¹⁴ I am obligated both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish,

¹⁶ If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this of my own will, I have a wage, but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.^{(A) 18} What then is my wage? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

¹⁹ For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might gain all the more.^{(B) 20} To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to gain Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might gain those under the law. ²¹ To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not outside God’s law but am within Christ’s law) so that I might gain those outside the law.^{(C) 22} To the weak I became weak, so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. ²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I might become a partner in it.

¹¹ In that renewal^[a] there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!^(A)

¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;^(A)

¹⁷ I will rescue you from your people and from the gentiles—to whom I am sending you^{(A) 18} to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(B)

²¹ Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”^(A)

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.^{(A) 18} And the fruit of righteousness^[a] is sown in peace by those who make peace.^(B)

¹⁵ Be careful, then, how you live,^[a] not as unwise people but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil.^{(A) 17} So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.^(B)

¹⁹ For you gladly put up with fools, being wise yourselves!

¹⁹ For your obedience is known to all; therefore, I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and guileless in what is evil.^(A)