and my messageand my preachingwere not in persuasivewordsof wisdom,but in demonstrationof the Spiritand of power,
He who goesabout as a slandererrevealssecrets,Therefore do not associatewith a gossip.
With her manypersuasionsshe enticeshim; With her flatteringlipsshe seduceshim.
For I have heardthe whisperingof many,"Terroron everyside!Denounce[him]; yes, let us denouncehim!" Allmy trustedfriends,Watchingfor my fall,say: "Perhapshe will be deceived,so that we may prevailagainst him And takeour revengeon him."
"They seefalsehoodand lyingdivinationwho are saying,'The LORDdeclares,'when the LORDhas not sentthem; yet they hopefor the fulfillmentof [their] word.
"For I did not shrinkfrom declaringto you the wholepurposeof God.
Agrippa[replied] to Paul,"In a short timeyou will persuademe to becomea Christian."
Nowmay the Godof hopefillyou with alljoyand peacein believing,sothat you will aboundin hopeby the powerof the HolySpirit.
in the powerof signsand wonders,in the powerof the Spirit;sothat from Jerusalemand round aboutas faras IllyricumI have fully preachedthe gospelof Christ.
For such menare slaves,not of our LordChristbut of their ownappetites;and by their smoothand flattering speechthey deceivethe heartsof the unsuspecting.
For Christdid not sendme to baptize,but to preach the gospel,not in clevernessof speech,sothat the crossof Christwould not be made void.
And when I cameto you, brethren,I did not comewith superiorityof speechorof wisdom,proclaimingto you the testimonyof God.
whichthings we alsospeak,not in wordstaughtby humanwisdom,but in those taughtby the Spirit,combiningspiritual[thoughts] with spiritual[words].
For the kingdomof Goddoes not consist in wordsbut in power.
in purity,in knowledge,in patience,in kindness,in the HolySpirit,in genuinelove,
For am I nowseeking the favorof men,orof God?Oram I strivingto pleasemen?IfI were stilltrying to pleasemen,I would not be a bond-servantof Christ.
I saythissothat no onewill deludeyou with persuasive argument.
for our gospeldid not cometo you in wordonly,but alsoin powerand in the HolySpiritand with fullconviction;justas you knowwhat kind of menwe provedto be amongyou for your sake.
It was revealedto them that they were not servingthemselves,but you, in these thingswhichnowhave been announcedto you throughthosewho preached the gospelto you by the HolySpiritsentfrom heaven--things into whichangelslongto look.
For we did not followcleverly devisedtaleswhen we made knownto you the powerand comingof our LordJesusChrist,but we were eyewitnessesof His majesty.
For speakingout arrogant[words] of vanitythey enticeby fleshlydesires,by sensuality,thosewho barelyescapefrom the ones who livein error,
Then it cameabout on the fourthdaythat they saidto Samson'swife,"Enticeyour husband,so that he will tellus the riddle,orwe will burnyou and your father'shousewith fire.Have you invitedus to impoverishus? Is this not [so]?"
The lordsof the Philistinescameup to her and saidto her, "Enticehim, and seewherehis greatstrength[lies] and howwe may overpowerhim that we may bindhim to afflicthim. Then we will eachgiveyou elevenhundred[pieces] of silver."
