Concerning Change of Status

¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.^(A) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.^(B)

¹⁷ For this reason I have sent to you^(A) Timothy,^(B) my son^(C) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.^(D)

²⁴ Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(A)

²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^(A)

²⁰ Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(A)

²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.

¹⁸ Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.^(A)

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me^(A) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,^{(B) 5} so in Christ we, though many, form one body,^(C) and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts,^(D) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,^(E) then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith;^{(F) 7} if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;^{(G) 8} if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;^(H) if it is giving, then give generously;^(I) if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

¹⁸ And we are sending along with him the brother^(A) who is praised by all the churches^(B) for his service to the gospel.^(C)

³³ For God is not a God of disorder^(A) but of peace^(B)—as in all the congregations^(C) of the Lord’s people.^(D)