¹⁰ And also, I, my brethren, and my servants, are exacting of them silver and corn; let us leave off, I pray you, this usury.

²⁵ `If thou dost lend My poor people with thee money, thou art not to him as a usurer; thou dost not lay on him usury;

²⁶ if thou dost at all take in pledge the garment of thy neighbour, during the going in of the sun thou dost return it to him:

²⁷ for it alone is his covering, it `is' his garment for his skin; wherein doth he lie down? and it hath come to pass, when he doth cry unto Me, that I have heard, for I `am' gracious.

⁸ Wherefore, having in Christ much boldness to command thee that which is fit --

⁹ because of the love I rather entreat, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;

¹ And working together also we call upon `you' that ye receive not in vain the grace of God --

²⁰ in behalf of Christ, then, we are ambassadors, as if God were calling through us, we beseech, in behalf of Christ, `Be ye reconciled to God;'

¹¹ having known, therefore, the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, and to God we are manifested, and I hope also in your consciences to have been manifested;

¹² if others do partake of the authority over you -- not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the Christ.

¹³ Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple -- of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar -- with the altar are partakers?

¹⁴ so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

¹⁵ And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for `it is' good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void;

¹⁶ for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

¹⁷ for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted!

¹⁸ What, then, is my reward? -- that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;

¹³ and he said unto them, `Exact no more than that directed you.'

¹⁴ And questioning him also were those warring, saying, `And we, what shall we do?' and he said unto them, `Do violence to no one, nor accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.'

¹ Wo `to' those devising iniquity, And working evil on their beds, In the light of the morning they do it, For their hand is -- to God.

¹³ In usury he hath given, and increase taken, And he liveth: he doth not live, All these abominations he hath done, He doth surely die, his blood is on him.

⁸ In usury he doth not give, and increase taketh not, From perversity he turneth back his hand, True judgment he doth between man and man.

⁵ His silver he hath not given in usury, And a bribe against the innocent Hath not taken; Whoso is doing these is not moved to the age!

⁷ and my heart reigneth over me, and I strive with the freemen, and with the prefects, and say to them, `Usury one upon another ye are exacting;' and I set against them a great assembly,