⁵ for at no time did we come with speech of flattery, (as ye have known,) nor in a pretext for covetousness, (God `is' witness!)

⁹ for God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the good news of His Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you,

³³ `The silver or gold or garments of no one did I covet;

³ and in covetousness, with moulded words, of you they shall make merchandise, whose judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction doth not slumber.

⁸ Ministrants -- in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre,

¹⁷ any one of those whom I have sent unto you -- by him did I take advantage of you?

¹⁰ ye `are' witnesses -- God also -- how kindly and righteously, and blamelessly to you who believe we became,

²⁰ And the things that I write to you, lo, before God -- I lie not;

² receive us; no one did we wrong; no one did we waste; no one did we defraud;

² but did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God;

³ not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money,

⁷ for it behoveth the overseer to be blameless, as God's steward, not self-pleased, nor irascible, not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre;

² feed the flock of God that `is' among you, overseeing not constrainedly, but willingly, neither for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind,

¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having an heart exercised in covetousnesses, children of a curse,

¹⁵ having forsaken a right way, they did go astray, having followed in the way of Balaam the `son' of Bosor, who a reward of unrighteousness did love,

¹⁸ for overswellings of vanity speaking, they do entice in desires of the flesh -- lasciviousnesses, those who had truly escaped from those conducting themselves in error,

¹² lading of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearl, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyne wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and brass, and iron, and marble,

¹³ and cinnamon, and odours, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of bodies and souls of men.

¹⁷ for we are not as the many, adulterating the word of God, but as of sincerity -- but as of God; in the presence of God, in Christ we do speak.

¹⁸ for such our Lord Jesus Christ do not serve, but their own belly; and through the good word and fair speech they deceive the hearts of the harmless,

¹ Truth I say in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing testimony with me in the Holy Spirit,

⁵ For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.

²¹ Let me not, I pray you, accept the face of any, Nor unto man give flattering titles,

²² For I have not known to give flattering titles, In a little doth my Maker take me away.

² Vanity they speak each with his neighbour, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

³ Jehovah doth cut off all lips of flattery, A tongue speaking great things,

¹⁹ A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver `with' his lips make not thyself surety.

²⁸ A lying tongue hateth its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth worketh an overthrow!

²³ Whoso is reproving a man afterwards findeth grace, More than a flatterer with the tongue.

¹⁰ Who have said to seers, `Ye do not see,' And to prophets, `Ye do not prophesy to us Straightforward things, Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,

¹¹ And the dogs `are' strong of desire, They have not known sufficiency, And they `are' shepherds! They have not known understanding, All of them to their own way they did turn, Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter:

¹³ For from their least unto their greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, And from prophet even unto priest, Every one is dealing falsely,

¹⁰ Therefore, I give their wives to others, Their fields to dispossessors, For from the least even unto the greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, From prophet even unto priest, every one is dealing falsely.

⁵ Thus said Jehovah concerning the prophets Who are causing My people to err, Who are biting with their teeth, And have cried `Peace,' And he who doth not give unto their mouth, They have sanctified against him war.

¹⁰ Who `is' even among you, And he shutteth the two-leaved doors? Yea, ye do not kindle Mine altar for nought, I have no pleasure in you, said Jehovah of Hosts, And a present I do not accept of your hand.

¹⁶ and they send to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, `Teacher, we have known that thou art true, and the way of God in truth thou dost teach, and thou art not caring for any one, for thou dost not look to the face of men;

¹³ `Wo to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye shut up the reign of the heavens before men, for ye do not go in, nor those going in do ye suffer to enter.

¹¹ wo to them! because in the way of Cain they did go on, and to the deceit of Balaam for reward they did rush, and in the gainsaying of Korah they did perish.