Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you brag as though you did not?

使你与人不同的是谁呢？你有什么不是领受的呢？若是领受的，为何自夸，仿佛不是领受的呢？

使你与人不同的是谁呢？你所有的有哪一个不是领受的呢？若是领受的，为何自夸，仿佛不是领受的呢？

使你与人不同的是谁呢？你所有的有哪一个不是领受的呢？若是领受的，为何自夸，仿佛不是领受的呢？

谁使你与众不同呢？你有哪一样不是领受的呢？既然一切都是领受的，你为什么还自夸，好像不是领受的？

使你与人不同的是谁呢？你有什么不是领受的呢？既然是领受的，为什么要自夸，好像不是领受的呢？

使你与别人不同的到底是谁呢？你有什么不是领受的呢？如果真是领受的，你为什么还自夸，好像不是领受的呢？

使你與人不同的是誰呢？你有甚麼不是領受的呢？若是領受的，為何自誇，彷彿不是領受的呢？

使你與人不同的是誰呢？你所有的有哪一個不是領受的呢？若是領受的，為何自誇，彷彿不是領受的呢？

使你與人不同的是誰呢？你所有的有哪一個不是領受的呢？若是領受的，為何自誇，彷彿不是領受的呢？

誰使你與眾不同呢？你有哪一樣不是領受的呢？既然一切都是領受的，你為什麼還自誇，好像不是領受的？

使你與人不同的是誰呢？你有甚麼不是領受的呢？既然是領受的，為甚麼要自誇，好像不是領受的呢？

誰使你跟別人有分別呢？你有甚麼不是領受的呢？既也是領受的，為甚麼誇口、好像不是領受的呢？

使你與別人不同的到底是誰呢？你有什麼不是領受的呢？如果真是領受的，你為什麼還自誇，好像不是領受的呢？

誰使爾自異乎、爾何有而非受之乎、既受之、何自誇如未受乎、

爾為師、誰令爾大過人乎、爾未受時、原無所有、則受之後、何誇為固有、

爾異乎人、誰使爾異、爾何所有而非受之乎、既受之何誇似未受乎、

夫爾之優越、孰令致之？爾所有之一切、何一而非受之於主耶？既有所受、又安得自誇其所有、一若未之受耶？

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?

For who considers you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?

For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?

For who maketh thee to differ[ from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive[ it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received[ it]?

For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?

For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

John replied,“ A person can receive only what God gives them from heaven.

God’s gifts of grace come in many forms. Each of you has received a gift in order to serve others. You should use it faithfully.

Every good and perfect gift is from God. This kind of gift comes down from the Father who created the heavenly lights. These lights create shadows that move. But the Father does not change like these shadows.

We all have gifts. They differ according to the grace God has given to each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it according to the faith you have.

Lord, you are great and powerful. Glory, majesty and beauty belong to you. Everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you. Lord, the kingdom belongs to you. You are honored as the one who rules over all.Wealth and honor come from you. You are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power. You can give honor and strength to everyone.Our God, we give you thanks. We praise your glorious name.“ But who am I? And who are my people? Without your help we wouldn’t be able to give this much. Everything comes from you. We’ve given back to you only what comes from you.We are outsiders and strangers in your sight. So were all of our people who lived long ago. Our days on this earth are like a shadow. We don’t have any hope.Lord our God, we’ve given more than enough. We’ve provided it to build you a temple where you will put your holy Name. But all of it comes from you. All of it belongs to you.

The Lord gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.

God is full of grace. From him we have all received grace in place of the grace already given.

“ Your Majesty, the Most High God was good to your father Nebuchadnezzar. He gave him authority and greatness and glory and honor.

Many will not believe the truth. They will take pleasure in evil. They will be judged.Brothers and sisters, we should always thank God for you. The Lord loves you. That’s because God chose you as the first to be saved. Salvation comes through the Holy Spirit’s work. He makes people holy. It also comes through believing the truth.He chose you to be saved by accepting the good news that we preach. And you will share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Many people brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord. They brought expensive gifts for Hezekiah, the king of Judah. From then on, all the nations thought well of him.In those days Hezekiah became sick. He knew he was about to die. So he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord answered him. He gave him a miraculous sign.But Hezekiah’s heart was proud. He didn’t give thanks for the many kind things the Lord had done for him. So the Lord became angry with him. He also became angry with Judah and Jerusalem.Then Hezekiah had a change of heart. He was sorry he had been proud. The people of Jerusalem were also sorry they had sinned. So the Lord wasn’t angry with them as long as Hezekiah was king.Hezekiah was very rich. He received great honor. He made storerooms for his silver and gold. He also made them for his jewels, spices, shields and all kinds of expensive things.He made buildings to store the harvest of grain, fresh wine and olive oil. He made barns for all kinds of cattle. He made sheep pens for his flocks.He built villages. He gained large numbers of flocks and herds. God had made him very rich.

