2 Corinthians 11:19

However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich, I have found myself wealth. In all my wealth they won’t find in me any iniquity that is sin.”

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me if I don’t preach the Good News.

Yahweh struck the people, because of what they did with the calf, which Aaron made.

The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Their buyers slaughter them, and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, for I am rich;’ and their own shepherds don’t pity them.

When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.

Let all that you do be done in love.

For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we didn’t preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you didn’t receive, or a different “good news”, which you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough.

For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect.

“I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

“ ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.

There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’

The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”

When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”

As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”

But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.

But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

Wake up righteously, and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

So then death works in us, but life in you.

I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me or hears from me.

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.

but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.

where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.

Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.

For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

When Jehu came out to the servants of his lord, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?” He said to them, “You know the man and how he talks.”

In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”

to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”

The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the present rain and because of the cold.

When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”

I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

I say this to move you to shame. Isn’t there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between his brothers?

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.

I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say.

But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies.

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;