¹⁶ At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.^{(A) 17} But the Lord stood at my side^(B) and gave me strength,^(C) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.^(D) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.^(E)

²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.^{[a] 30} And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^{(A) 31} So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(B)

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

9 Am I not free?^(A) Am I not an apostle?^(B) Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?^(C) Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?^{(D) 2} Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal^(E) of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. ⁴ Don’t we have the right to food and drink?^{(F) 5} Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife^(G) along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers^(H) and Cephas^[a]?^{(I) 6} Or is it only I and Barnabas^(J) who lack the right to not work for a living?

⁷ Who serves as a soldier^(K) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard^(L) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? ⁸ Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”^[b](M) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?^{(N) 10} Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,^(O) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.^{(P) 11} If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?^{(Q) 12} If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right.^(R) On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder^(S) the gospel of Christ.

¹¹ So Christ himself gave^(A) the apostles,^(B) the prophets,^(C) the evangelists,^(D) the pastors and teachers,^{(E) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(F) may be built up^{(G) 13} until we all reach unity^(H) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(I) and become mature,^(J) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(K)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(L) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(M) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(N) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(O) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(P) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(Q) and builds itself up^(R) in love,^(S) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(T) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{(U) 18} They are darkened in their understanding^(V) and separated from the life of God^(W) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^{(X) 19} Having lost all sensitivity,^(Y) they have given themselves over^(Z) to sensuality^(AA) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(AB) your old self,^(AC) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{(AD) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(AE) 24} and to put on^(AF) the new self,^(AG) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(AH)

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^(AI) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^{(AJ) 26} “In your anger do not sin”^[a]:^(AK) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.^{(AL) 28} Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^(AM) doing something useful with their own hands,^(AN) that they may have something to share with those in need.^(AO)

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^(AP) but only what is helpful for building others up^(AQ) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^(AR) with whom you were sealed^(AS) for the day of redemption.^{(AT) 31} Get rid of^(AU) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.^{(AV) 32} Be kind and compassionate to one another,^(AW) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^(AX)