First Corinthians

11Paul, called {to be} an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother, 2to the church of God that is in Corinth, having been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all the ones in every place calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, theirs and ours. 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4I always give thanks to my God for you because of the grace of God, the one having been given to you in Christ Jesus. 5For in everything you were made rich in him, in all word and all knowledge, 6just as the testimony of Christ has been confirmed among you, 7so that you do not lack in any gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8who will also confirm you to the end, blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God {is} faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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

18For the word of the cross is foolishness to the ones perishing, but to us, the ones being saved, it is the power of God. 19For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and I will frustrate the understanding of the intelligent.”

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

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

21And I, brothers, having come to you, did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery of God. Many other versions read proclaiming the testimony of God. 2For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4And my word and my proclamation {were} not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5so that your faith might not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

6Now we speak wisdom among the mature, but not wisdom of this age nor of the rulers of this age, the ones passing away. 7Instead, we speak the wisdom of God that has been hidden in a mystery that God predestined before the ages for our glory, 8which none of the rulers of this age understood, for if they had understood {it}, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But just as it is written,

“What eye has not seen,

and ear has not heard,

and has not arisen in the heart of man,

these things God has prepared for the one loving him.”

10For God revealed them to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God. 11For 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. 12But we did not receive the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God. 13And we speak these things not in words taught by human wisdom but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual things with spiritual words. 14But the natural person does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But the spiritual one 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.

31And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able. Indeed, even now, you are not able. 3For you are still fleshly. For where {there is} jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and walking according to men? 4For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not men? 5Who then is Apollos? And who is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused {it} to grow. 7So then, neither the one planting nor the one watering is anything, but God {is} the one causing the growth. 8Now the one planting and the one watering are one, and each will receive his own wages according to his own labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

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

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

18Let 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. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,

“He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

20And again,

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

21So then, let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things coming. All {things are} yours, 23and you {are} Christ’s, and Christ {is} God’s.

41In this manner let a man regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2In this case, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful. 3But to me it is a very small thing that I would be examined by you or by a human court. For I do not examine myself. 4For I am aware of nothing against myself, but I am not justified by this; but the one judging me is the Lord. 5Therefore, do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the purposes of the hearts. And then the praise from God will come to each one.

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

“Not beyond what is written,”

so that no one would be puffed up in favor of the one against the other. 7For who makes you superior? And 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}? 8Already 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. 9For I think God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as sentenced to death. For we have become a spectacle to the world—both to angels and to men. 10We {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. 11Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty and are poorly clothed and are brutally beaten and are homeless 12and are working hard, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13being slandered, we comfort. We have become as the scum of the world, the refuse of all things, even until now.

14I do not write these things as shaming you, but as my beloved children, I correct {you}. 15For if you would have myriads of guardians in Christ, yet {you would} not {have} many fathers; for I fathered you in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16Therefore, I urge you, become imitators of me. 17Because of this I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways {that are} in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some have been puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not merely the word of the ones having been puffed up, but their power. 20For the kingdom of God {is} not in word but in power. 21What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

51It is actually reported {that there is} sexual immorality among you, and such immorality which {is} not even among the Gentiles—that someone has his father’s wife. 2And you are puffed up, and you did not mourn instead, so that the one having done this deed might be removed from among you. 3For even I, being absent in the body but being present in the spirit, have already passed judgment on the one having done such a thing, as if being present. 4You and my spirit, having been assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 6Your boasting {is} not good. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole loaf? 7Clean out the old yeast so that you may be new dough, just as you are unleavened bread. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has also been sacrificed. 8So then, we should celebrate the festival, not with old yeast, nor with yeast of evil and wickedness, but with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10by no means the immoral people of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out from the world. 11But now I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother {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. 12For what to me to judge the ones outside? Do you not judge the ones inside? 13But God judges Instead of judges, some ancient manuscripts read will judge. the ones outside.

“Remove the evil from among yourselves.”

61Do any of you dare, having a dispute with another, to go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy of the smallest cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more, matters of this life? 4So then, if you have legal disputes about things of this life, why do you appoint as judges these ones of no account in the church? 5I speak to your shame. {Is it} thus that there is not any wise {man} among you who will be able to discern between his brothers? 6But brother goes to court against brother, and this before unbelievers? 7This, therefore, is indeed already a complete defeat for you, since you have lawsuits among yourselves. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8But you do wrong and cheat, and this to your brothers! 9Or 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 practicing homosexuals 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that {is what} some of you were. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but 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 for food,” but God will do away with both this and those. Now the body {is} not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord and the Lord for the body. 14Now God indeed raised the Lord and will also raise up us by his power. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Therefore, having taken away the members of Christ, should I make {them} members of a prostitute? May it never be! 16Or do you not know that the one being joined to the prostitute is one body? For it says, “The two will become as one flesh.” 17But the one being joined to the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee from sexual immorality! Every sin that a man might commit is outside the body, but the one being sexually immoral sins against his own body. 19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit in you, whom you have from God? And you are not your own, 20for you were bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body. Some older copies read Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which belong to God. But the best copies do not have this reading.

71Now concerning what you wrote: “{It is} good for a man not to touch a woman.” 2But because of immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3Let the husband give to the wife the duty and likewise the wife also to the husband. 4The 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}. 5Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a season, so that you may devote {yourselves} to prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6But I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7But I wish for all men to be even as myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one indeed this way, and another that way. 8Now to the unmarried and to the widows I say that {it is} good if they remain as I also am. 9But if they do not have self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn. 10Now to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to be separated from her husband 11(but even if she might be separated, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to the husband), and a husband is not to divorce a wife. 12But to the rest I say—I, not the Lord—if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, let her not divorce the husband. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through the brother. Otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 15But 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. 16For how do you know, woman, whether you will save the husband? Or how do you know, man, whether you will save the wife? 17However, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each one, thus let him walk. And in this way I direct in all the churches. 18Was anyone called, having been circumcised? Let him not be uncircumcised. Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but observance of the commandments of God. 20Each one, in the calling in which he was called, let him remain in that. 21Were 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}. 22For the one having been called in the Lord {as} a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise, the one having been called as a freeman is a slave of Christ. 23You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each one in that which he was called, let him remain with God in this.

