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22 canst be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in

the Lord, being a servant, is the free-man of the Lord: in like manner also he that is called, being a free-man, is the 23 servant of Christ. Ye have been bought with a price; do 24 not become servants to men. Brethren, let every man remain with God in that state wherein he was called.

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Now concerning single persons', I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgement, as having ob26 tained mercy from the Lord, that I might be faithful. I

think therefore that this is good, because of the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man to continue as he 27 is. Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art 28 thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But if thou

marry, thou hast not sinned: and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless, such will have trouble 29 in the flesh. But I spare you. However, this I say, brethren, The time is short. It remaineth, that both those 30 that have wives, be as those that have none; and those that

weep, as those that weep not; and those that rejoice, as those that rejoice not; and those that buy, as those that 31 possess not; and those that use this world, as those that 32 use it not for the fashion of this world passeth away. But

I would have you without anxious care. He that is unmarried, careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please 33 the Lord: but he that is married, careth for the things of 34 the world, how he may please his wife. There is this dif

ference also between a wife and a virgin3: The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please 35 her husband. Now I speak this for your own advantage; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for becoming

'Gr. "virgins." that "the time," R. T. 3 Manuscripts vary in this verse; some good copies leave out the word "virgin," and read, “There is a distinction concerning the woman: The unmarried," &c. See Griesbach.

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ness, and for a right attendance on the Lord without distraction.

But if any man think that he behaveth himself unbecomingly toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and it ought so to be; let him do what he pleaseth, he sin37 neth not let such virgins marry. But he who standeth firm in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and determineth thus in his heart, that he will 38 keep his virgin, doeth well. So that he who giveth her in marriage, doeth well; but he who giveth her not in marriage, doeth better.

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The wife is bound', as long as her husband liveth; but if [her] husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to 40 whom she pleaseth; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remain as she is, according to my judgement: and I also seem to have the spirit of God.

CH. VIII. Now concerning things offered to idols, we know (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffeth up, but 2 love edifieth: [however,] if any man think that he know

eth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know: 3 but if any man love God, such an one is known by him: 4 concerning therefore the eating of things offered to idols,

we know) that an idol is nothing in the world, and that 5 there is no [other] God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there 6 are gods many, and lords many,) yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we 7 by him. However, all have not this knowledge: but some, with a consciousness of the idol, to this hour eat meat as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak,

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1 by the law, R. T. 2 Or, through, N. m. 3 from custom, Mss.

*“This is a very usual way in Greek writers of expressing what really is so. See ch. xi. 9. Gal. ii. 6.9. Heb. iv. 1; xii. 11; and bishop Pearce in loc. and on ch. xi, 16." Newcome.

8 is defiled. But food recommendeth' us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we better than others, nor, if we eat 9 not, are we worse. But take heed lest by any means this your liberty become a stumbling-block to those that are weak. 10 For if any man see thee, that hast knowledge, placed at

meat in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him that 11 is weak be encouraged to eat things offered to idols? and through thy knowledge will not thy weak brother perish, 12 for whom Christ died? But when ye sin thus against your brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against 13 Christ. Wherefore if food cause my brother to offend, I will not eat flesh for ever *, lest I cause my brother to offend.

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CH. IX. AM I not a free-man? am I not an apostle 3? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in 2 the Lord? If I be not an apostle to others, yet doubtless

I am to you for ye are the seal of mine apostleship in 3 the Lord. My defence to those that examine me, is this: 4 Have we not a right to eat and to drink †? have we not a 5 right to take about with us a christian wife, as well as

other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Pe6 ter? or have I only, and Barnabas, no right to forbear 7 working? Who ever serveth in war at his own charge?

who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit? or who 8 feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things according to the manner of men? or doth 9 not the law also say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that is treading out the corn.” Doth God take care for 10 oxen only? Or doth he certainly say this for our sakes

I will not recommend us, Mss. 2 Gr." be built up." 3 Am I not an apostle? am I not a free-man? R. T. 4 Gr. a wife, a sister. “A wife, being a sister, Geneva version. Or, a wife who is a sister in Christ," N. m. 5 Gr. Cephas?

* "for ever," i. e. as long as I live. See John xiv. 16.
+ i.e. “at the charge of our converts?" Newcome.

also? For our sakes, no doubt, it was written: for he who ploweth ought to plow in hope; and he who thresheth 11 ought to thresh in hope of partaking1. If we have sown

unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap 12 your worldly things? If others partake of this right over you, ought not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this right; but we endure all things, lest we should give 13 any hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Know ye not that those who minister about holy things, eat of that which is holy? and that those who attend at the altar, are partakers 14 with the altar? So likewise the Lord hath appointed to those who preach the gospel, that they should live by the gospel.

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15 But I have used none of these things. Nor do I write these things, that it should be thus done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make 16 my glorying void. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; for3 woe 17 is unto me if I preach not the gospel. For if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if unwillingly, the dispen18 sation of the gospel is committed to me. What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel [of Christ] without charge, so as not to use my right in the gospel.

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For though I be free from all men, yet I have made my20 self a servant* to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the laws, that I might gain those that are un21 der the law; to those that are without the law, as without the law, (being not without law to God, but under law to

1 ought to partake of his hope. N. "and that he who thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope." R. T. 2 Gr. have I written, N. m. 3" but" woe, &c. R. T. 4 Or, a slave. 5" not being myself under the law." These words are wanting in R. T.

Christ,)' that I might gain those that are without the law. 22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I become all things to all men, that I may by all means save 23 some3. And this I do3 for the sake of the gospel; that I may be a joint partaker of it.

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Know ye not that those who run in a race, run all, but 25 one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man who contendeth in the games, is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but 26 we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, as not uncertain27 ly; I so fight, as not striking the air: but I bruise my body, and subject it: lest by any means, after having served as a herald to others, I myself should be disapproved3. CH. x. For, brethren, I would not have you ignorant, that

all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through 2 the sea; and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud, and 3 in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all 4 drank the same spiritual drink. (For they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them: and that rock was Christ.) 5 Yet with most of them God was not well-pleased: for they were destroyed in the desert.

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Now these things came to pass for examples to us; that we should not be desirous of evil things, as they also de7 sired. Nor be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and 8 rose up to sport":" nor let us commit fornication, as some

of them committed, and fell in one day twenty-three thou9 sand: nor let us try the Lord †, as some of them also tried

1 "not being without the law of God, but under the law of Christ," Mss. N. m. * "that I may save all." Mss. 3" And I do all things," Mss. 4 Gr. fight with the fist, or cestus. 5 So Doddridge. "when I have preached to others, I myself should be a reprobate." N. 6 But, R. T. 7 Or, dance before the idol: N. m.

"The verb substantive is here used as Matt. xxvi. 26, 28. It was an emblem and representation of Christ." Newcome.

+ "If we read Xgrov, the sense is: Nor let us tempt, try, prove, provoke,

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