37 he sinneth 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 38 heart, that he will 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.

89

The wife is bound*, as long as her husband liveth; but if [her] husband be dead, she is at liberty to be mar40 ried to 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

knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought 3 to know but if any man love God, such an one is known 4 by him concerning therefore the eating of things offered to idols, we know) that an idol is nothing in the world, 5 and that there is no [other] God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on 6 earth, (as there 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 7 are all things, and we 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 8 idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food recommendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we better than others, nor, if we eat not, are we 9 worse. But take heed lest by any means this your liber10 ty become a stumbling-block to those that are weak. 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

* by the law, R. T.

† Or, through, N. m.

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 13 against Christ. Wherefore if food cause my brother to offend, I will not eat flesh for ever, lest I cause my brother to offend.

CH. IX. AM I not a free-man? am I not an apostle? 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 wifet, as well as

other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and 6 Peter or have I only, and Barnabas, no right to for7 bear working? Who ever serveth in war at his own charge? who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of its fruit? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk 8 of the flock? Say I these things according to the manner 9 of men? or doth 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 10 God take care for oxen only? Or doth he certainly say

this for our sakes also? For our sakes, no doubt, it was written for he who ploweth ought to plow in hope; 11 and he who thresheth ought to partake of his hopes. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing 12 if we shall reap 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 any hindrance to the gospel

*"At the charge of our converts?" Newcome.

Gr. a wife, a sister. A wife, being a sister, Geneva version. Or, a wife who is a sister in Christ, N. m.

Gr. Cephas? N. m.

Or, ought to thresh in hope of partaking. MSS. N. m.

13 of Christ. Know ye not that those who minister about

holy things eat, of that which is holy? and that those 14 who attend at the altar, are partakers with the altar? So likewise the Lord hath appointed to those who preach the gospel, that they should live by the gospel.

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 16 make my glorying void. For if I preach the gospel, I

have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me ; 17 for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. For if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if unwillingly, 18 the dispensation 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.

19

For though I be free from all men, yet I have made 20 myself 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 law, that I might gain those 21 that are under the law; to those that are without the law,

as without the law, (being not without law to God, but under law to Christ,) that I might gain those that are 22 without the law. To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I become all things to all men, that 23 I may by all means save some. And this I do for the sake of the gospel; that I may be a joint-partaker of it.

24

Know ye not that those who run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man who contendeth in the games, is temperate

in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible 26 crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, as 27 not uncertainly; I so fight, as not striking the air: but

* Gr. have I written, N. m.

I bruise my body, and subject it: lest by any means, after having served as a herald to others, I myself should be disapproved*.

CH. X. For, brethren, I would not have you ignorant, that

all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed 2 through the sea; and were all baptized into Moses in the 3 cloud, and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual 4 food; and all drank the same spiritual drink. (For they

drank of the spiritual rock which followed them: and 5 that rock wast Christ.) Yet with most of them God ws not well-pleased: for they were destroyed in the desert.

6

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, 8 and rose up to sport‡:" nor let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day twenty9 three thousand: nor let us try the Lord §, as some of 10 them also tried him; and perished by serpents: nor mur

mur ye, as some of them [also] murmured; and perished 11 by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples; and they are written for our admonition, 12 upon whom the ends of the ages are come . Wherefore

||.

let him who thinketh that he standeth, take heed lest he 13 fall. No temptation hath befallen you, but such as is

human but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above your ability; but with the temptation

So Doddridge. "when I have preached to others, I myself should be a reprobate." N. "The verb substantive is here used as Matth. xxvj. 26. 28. It was an emblem and representation of Christ." Newcome.

Or, dance before the idol: N. m.

"If we read X, the sense is: Nor let us tempt, try, prove, provoke, Christ now; as some of them did God at that time." Newcome. "Christ" is the reading of the received text, and it is retained by Griesbach even in his second edition. The word "Lord" is adopted by the Primate upon the authority of the Vatican and Ephr, MSS. "God" is the reading of the Alexandrian.

Or, the last age is come. N. m.

14

will make a way also to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I 15 speak as to men of understanding *: judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing for which we give thanks †, is it not a participation of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation of the body of Christ? 17 (For we, though many, are as one bread, and one body §: 18 for we all share one bread.) Behold Israel according to

the flesh are not those that eat of the sacrifices common 19 partakers with the altar? What say I then? that an idol

is any thing, or that what is offered to idols is any thing? 20 No: but that the things which the gentiles offer, they

offer to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye 21 should be common partakers with demons. Ye cannot

drink the Lord's cup, and the cup of demons: ye cannot 22 partake of the Lord's table, and the table of demons. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than he?

23

All things are lawful I, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful ¶, but all things edify not. 24 Let no man seek his own good only; but every man that 25 of another also. Eat whatsoever is sold in the shambles, 26 asking no question because of conscience. For the earth 27 is the Lord's, and all that is in it. And if any of those

who believe not ask you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; eat whatsoever is set before you, asking no question 28 because of conscience. But if any man say to you, "This hath been offered to idols;" eat not, because of

* So W. wise men, N.

↑ which we bless, N. See Rosenmuller and Schleusner,

a common partaking, N. See Bell on the Eucharist, p. 71.

§ Or, "For we are all one bread, and one body." N. m. Others render thus: "Because the bread is one, we though many [or, all of us] are one body: for we all partake of one bread." Bishop Pearce, Dr. Bell, Dr. Townson, and Newcome's Nate,

Or, to jealous anger?

¶lawful for me, R. T,