A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and ^(A)charge them before God^{[a] (B)}not to quarrel about words, ^(C)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[b] a worker ^(D)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(E)avoid ^(F)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(G)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(H)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(I)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(J)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

^19 (A)holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have ^(B)made shipwreck of their faith, ²⁰ among whom are ^(C)Hymenaeus and ^(D)Alexander, whom I ^(E)have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to ^(F)blaspheme.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, ^(A)risen from the dead, the ^(B)offspring of David, ^(C)as preached in my gospel,

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, ^(A)how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, ^(B)then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that ^(C)he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and ^(D)you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who ^(E)have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in Christ we have hope^[a] in this life only, ^(F)we are of all people most to be pitied.

²⁰ But in fact ^(G)Christ has been raised from the dead, ^(H)the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

^3 (A)They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, ^(B)“You have gone too far! For ^(C)all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” ⁴ When Moses heard it, ^(D)he fell on his face, ⁵ and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the Lord will show ^(E)who is his,^[a] and who is ^(F)holy, and will bring him near to him. The one ^(G)whom he chooses he will ^(H)bring near to him.

¹⁰ For there are many who are insubordinate, ^(A)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of ^(B)the circumcision party.^{[a] 11} They must be silenced, since ^(C)they are upsetting whole families by teaching ^(D)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

⁸ Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, “Behold, ^(A)I have given you charge of the contributions made to me, all the consecrated things of the people of Israel. I have given them to you ^(B)as a portion and to your sons as a perpetual due. ⁹ This shall be yours of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every grain offering of theirs and every ^(C)sin offering of theirs and every ^(D)guilt offering of theirs, which they render to me, shall be most holy to you and to your sons. ¹⁰ In a most holy place shall you eat it. Every male may eat it; it is holy to you. ¹¹ This also is yours: the contribution of their gift, all the ^(E)wave offerings of the people of Israel. I have given them to ^(F)you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due. ^(G)Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.