At one time we too acted like fools. We didn’t obey God. We were tricked. We were controlled by all kinds of desires and pleasures. We were full of evil. We wanted what belongs to others. People hated us, and we hated one another.But the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared.He saved us. It wasn’t because of the good things we had done. It was because of his mercy. He saved us by washing away our sins. We were born again. The Holy Spirit gave us new life.God poured out the Spirit on us freely. That’s because of what Jesus Christ our Savior has done.His grace made us right with God. So now we have received the hope of eternal life as God’s children.

So he sent for ten of his slaves. He gave them each about three months’ pay.‘ Put this money to work until I come back,’ he said.

There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit.There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord.There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all.To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge.To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing.To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages.All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.

We received grace because of what Jesus did. He made us apostles to the Gentiles. We must invite all of them to obey God by trusting in Jesus. We do this to bring glory to him.

You have taken your stand against the Lord of heaven. You had your servants bring cups from his temple to you. You and your nobles drank wine from them. So did your wives and concubines. You praised your gods. The statues of those gods are made out of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood or stone. They can’t see or hear or understand anything. But you didn’t honor God. He holds in his hand your very life and everything you do.

He said,“ Isn’t this the great Babylon I have built as a place for my royal palace? I used my mighty power to build it. It shows how glorious my majesty is.”He was still speaking when he heard a voice from heaven. It said,“ King Nebuchadnezzar, here is what has been ordered concerning you. Your royal authority has been taken from you.You will be driven away from people. You will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass just as an ox does. Seven periods of time will pass by for you. Then you will recognize that the Most High God rules over all kingdoms on earth. He gives them to anyone he wants.”

I am thankful to Christ Jesus our Lord. He has given me strength. I thank him that he considered me faithful. I thank him for appointing me to serve him.I used to speak evil things against Jesus. I tried to hurt his followers. I really pushed them around. But God showed me mercy anyway. I did those things without knowing any better. I wasn’t a believer.Our Lord poured out more and more of his grace on me. Along with it came faith and love from Christ Jesus.Here is a saying that you can trust. It should be accepted completely. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the worst sinner of all.

“ Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money.He gave five bags of gold to one. He gave two bags to another. And he gave one bag to the third. The man gave each slave the amount of money he knew the slave could take care of. Then he went on his journey.

I’m talking about the mystery God showed me. I have already written a little about it.By reading about this mystery, you will be able to understand what I know. You will know about the mystery of Christ.The mystery was not made known to people of other times. But now the Holy Spirit has made this mystery known to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

That night God appeared to Solomon. He said to him,“ Ask for anything you want me to give you.”Solomon answered God,“ You were very kind to my father David. Now you have made me king in his place.Lord God, let the promise you gave to my father David come true. You have made me king. My people are as many as the dust of the earth. They can’t be counted.Give me wisdom and knowledge. Then I’ll be able to lead these people. Without your help, who would be able to rule this great nation of yours?”God said to Solomon,“ I am glad that those are the things you really want. You have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor. You have not even asked to have your enemies killed. You have not asked to live for a long time. Instead, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge. You want to be able to rule my people wisely. I have made you king over them.So wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor. You will have more than any king before you ever had. And no king after you will have as much.”

So it doesn’t depend on what people want or what they do. It depends on God’s mercy.In Scripture, God says to Pharaoh,“ I had a special reason for making you king. I decided to use you to show my power. I wanted my name to become known everywhere on earth.”( Exodus 9:16)So God does what he wants to do. He shows mercy to one person and makes another stubborn.

Tell him,‘ The Lord and King says,“‘ “Pharaoh Hophra, I am against you. King of Egypt, you are like a huge monster lying among your streams. You say,‘ The Nile River belongs to me. I made it for myself.’

“ Son of man, speak to Ethbaal. He is the ruler of Tyre. Tell him,‘ The Lord and King says,“‘ “In your proud heart you say,‘ I am a god. I sit on the throne of a god in the Mediterranean Sea.’ But you are only a human being. You are not a god. In spite of that, you think you are as wise as a god.Are you wiser than Daniel? Isn’t even one secret hidden from you?You are wise and understanding. So you have become very wealthy. You have piled up gold and silver among your treasures.You have used your great skill in trading to increase your wealth. You are very rich. So your heart has become proud.” ’ ”

But because of God’s grace I am what I am. And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn’t do the work. God’s grace was with me.

God’s grace has been given to me. So here is what I say to every one of you. Don’t think of yourself more highly than you should. Be reasonable when you think about yourself. Keep in mind the faith God has given to each of you.

I wish all of you were single like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift, and another has that one.

Your bragging is not good. It is like yeast. Don’t you know that just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise?

After all, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? We are only people who serve. We helped you to believe. The Lord has given each of us our own work to do.

Then they shouted,“ This is the voice of a god. It’s not the voice of a man.”Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. Herod had not given praise to God. So he was eaten by worms and died.