Romans 16:17-27 What does the Bible say about the company we keep?

Who do you choose to spend most of your time with? Listen to what the Bible says about this in Romans 16.

Bible References:

Romans 16:17-27 ( KJV ) ¹⁷Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  ¹⁸For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  ¹⁹For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.  ²⁰And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. ²¹Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.  ²²I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.  ²³Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.  ²⁴The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. ²⁵Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,  ²⁶But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:  ²⁷To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Ephesians 4:11-14 ( KJV ) ¹¹And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  ¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  ¹³Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  ¹⁴That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ( KJV ) ¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  ¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Ephesians 5:6-17 ( KJV ) ⁶Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.  ⁷Be not ye therefore partakers with them.  ⁸For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:  ⁹(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)  ¹⁰Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.  ¹¹And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  ¹²For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.  ¹³But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.  ¹⁴Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.  ¹⁵See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  ¹⁶Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  ¹⁷Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 ( KJV ) ⁶Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.  ⁷For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;  ⁸Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:  ⁹Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.  ¹⁰For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.  ¹¹For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.  ¹²Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.  ¹³But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.  ¹⁴And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.  ¹⁵Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Matthew 7:1-5 ( KJV ) ¹Judge not, that ye be not judged.  ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  ³And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  ⁴Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  ⁵Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Galatians 6:1-5 ( KJV ) ¹Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  ²Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.  ³For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.  ⁴But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  ⁵For every man shall bear his own burden.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 ( KJV ) ⁹I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:  ¹⁰Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.  ¹¹But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  ¹²For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?  ¹³But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Matthew 18:15-17 ( KJV ) ¹⁵Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  ¹⁶But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  ¹⁷And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ( KJV ) ¹⁴Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  ¹⁵And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  ¹⁶And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  ¹⁷Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  ¹⁸And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.  2 Corinthians 7:1-4 ( KJV ) ¹Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.  ²Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.  ³I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.  ⁴Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.