1When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God,* I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.a 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.b 3I came to you in weakness* and fear and much trembling, 4and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive [words of] wisdom,* but with a demonstration of spirit and power,c 5so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.d
Saying of Faith. 5And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.d
Attitude of a Servant.* 7“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? 8Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? 9Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? 10So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”
7Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.f
9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching.* It is good to have our hearts strengthened by grace and not by foods, which do not benefit those who live by them.g 10We have an altar* from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11The bodies of the animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.h 12Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the gate, to consecrate the people by his own blood.i 13Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that he bore. 14For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come.j 15Through him [then] let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.k 16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.l
The Faithful or the Unfaithful Servant.* 45u “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time?* 46Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. 47Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 48* But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ 49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, 50the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour 51v and will punish him severely* and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.