Bible Verses About Religious Zeal

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;

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

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

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;

for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;

and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain;

to those without law, as without law--(not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) --that I might gain those without law;

I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some.

And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

but I chastise my body, and bring it into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others--I myself may become disapproved.

as I also in all things do please all, not seeking my own profit, but that of many--that they may be saved.

Followers of me become ye, as I also am of Christ.

If with the tongues of men and of messengers I speak, and have not love, I have become brass sounding, or a cymbal tinkling;

and if I give away to feed others all my goods, and if I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.

so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;

And I make known to you, brethren, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which also ye did receive, in which also ye have stood,

through which also ye are being saved, in what words I proclaimed good news to you, if ye hold fast, except ye did believe in vain,

for I delivered to you first, what also I did receive, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Writings,

and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Writings,

and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve,

afterwards he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain till now, and certain also did fall asleep;

afterwards he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

And last of all--as to the untimely birth--he appeared also to me,

for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I did persecute the assembly of God,

and by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace that is towards me came not in vain, but more abundantly than they all did I labour, yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me;