My righteousness
I hold fast,
and will not let
it go:
my heart
shall not reproach me so long
as I live.
The light
of the body
is the eye:
if therefore
thine eye
be single,
thy whole body
shall be
full of light.
But if thine
eye
be evil,
thy whole body
shall be
full of darkness.
If therefore
the light
that is in thee
be darkness,
how great
is that darkness!
No man,
when
he hath lighted
a candle,
putteth
it in a secret place,
neither under a bushel,
but on a candlestick,
that they
which come in
may see
the light.
The light
of the body
is the eye:
therefore when thine
eye
is single,
thy whole body
also is
full of light;
but
when thine
eye
is evil,
thy body
also is
full of darkness.
Take
heed therefore
that the light
which is in thee
be not darkness.
If thy whole body
therefore be
full of light,
having
no part dark,
the whole
shall be
full of light,
as when
the bright shining
of a candle
doth give thee light.
And Paul,
earnestly beholding
the council,
said,
Men and brethren,
I have lived
in all good conscience
before God
until this day.
And herein do
I exercise myself,
to have always
a conscience void
to offence
toward God,
and toward men.
For when the Gentiles,
which have not
the law,
do by nature
the things
contained
in the law,
these,
having not
the law,
are a law
unto themselves:
Which shew
the work
of the law
written
in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness,
and their thoughts
the mean
while accusing
or else excusing one
another;)
For that
which I
do
I allow not:
for what I would,
that do I not;
but what I hate,
that do I.
If then I
do
that which
I would not,
I consent
unto the law
that it
is good.
Now
then it
is no more
I that
do it,
but sin
that dwelleth in me.
For I
know that in me
(that is,
in my flesh,)
dwelleth no good thing:
for to
will is
present with me;
but
how to perform
that which
is good
I find not.
For the good
that I
would
I do not:
but the evil
which I
would not,
that I do.
Now
if I
do that
I would not,
it is
no more I that
do it,
but sin
that dwelleth in me.
I find
then a law,
that,
when
I would do good,
evil is
present with me.
For I delight
in the law
of God
after the inward man:
But I
see
another law
in my members,
warring
against the law
of my mind,
and bringing me
into captivity
to the law
of sin which
is in my members.
I say
the truth
in Christ,
I lie not,
my conscience
also bearing me
witness
in the Holy Ghost,
Him that is weak
in the faith
receive ye,
but not to doubtful disputations.
For one believeth
that he
may eat all things:
another,
who is weak,
eateth herbs.
Let not him
that eateth
despise him that
eateth not;
and let not him which
eateth not judge him
that eateth:
for God
hath received him.
Who art
thou
that judgest
another man's servant?
to his own master
he standeth
or falleth.
Yea,
he shall be holden up:
for God
is able
to make him stand.
One man
esteemeth
one day above
another:
another esteemeth every day alike.
Let every man
be fully persuaded
in his own mind.
He that
regardeth the day,
regardeth
it unto the Lord;
and
he that
regardeth not
the day,
to the Lord
he doth not regard it.
He that eateth,
eateth to the Lord,
for he
giveth
God thanks;
and he
that eateth not,
to the Lord
he eateth not,
and giveth
God thanks.
For none of us
liveth to himself,
and no man dieth
to himself.
For whether
we live,
we live
unto the Lord;
and
whether we die,
we die
unto the Lord:
whether we
live therefore,
or die,
we are the Lord's.
For to this end
Christ both died,
and rose,
and revived,
that he
might be Lord both
of the dead and living.
But why
dost thou
judge thy brother?
or why
dost
thou set
at nought thy brother?
for we
shall all stand before the judgment seat
of Christ.
For it
is written,
As I live,
saith the Lord,
every knee
shall bow to me,
and every tongue
shall confess
to God.
So then every one
of us shall give account
of himself
to God.
Let us
not therefore
judge one
another any more:
but judge
this rather,
that no man
put a stumblingblock
or an occasion
to fall
in his brother's way.
I know,
and am persuaded
by the Lord Jesus,
that there is nothing unclean
of itself:
but to him
that esteemeth
any thing
to be unclean,
to him
it is unclean.
But
if thy brother
be grieved
with thy meat,
now walkest
thou
not charitably.
