1 Corinthians

Chapter 1

¹ Paul, called by Christ Jesus to be an apostle by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ² to the church of God at Corinth, having been sanctified in Christ Jesus, who are called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. ³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I always give thanks to my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus. ⁵ For in everything you have been made rich in him, in all speech and all knowledge, ⁶ just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed as true among you. ⁷ Therefore you do not lack in any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁰ Now I urge you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and that there not be divisions among you, but that you be joined together in the same mind and in the same purpose. ¹¹ For it has been made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people that there are factions among you. ¹² Now I mean this, that each of you says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.” ¹³ Is Christ divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one might say that you were baptized into my name. ¹⁶ (I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know if I baptized any others.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be emptied of its power.

¹⁸ For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written,

     “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

     and I will frustrate the understanding of the intelligent.”

²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this world? Has not God turned the wisdom of the world into foolishness? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching. ²² For indeed Jews ask for miraculous signs and Greeks seek wisdom. ²³ But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks. ²⁴ But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than people, and the weakness of God is stronger than people.

²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers, that not many of you were wise according to the flesh, not many were powerful, and not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world in order to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world in order to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose what is low and what is despised in the world, and things that are not, in order to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ so that no flesh might boast before God. ³⁰ But because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made for us wisdom from God, righteousness, and also sanctification and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Chapter 2

¹ When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence of speech or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the mystery of God. ^{[1] 2} For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ My message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith might not be in human wisdom, but in God’s power.

⁶ Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are passing away. ⁷ Instead, we speak God’s wisdom in a hidden mystery, that God predestined before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But as it is written,

     “What eye has not seen,

     and ear has not heard,

     and has not arisen in man’s heart,

     these things God has prepared for those who love him.”

¹⁰ For God has revealed them to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man that is within him? So also, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² But we did not receive the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God. ¹³ And we speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things for spiritual people. ¹⁴ But the natural person does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But the one who is spiritual discerns all things, but he himself is discerned by no one.

     ¹⁶ “For who has known the mind of the Lord—who will instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

Chapter 3

¹ Brothers, I could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to fleshly people, as to infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able. Indeed, even now, you are not able. ³ For you are still fleshly. For where jealousy and strife exist among you, are you not fleshly, and walking like mere men? ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another says, “I am of Apollos,” are you not fleshly? ⁵ Who then is Apollos? And who is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord have given to each one. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So then, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but God is the one who causes the growth. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own wages according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s garden, God’s building.

¹⁰ According to the grace of God that was given to me as a skilled master builder, I laid a foundation and another is building on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay a foundation other than the one that has been laid, that is, Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ the work of each one will be evident, for the daylight will display it, for it will be revealed in fire. The fire itself will test what is the quality of each one’s work. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work that he built remains, he will receive a reward; ¹⁵ but if anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, as though through fire.

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God’s temple and the Spirit of God lives in you? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For the temple of God is holy, which is what you are.

¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a “fool” that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,

     “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

²⁰ And again,

     “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

²¹ For this reason, let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All things are yours, ²³ and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Chapter 4

¹ This is how a person should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² Now what is required of stewards is that one be found faithful. ³ But for me it is a very small thing that I would be judged by you, or by a human court. For I do not even judge myself. ⁴ For I am aware of nothing against myself, but I am not justified by this. But the Lord is the one who judges me. ⁵ Therefore do not judge anything before the time, before the Lord comes. He will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the purposes of the hearts. Then the praise from God will come to each one.

⁶ Now, brothers, I applied these things to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that through us you might learn this:

     “Do not go beyond what is written,”

so that no one would be puffed up in favor of the one against the other. ⁷ For who makes you superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if indeed you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? ⁸ Already you are satisfied! Already you have become rich! You began to reign apart from us, and I wish you really did reign, so that we also might reign with you. ⁹ For I think God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men sentenced to death. For we have become a spectacle to the world—both to angels, and to men. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. ¹¹ Up to this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and we are poorly clothed, and we are brutally beaten, and we are homeless. ¹² We work hard, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless. When we are persecuted, we endure. ¹³ When we are slandered, we speak with kindness. We have become as the scum of the world and the refuse all things, even until now.

