For our proud confidenceis this:the testimonyof our conscience,that in holinessand godlysincerity,not in fleshlywisdombut in the graceof God,we have conductedourselves in the world,and especiallytowardyou.
"For I have keptthe waysof the LORD,And have not actedwickedlyagainstmy God.
"ThoughHe slayme, I will hopein Him. NeverthelessI will arguemy waysbeforeHim.
and said,"Remembernow,OLORD,I beseechYou, howI have walkedbeforeYou in truthand with a wholeheart,and have donewhatis goodin Your sight."And Hezekiahweptbitterly.
Paul,looking intentlyat the Council,said,"Brethren,I have lived my lifewith a perfectlygoodconsciencebefore Godup to thisday."
"In view of this,I alsodo my bestto maintainalwaysa blamelessconscience[both] beforeGodand before men.
I am tellingthe truthin Christ,I am not lying,my consciencetestifieswith me in the HolySpirit,
For Christdid not sendme to baptize,but to preach the gospel,not in clevernessof speech,sothat the crossof Christwould not be made void.
For to oneis giventhe wordof wisdomthroughthe Spirit,and to anotherthe wordof knowledgeaccordingto the sameSpirit;
But by the graceof GodI amwhatI am,and His gracetowardme did not provevain;but I laboredeven morethan allof them, yetnot I, but the graceof Godwith me.
whichthings we alsospeak,not in wordstaughtby humanwisdom,but in those taughtby the Spirit,combiningspiritual[thoughts] with spiritual[words].
For I am consciousof nothingagainst myself,yetI am not by thisacquitted;but the one who examinesme is the Lord.
Thereforelet us celebrate the feast,not with oldleaven,norwith the leavenof maliceand wickedness,but with the unleavenedbread of sincerityand truth.
Therefore,I was not vacillatingwhen I intendedto do this,was I? OrwhatI purpose,do I purposeaccordingto the flesh,sothat with me there will be yes,yesand no,no[at the same time]?
But I am afraidthat, as the serpentdeceivedEveby his craftiness,your mindswill be led astrayfrom the simplicityand purity[of devotion] to Christ.
For we are not likemany,peddlingthe wordof God,but as from sincerity,but as from God,we speakin Christin the sightof God.
but we have renouncedthe things hiddenbecause of shame,not walkingin craftinessoradulteratingthe wordof God,but by the manifestationof truthcommendingourselvesto everyman'sconsciencein the sightof God.
I am not speaking[this] as a command,but as provingthroughthe earnestnessof othersthe sincerityof your lovealso.
But each onemust examinehis ownwork,and thenhe will have[reason for] boastingin regardto himselfalone,and not in regardto another.
Stand firmtherefore,HAVING GIRDEDYOUR LOINSWITH TRUTH,and HAVING PUTON THE BREASTPLATEOF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
sothat you may approvethe things that are excellent,in orderto be sincereand blamelessuntilthe dayof Christ;
You are witnesses,and [so is] God,howdevoutlyand uprightlyand blamelesslywe behavedtoward you believers;
But the goalof our instructionis lovefrom a pureheartand a goodconscienceand a sincerefaith.
in all thingsshowyourselfto be an exampleof gooddeeds,[with] purityin doctrine,dignified,
Prayfor us, for we are surethat we havea goodconscience,desiringto conductourselves honorablyin all things.
But He givesa greatergrace.Therefore[it] says,"GODIS OPPOSEDTO THE PROUD,BUT GIVESGRACETO THE HUMBLE."
"Now,therefore, fearthe LORDand serveHim in sincerityand truth;and putawaythe godswhichyour fathersservedbeyondthe Riverand in Egypt,and servethe LORD.
and keepa goodconsciencesothat in the thing in whichyou are slandered,thosewho revileyour goodbehaviorin Christwill be put to shame.
Correspondingto that, baptismnowsavesyou-- not the removalof dirtfrom the flesh,but an appealto Godfor a goodconscience--throughthe resurrectionof JesusChrist,