⁴ He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’

² As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,^(A) but rather for the will of God. ³ For you have spent enough time in the past^(B) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.^(C)

Be Holy

¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,^(A) set your hope^(B) on the grace to be brought to you^(C) when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.^(D)

⁸ This is a trustworthy saying.^(A) And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.^(B) These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

The Lord’s Grace to Paul

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,^(A) that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.^{(B) 13} Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor^(C) and a violent man, I was shown mercy^(D) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.^(E)

4 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,^(A) because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

¹¹ And that is what some of you were.^(A) But you were washed,^(B) you were sanctified,^(C) you were justified^(D) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey^(A)—whether you are slaves to sin,^(B) which leads to death,^(C) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God^(D) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,^(E) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching^(F) that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin^(G) and have become slaves to righteousness.^(H)

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life^(I) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness^(J) leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin,^(K) you were free from the control of righteousness.^{(L) 21} What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!^{(M) 22} But now that you have been set free from sin^(N) and have become slaves of God,^(O) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^(P)

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”^(A)

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord,^(B) “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,^(C) I will pay back four times the amount.”^(D)

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.^{(E) 10} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”^(F)