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but to correct you as my beloved children. ¹⁵ For if you would have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ¹⁶ Therefore I urge you to be imitators of me. ¹⁷ For this reason, I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways that are in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. ¹⁸ Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹ But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills. Then I will find out not merely the talk of these who are arrogant, but their power. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. ²¹ What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

Chapter 5

¹ It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and a kind of immorality which does not even exist among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife. ² And you are proud! Should you not mourn instead, so that the one who did this deed might be removed from among you. ³ For even though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit. I have already passed judgment on the one who did such a thing, just as though I were there. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. ⁶ Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole loaf? ⁷ Clean out the old yeast so that you may be new dough, so that you may be unleavened bread. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸ So let us then celebrate the festival, not with old yeast, nor with yeast of bad behavior and wickedness, but with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. ¹⁰ In no way did I mean all the immoral people of this world, or the greedy, or swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother but who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. ¹² For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? ¹³ But God judges those who are outside.

     “Remove that evil person from among you.”

Chapter 6

¹ When one of you has a dispute with another, does he dare to go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? ² Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you not competent to judge the least important cases? ³ Do you not know that we will judge the angels? How much more, the matters of this life? ⁴ So then, if you have legal disputes about things of this life, why do you appoint those men as judges who are of no account in the church? ⁵ I say this to your shame. Is there not any wise man among you who is able to settle a dispute between his brothers? ⁶ But brother goes to court against brother, and this before unbelievers! ⁷ This therefore, is indeed already a complete defeat for you, since you have lawsuits among yourselves. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ But you do wrong and cheat, and this to your brothers! ⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor those who practice homosexuality, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were cleansed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.

¹² “Everything is lawful for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food,” but God will do away with both of them. The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. ¹⁴ Now God indeed raised the Lord, and will also raise up us by his power. ¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that the one who is joined to a prostitute is one flesh with her? For it says, “The two will become one flesh.” ¹⁷ But the one who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. ¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality! Every other sin that a person might commit is outside the body, but the one who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. ^[1]

Chapter 7

¹ Now concerning the issues you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” ² But because of immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. ³ The husband should give to the wife her sexual rights, and likewise the wife also to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise, the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specific time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then be together again, so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

⁶ But I say these things as a concession, not as a command. ⁷ I wish that everyone was even as myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one indeed this way, and another that way. ⁸ Now to the unmarried and to the widows I say that it is good if they remain as I am. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with desire. ¹⁰ Now to the married I give this command—not I, but the Lord—the wife should not be separated from her husband ¹¹ (but even if she is separated, she must remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. ¹² But to the rest I say—I, not the Lord—that if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, she must not divorce her husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever departs, let him go. In such cases, the brother or the sister is not bound, but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, woman, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, man, whether you will save your wife? ¹⁷ Only as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each one, thus let him walk. I direct in this way in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone called when he was circumcised? Let him not be uncircumcised. Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping the commandments of God. ²⁰ Each one, in the calling in which he was called, in that he should remain. ²¹ Were you called as a slave? Let it not be a concern to you. But if indeed you are able to become free, then take advantage of it. ²² For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise, the one who was called while free is a slave of Christ. ²³ You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. ²⁴ Brothers, in whatever condition each one was called, let him remain with God in that condition.

²⁵ Now concerning the virgins, I do not have a commandment from the Lord. However, having received mercy from the Lord, I give an opinion as one who is trustworthy. ²⁶ Therefore, I think this is good, because of the coming distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ But if indeed you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those of such kind will have distress in the flesh, and I want to spare you from this. ²⁹ But this I say, brothers: The time is shortened, so that from now on, and those who have wives should be as those having none; ³⁰ and those who weep, as though they were not weeping; and those who rejoice, as though they were not rejoicing; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; ³¹ and those using the world, as though they were not using it. For the present form of this world is passing away. ³² But I would like you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. ³³ But the married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, and he is divided. The unmarried woman or the virgin ³⁴ is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she might be holy both in the body and in the spirit. But the one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she might please her husband. ³⁵ I say this for your own benefit, not in order to put any constraint on you, but to promote what is appropriate and devoted to the Lord without any distraction. ³⁶ But if anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin—if she is beyond the age of marriage and it must be so—he should do what he wants. He is not sinning; let them marry. ³⁷ But the one who stands firm in his heart, not under compulsion, but having authority over his own will, and he has decided this in his own heart—to keep his own virgin—he will do well. ³⁸ So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, and the one who does not marry will do even better. ³⁹ A wife is bound for as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, but only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ Yet in my judgment she would be happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Chapter 8

¹ Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ² If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. ³ But if anyone loves God, that person is known by him. ⁴ So then, about the eating of food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol in this world is nothing and that there is no God but one. ⁵ For even if indeed there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,” ⁶ yet for us there is only one God the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist, and through whom we exist.

