name^(W) and so profane^(X) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

¹³ “‘Do not defraud or rob^(Y) your neighbor.^(Z)

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker^(AA) overnight.^(AB)

¹⁴ “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,^(AC) but fear your God.^(AD) I am the Lord.

¹⁵ “‘Do not pervert justice;^(AE) do not show partiality^(AF) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(AG) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(AH)

¹⁶ “‘Do not go about spreading slander^(AI) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.^(AJ) I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.^(AK) Rebuke your neighbor frankly^(AL) so you will not share in their guilt.

¹⁸ “‘Do not seek revenge^(AM) or bear a grudge^(AN) against anyone among your people,^(AO) but love your neighbor^(AP) as yourself.^(AQ) I am the Lord.

¹⁹ “‘Keep my decrees.^(AR)

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.^(AS)

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.^(AT)

²⁰ “‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man^(AU) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.^[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. ²¹ The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord.^{(AV) 22} With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.^(AW)

²³ “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[c]; it must not be eaten. ²⁴ In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,^(AX) an offering of praise to the Lord. ²⁵ But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

²⁶ “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.^(AY)

“‘Do not practice divination^(AZ) or seek omens.^(BA)

²⁷ “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.^(BB)

²⁸ “‘Do not cut^(BC) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

²⁹ “‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,^(BD) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.^(BE)

³⁰ “‘Observe my Sabbaths^(BF) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.^(BG)

³¹ “‘Do not turn to mediums^(BH) or seek out spiritists,^(BI) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

³² “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect^(BJ) for the elderly^(BK) and revere your God.^(BL) I am the Lord.^(BM)

³³ “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. ³⁴ The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.^(BN) Love them as yourself,^(BO) for you were foreigners^(BP) in Egypt.^(BQ) I am the Lord your God.

³⁵ “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.^{(BR) 36} Use honest scales^(BS) and honest weights, an honest ephah^[d](BT) and an honest hin.^[e](BU) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.^(BV)

³⁷ “‘Keep all my decrees^(BW) and all my laws^(BX) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

4 The Spirit^(A) clearly says that in later times^(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits^(C) and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.^{(D) 3} They forbid people to marry^(E) and order them to abstain from certain foods,^(F) which God created^(G) to be received with thanksgiving^(H) by those who believe and who know the truth. ⁴ For everything God created is good,^(I) and nothing is to be rejected^(J) if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ because it is consecrated by the word of God^(K) and prayer.

⁶ If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,^[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith^(L) and of the good teaching that you have followed.^{(M) 7} Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;^(N) rather, train yourself to be godly.^{(O) 8} For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,^(P) holding promise for both the present life^(Q) and the life to come.^{(R) 9} This is a trustworthy saying^(S) that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,^(T) who is the Savior of all people,^(U) and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things.^{(V) 12} Don’t let anyone look down on you^(W) because you are young, but set an example^(X) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith^(Y) and in purity. ¹³ Until I come,^(Z) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,^(AA) to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy^(AB) when the body of elders^(AC) laid their hands on you.^(AD)

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save^(AE) both yourself and your hearers.