I could tell about your ‘good works’\par and all the ‘religious’ things you do;\par but those things are useless!\par
1 Corinthians 13:3 - Easy To Read Version I may give everything I have to feed people. And I may even give my body \{as an offering\} to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing these things if I don’t have love. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing. American Standard Version (1901) And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Common English Bible If I give away everything that I have and hand over my own body to feel good about what I’ve done but I don’t have love, I receive no benefit whatsoever. Catholic Public Domain Version And if I distribute all my goods in order to feed the poor, and if I hand over my body to be burned, yet not have charity, it offers me nothing. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. |
I could tell about your ‘good works’\par and all the ‘religious’ things you do;\par but those things are useless!\par
“The only reason they do good things is for other people to see them. They wear special boxes {\cf2\super [328]} full of Scriptures. {\cf2\super [329]} They make these boxes bigger and bigger. And they make their special prayer clothes very long \{so that people will see them\}.
When Jesus heard this, he said to the leader, “But there is still one more thing you need to do. Sell everything you have and give the money to the poor people. You will have a reward in heaven. Then come and follow me!”
Zacchaeus said to the Lord (Jesus), “I want to do good. I will give half of my money to the poor. If I have cheated any person, I will pay that person back four times more!”
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I am ready to die for you!”
It is not the body that gives a person life. It is the spirit that gives life. The things I told you are spirit. And so these things give life.
But Paul said, “Why are you crying? Why are you making me so sad? I am ready to be tied in Jerusalem. I am also ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus!”
We must not be vain (conceited). We must not make trouble with each other. And we must not be jealous of each other.
When you do things, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble and give more honor to other people than to yourselves.
Training (teaching) your body helps you in some ways. But serving God helps you in every way. Serving God brings you blessings in this life and in the future life too.
Don’t let all kinds of strange teachings lead you into the wrong way. Your hearts should be strengthened by God’s grace (kindness), not by obeying rules about foods. Obeying those rules doesn’t help people.