⁷ However, this knowledge is not in everyone. Instead, some are so accustomed to idols in the past, that they eat this food as if it were something sacrificed to an idol; and so their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ But food will not present us to God. We are not worse if we do not eat, nor better if we do eat. ⁹ But take care that this freedom of yours does not become a reason to stumble for those who are weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees the one who has knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, being weak, not be built up so as to eat the things sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ So the one who is weak, the brother for whom Christ died, is destroyed through your knowledge. ¹² Thus, when you sin against your brothers and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will not ever eat meat, so that I may not cause my brother to stumble.

Chapter 9

¹ Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my workmanship in the Lord? ² If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you. For you are the proof of my apostleship in the Lord. ³ This is my defense to those who examine me: ⁴ Do we not have the right to eat and drink? ⁵ Do we not have the right to take along with us a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who do not have the right not to work? ⁷ Who serves as a soldier at any time at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock? ⁸ Am I not saying these things according to human authority? Or does not the law also say this? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, “Do not put a muzzle on an ox when it is treading out the grain.” God does not care about the oxen, does he? ¹⁰ Or is he speaking entirely for our sake? For it was written for us, the one who plows ought to plow in hope, and the one who threshes ought to thresh in hope of sharing the harvest. ¹¹ If we sowed spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? ¹² If others exercised this right over you, should we not even more? But we did not claim this right. Instead we endured everything in order not to cause any hindrance to the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do you not know that those who serve in the temple eat from the things of the temple; those who serve at the altar partake from the altar? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from the gospel. ¹⁵ But I have not claimed any of these rights. For I do not write these things so that this might be done for me, for it would be better for me to die rather than anyone would deprive me of my boasting. ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, there is no reason for me to boast, because this necessity was placed upon me. For woe be to me if I would not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this willingly, I have a reward. But if unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel without charge, I might offer the gospel so as not to take full use of my right in the gospel. ¹⁹ For though I am free from all, I made myself a servant to all, in order that I might gain even more. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law, I became like one under the law in order to win those under the law, though I myself was not under the law. ^{[1] 21} To those outside the law, I became like one outside the law (although I was not outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ) so that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I might become a partaker of it. ²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run in such a way that you might obtain it. ²⁵ But everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it in order that they might receive a perishable crown, but we, an imperishable one. ²⁶ Therefore I run thus, not as without purpose; I fight thus, not as boxing the air. ²⁷ But I subdue my body and make it a slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself might not be disqualified.

Chapter 10

¹ For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea. ² They all were baptized into Moses, in the cloud and in the sea, ³ and they all ate the same spiritual food. ⁴ They all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ But God was not well pleased with most of them, and their corpses were scattered about in the wilderness. ⁶ Now these things became examples for us, so that we would not desire evil things, as they also desired. ⁷ Do not become idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ Do not commit sexual immorality, as many of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty-three thousand people fell in one day. ⁹ Do not put Christ to the test, as many of them put him to the test, and were destroyed by the snakes. ¹⁰ Do not grumble, as many of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as examples. For they were written for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. ¹² Therefore the one who thinks he stands, let him be careful that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you, except what is common to humanity. Instead, God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, so that you will be able to endure it.

¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one loaf of bread, we who are many are one body. For we all partake from the one loaf of bread. ¹⁸ Look at Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who are eating the sacrifices partakers of the altar? ¹⁹ What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to an idol is anything? Or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ Rather, I mean that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. But I do not want you to be partakers with the demons! ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. ²² Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than him, are we?

²³ “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds people up. ²⁴ No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. ²⁵ You may eat everything that is sold in the market, without asking for the sake of your conscience. ²⁶ For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness of it.” ²⁷ If any of the unbelievers invite you to a meal, and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you without asking questions for the sake of your conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— ^{[1] 29} now I mean the conscience, not your own, but that of the other person. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake of the meal with gratitude, why am I being insulted for that for which I gave thanks? ³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ³² Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks, or to the church of God, ³³ just as I also try to please all people in all things. I do not seek my own benefit, but that of the many, so that they might be saved.

