¹⁰ I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this ^[a]usury!

^25 (A)“If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him ^(B)interest. ^26 (C)If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. ²⁷ For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am ^(D)gracious.

The Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

Marks of the Ministry

6 We then, as ^(A)workers together with Him also ^(B)plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

²⁰ Now then, we are ^(A)ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

¹¹ Knowing, therefore, ^(A)the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

¹² If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?

^(A)Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things ^(B)lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. ^13 (C)Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the ^(D)temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴ Even so ^(E)the Lord has commanded ^(F)that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

¹⁵ But ^(G)I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for ^(H)it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for ^(I)necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this willingly, ^(J)I have a reward; but if against my will, ^(K)I have been entrusted with a stewardship. ¹⁸ What is my reward then? That ^(L)when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel ^[a]of Christ without charge, that I ^(M)may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

¹³ And he said to them, ^(A)“Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

¹⁴ Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not ^[a]intimidate anyone ^(B)or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Woe to Evildoers