Destroy not him
with thy meat,
for whom Christ died.
Let not
then your good
be evil spoken of:
For the kingdom
of God
is not meat
and drink;
but righteousness,
and peace,
and joy
in the Holy Ghost.
For he
that in these things
serveth
Christ is acceptable
to God,
and approved
of men.
Let us
therefore follow
after the things
which make
for peace,
and things
wherewith one
may edify another.
For meat
destroy not the work
of God.
All things
indeed are pure;
but it
is evil
for that man
who eateth with offence.
It is good neither
to eat flesh,
nor to drink wine,
nor any thing
whereby
thy brother stumbleth,
or is offended,
or is made weak.
Hast
thou faith?
have it
to thyself
before God.
Happy
is
he that
condemneth not
himself
in that thing which
he alloweth.
And
he that doubteth
is damned
if he eat,
because
he eateth not
of faith:
for whatsoever is not
of faith is sin.
Howbeit
there is not
in every man
that knowledge:
for some
with conscience
of the idol
unto this hour
eat it
as a thing
offered
unto an idol;
and their conscience
being weak
is defiled.
But take
heed lest by any
means
this liberty
of your's become
a stumblingblock
to them
that are weak.
For if any man
see thee
which hast
knowledge
sit
at meat
in the idol's temple,
shall not the conscience
of him which
is weak
be emboldened
to eat
those things
which are offered
to idols;
And through thy knowledge
shall
the weak brother perish,
for whom Christ died?
But
when ye
sin so
against the brethren,
and wound
their weak conscience,
ye sin
against Christ.
Wherefore,
if meat
make my brother
to offend,
I will eat
no flesh
while the world standeth,
lest
I make
my brother
to offend.
If any
of them that
believe not bid you
to a feast,
and
ye be disposed to go;
whatsoever is set
before you,
eat,
asking no
question
for conscience sake.
But
if any man
say unto you,
This
is offered
in sacrifice
unto idols,
eat not
for his sake
that shewed it,
and
for conscience sake:
for the earth
is the Lord's,
and the fulness
thereof:
Conscience,
I say,
not thine own,
but of the other:
for why
is
my liberty
judged
of another
man's conscience?
For if
I by grace
be a partaker,
why am
I evil spoken of
for that
for which
I give thanks?
Whether therefore
ye eat,
or drink,
or whatsoever
ye do,
do all
to the glory
of God.
Give none offence,
neither to the Jews,
nor
to the Gentiles,
nor to the church
of God:
For our rejoicing
is this,
the testimony
of our conscience,
that in simplicity
and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom,
but by the grace
of God,
we have had
our conversation
in the world,
and more
abundantly to you-ward.
But have renounced
the hidden things
of dishonesty,
not walking
in craftiness,
nor handling
the word
of God deceitfully;
but by manifestation
of the truth
commending ourselves
to every man's conscience
in the sight
of God.
Knowing therefore the terror
of the Lord,
we persuade men;
but
we are made
manifest
unto God;
and I
trust
also are made
manifest
in your consciences.
Now
the end
of the commandment
is charity
out of a pure heart,
and
of a good conscience,
and
of faith unfeigned:
Holding faith,
and a good conscience;
which some
having put away concerning
faith have made
shipwreck:
Holding the mystery
of the faith
in a pure conscience.
How much more
shall the blood
of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself
without spot
to God,
purge your conscience
from dead works
to serve
the living God?
Let us
draw near
with a true heart
in full assurance
of faith,
having
our hearts
sprinkled
from an evil conscience,
and our bodies
washed
with pure water.
Pray for us:
for we
trust
we have
a good conscience,
in all
things willing
to live honestly.
For this
is thankworthy,
if a man
for conscience
toward God
endure grief,
suffering wrongfully.
Having a good conscience;
that,
whereas
they speak evil
of you,
as of evildoers,
they may be ashamed
that falsely accuse
your good conversation
in Christ.
The like
figure whereunto even baptism
doth also now save us
(not the putting away
of the filth
of the flesh,
but the answer
of a good conscience
toward God,)
by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ:
For if
our heart
condemn us,
God is greater than
our heart,
and knoweth all things.
Beloved,
if our heart
condemn us not,
then have
we confidence
toward God.