Chapter 11

¹ Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

² Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and you hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. ³ Now I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies, having something on his head, dishonors his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. ⁶ For if a woman does not cover her head, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or for her head to be shaved, let her cover her head. ⁷ For a man ought not to have his head covered, being the image and glory of God. But the woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man is not from woman. Instead, woman is from man. ⁹ For man was not created for the woman, but woman for the man. ¹⁰ This is why the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord, woman is not independent from man, nor is man independent from woman. ¹² For as the woman is from the man, so also the man is through the woman: but all things are from God. ¹³ Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him? ¹⁵ But if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her long hair has been given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone wants to be contentious about this, we do not have any other practice, nor do the churches of God.

¹⁷ But in the following instructions, I do not praise you, for you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁸ For in the first place, I hear that when you come together in the church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ For there must in fact be factions among you, so that also those who are approved may become evident among you. ²⁰ For when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. ²¹ For when it is time to eat, each one takes his own supper first; and this one is indeed hungry, and that one is drunk. ²² For do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you for this? I will not praise you! ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and after he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembance of me.” ²⁶ For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. ²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But let a person examine himself, and in this way let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For he who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment to himself. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and ill, and many of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ But if we examine ourselves, we would not be judged. ³² But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we would not be condemned along with the world. ³³ Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you might not come together for judgment. And about the other things you wrote, I will give directions as soon as I come.

Chapter 12

¹ Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. ² You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to mute idols, in whatever ways you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are different kinds of work, but the same God who works all things in everyone. ⁷ Now to each one is given the outward display of the Spirit for the benefit of all. ⁸ For to one is given by the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another deeds of power, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But the one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing them to each one individually just as he desires.

¹² For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bound or free, and all were made to drink of one Spirit. ¹⁴ For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Since I am not the hand, I am not part of the body,” it is not for this reason, any less part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it is not for this reason, any less part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as he desired. ¹⁹ But if they were all the same member, where would the body be? ²⁰ So now there are many members, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not have need of you.” Or again, the head say to the feet, “I do not have need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the members of the body that appear to be weaker are much more essential, ²³ and the parts of the body that we think are less honorable, we give them greater honor, and our unpresentable members have more dignity, ²⁴ but our presentable members do not have this need. But God has combined the body together, giving more honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there may be no division within the body, but that the members should care for one another with the same affection. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer together; and if a member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has indeed appointed some in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administration, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they? ³⁰ Not all have gifts of healing, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they? ³¹ But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And now, I will show you a more excellent way.

Chapter 13

¹ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but I do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give my body so that I might boast, but I do not have love, I gain nothing. ^{[1] 4} Love is patient and is kind; love does not envy; love does not boast, it is not arrogant. ⁵ It is not rude, it does not seek its own, it is not easily angered, it does not keep a count of wrongs. ⁶ It does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will pass away: if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when the perfect comes, that which is partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I put away childish things. ¹² For now we see unclearly in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I have also been fully known. ¹³ But now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Chapter 14

¹ Pursue love and be zealous for spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ² For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God; for no one understands, but he speaks mysteries in spirit. ³ But the one who prophesies speaks to people for building up, and encouragement, and consolation. ⁴ The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I desire for all of you to speak in tongues, but rather even more that you would prophesy. Now the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues (unless he would interpret, so that the church may be built up). ⁶ But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I benefit you, unless I speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or teaching? ⁷ Even lifeless instruments that make sounds—whether flute or harp—if they do not make different sounds, how will it be known what is being played on the flute or what is being played on the harp? ⁸ For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? ⁹ So it is also with you. Unless you give intelligible speech with your tongue, how will it be known what is being spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are doubtless so many kinds of languages in the world, and none is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the one speaking, and the one speaking will be a foreigner to me. ¹² So it is also with you, since you are eager for spiritual gifts, seek that you should cause them to abound for the building up of the church. ¹³ So the one speaking in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ Therefore, what should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, and I will also sing with my mind. ¹⁶ Otherwise, if you praise God with the spirit, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you certainly give thanks well enough, but the other person is not built up. ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹ But in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind so that I might also instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

²⁰ Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Rather, be childlike in evil, but be mature in your thinking. ²¹ In the law it is written,

     “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers

     I will speak to this people,

     but not even in this way will they hear me,”

says the Lord. ²² So then, tongues are for a sign, not to the believers, but to the unbelievers; but prophesy is not to the unbelievers, but to the believers. ²³ If, therefore, the whole church comes together to the same place and they all speak in tongues, but ungifted or unbelievers come in, would they not say that you are insane? ²⁴ But if you all were prophesying, but some unbeliever or ungifted person came in, he would be convicted by all and examined by all, ²⁵ the secrets of his heart would be revealed, and so he would fall on his face and worship God, declaring, “God is really among you.”

²⁶ What is to be then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, or has an interpretation. All things are for the building up of the church. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be two or at most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret. ²⁸ But if there is not an interpreter, let him be silent in the church. Instead, let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others discern what is said. ³⁰ But if a revelation is given to another who is sitting there, let the first be silent. ³¹ For all can prophesy one by one so that all may learn and all may be encouraged. ³² Indeed the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints, ³⁴ let the women be silent in the churches. For it is not permitted for them to speak, but to be in submission, as also the law says. ³⁵ If however they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church. ³⁶ Or did the word of God go out from you? Or has it come only to you?

³⁷ If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I write to you are a command of the Lord. ³⁸ But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. ^[1]

³⁹ So then, brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But let all things be done properly and in order.

Chapter 15

¹ Now I make know to you, brothers, the gospel that I proclaimed to you, which you also received, on which you also stand, ² by which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. ³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, ⁴ and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once. Most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, he appeared to me, as if to a child born at the wrong time. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace that was in me was not in vain. Instead, I worked harder than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. ¹¹ Therefore whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed that he was raised from the dead, how can some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he has not raised, if indeed the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁷ and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those who have died in Christ have also perished. ¹⁹ If only in this life we have hope in Christ, of all people we are most to be pitied.

²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came by a man, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruit, then at his coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then will be the end, when Christ will hand over the kingdom to the God and Father, when he will abolish all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be abolished is death. ²⁷ For “he has put everything under his feet.” But when it says “he has put everything,” it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him. ²⁸ Now when all things have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.

²⁹ Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? ³⁰ Why also, are we in danger every hour? ³¹ I die every day! I swear by my boasting in you, brothers, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² What is the profit to me, according to human reasoning, if I fought wild beasts at Ephesus? if the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” ³³ Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ³⁴ Sober up! Live righteously! Do not keep sinning. For some of you have no knowledge of God—I say this to your shame.

³⁵ But someone will say, “How are the dead raised, and with what kind of body will they come?” ³⁶ You are so foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷ And what you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare seed—perhaps wheat or something else. ³⁸ But God will give it a body as he desires, and to each of the seeds, its own body. ³⁹ Not all flesh is the same. Instead, there is one flesh of human beings, and another flesh of animals, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the glory of the heavenly is one kind, and the glory of the earthly is another. ⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars. For star differs from star in glory. ⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. What is sown in decay, is raised in immortality. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So also it is written, “The first man Adam became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ But the spiritual did not come first but the natural, and then the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ Just as the one was earthly, so also are those of the earth; and as the one is heavenly, so also are those of heaven. ⁴⁹ And just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

⁵⁰ Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Look! I tell you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable body must put on what is imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this perishable body has put on what is imperishable, and when this mortal body has put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written,

     “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

     ⁵⁵ “Death, where is your victory?

     Death, where is your sting?”

⁵⁶ But the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work is not in vain in the Lord.

Chapter 16

¹ Now concerning the collection which is for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so also you are to do. ² On every first day of the week, let each of you put something aside, storing up from what he might have prospered, so that when I come, there will not be collections then. ³ Then when I arrive, whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ And if it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me. ⁵ But I will come to you after I have passed through Macedonia. For I am going through Macedonia. ⁶ But perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my way, wherever I go. ⁷ For I do not desire to see you now only in passing, for I hope to remain with you for a period of time, if the Lord permits. ⁸ But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, ⁹ for a wide and effective door has opened for me, and there are many adversaries.

¹⁰ Now if Timothy comes, see that he might be unafraid with you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I also am. ¹¹ Therefore, let no one despise him. But help him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me, for I am expecting him, with the brothers. ¹² Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly encouraged him that he come to you with the brothers. But it was not at all his will that he come now. However, he will come when he has the opportunity.

¹³ Stay alert; stand firm in the faith; act like men; be strong. ¹⁴ Let all you do be done in love.

¹⁵ Now you know, brothers, the household of Stephanas, that they were the firstfruit of Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, ¹⁶ so that you also might be subject to people such as these, and to everyone who joins together and labors in the work. ¹⁷ I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. ¹⁸ For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. So then, recognize people like this.

¹⁹ The churches of Asia send greetings to you. Aquila and Priscilla warmly greet you in the Lord, with the church that is in their home. ²⁰ All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹ This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. ²² If anyone does not love the Lord, may he be accursed. Our Lord, come! ²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴ My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. ^[1]