25Now concerning the virgins, I do not have a command of the Lord. However, I give an opinion as having received mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy. 26Therefore, I think this is good, because of the coming distress, that {it is} good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28But if indeed you would marry, you have not sinned; and if the virgin would marry, she has not sinned. But the ones of such kind will have distress in the flesh, and I want to spare you {from this}. 29But this I say, brothers: The time is shortened, so that from now on, even the ones having wives should be as having none; 30and the ones weeping, as not weeping; and the ones rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and the ones buying, as not possessing; 31and the ones using the world, as not using it; for the present form of this world is passing away. 32But I would like you to be free from concern. The unmarried {man} is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he might please the Lord. 33But the married {man} is concerned about the things of the world, how to please the wife, and he is divided. And the unmarried woman or the virgin 34is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she might be holy both in the body and in the spirit. But the one having been married is concerned about the things of the world, how she might please the husband. 35Now I say this for your own benefit, not in order to put any constraint on you, but toward what {is} appropriate and devoted to the Lord without any distraction. 36But 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. 37But he 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. 38So then, the one marrying his own virgin does well, and the one not marrying will do even better. 39A wife is bound for as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, but only in the Lord. 40Yet according to my judgment she would be happier if she would remain as she is. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

81Now about the things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, that one is known by him. 4So then, about the eating of the things sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol in the world {is} nothing and that {there is} no God except one. 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,” 6yet for us {there is} one God the Father, from whom {are} all things and for whom we {are}, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all {things are}, and through whom we {are}.

7However, this knowledge {is} not in everyone. Instead, some, {being} in the custom of the idols until now, eat things as sacrificed to idols, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8But food will not bring us near to God; neither are we made to lack if we do not eat, nor do we abound if we eat. 9But take care lest this authority of yours might become a stumbling block for the weak. 10For if someone might see the one having knowledge reclining to eat in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, being weak, not be built up so as to eat the things sacrificed to idols? 11So the one being weak, the brother for whom Christ died, is destroyed through your knowledge. 12And thus sinning against your brothers and wounding their weak consciences, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will certainly not ever eat meat, so that I might not cause my brother to stumble.

91Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you. For you are the proof of my apostleship in the Lord. 3My defense to the ones examining me is this: 4Do we certainly not have a right to eat and to drink? 5Do we certainly not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right not to work? 7Who 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? 8Am I not saying these things according to men, or does not the law also say these things? 9For it is written in the law of Moses, “Do not muzzle an ox treading out grain.” God does not care about the oxen, does he? 10Or is he speaking entirely for our sake? For it was written for our sake that the one plowing ought to plow in hope, and the one threshing, in hope of sharing the harvest. 11If we sowed spiritual things among you, {is it} too much if we will reap material things from you? 12If others shared the right over you, {do} we not even more? But we did not take advantage of this right. Instead we endured everything in order that we might not give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 13Do you not know that the ones working in the temple eat from the things of the temple; the ones serving at the altar partake from the altar? 14In the same way also, the Lord commanded the ones proclaiming the gospel to live from the gospel. 15But I have not taken advantage of {any} of these things. Now I do not write these things so that thus it might be done for me, for {it would be} better for me to die rather than {anyone} will make my boast empty. 16For if I proclaim the gospel, there is nothing for me to boast, because compulsion is placed upon me. For woe be to me if I would not preach the gospel! 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward. But if unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18What then is my reward? That proclaiming the gospel without charge, I might offer the gospel so as not to take advantage of my right in the gospel. 19For being free from all, I enslaved myself to all in order that I might gain the more {people}. 20And to the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to gain Jews. To the ones under law, as under law, not being under law myself The ULT and UST read not being under law myself. Some older versions leave out these words. in order to gain the ones under law. 21To the ones without law, {I became} as without law (not being without the law of God, but under the law of Christ) so that I might gain the ones without law. 22To the weak I became weak so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to everyone so that I might by all means save some. 23But I do all things for the sake of the gospel so that I might become a partaker of it. 24Do you not know that the ones running in a stadium all run, but {only} one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you might obtain {it}. 25But everyone competing in the games exercises self-control in all things. They therefore {do it} in order that they might receive a perishable wreath, but we, an imperishable one. 26Therefore, I run thus, not as without purpose; I fight thus, not as boxing the air. 27But I subdue my body and enslave it, lest having preached to others, I myself might be disqualified.

101For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2and they all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and they all ate the same spiritual food, 4and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock following {them}, and the rock was Christ. 5But God was not well pleased with most of them, for they were scattered about in the wilderness. 6Now these things became examples for us so that we would not be ones desiring evil things, just as they also desired. 7Do not become idolaters, just as some of them {were}; even as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play.” 8Nor should we commit sexual immorality, just as many of them committed sexual immorality, and 23,000 people fell in one day. 9Nor should we put the Lord Instead of Lord, many ancient manuscripts read Christ. to the test, just as many of them put {him} to the test and were destroyed by the snakes. 10Do not grumble, even as many of them grumbled and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11Now these things happened to them {as} examples, but they were written for our admonition, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12Therefore, the one thinking he stands, let him be careful that he might not fall. 13No temptation has seized you except {what is} common to humanity; but God {is} faithful, who 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.

14Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from idolatry. 15I speak as to sensible {people}. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing of the body of Christ? 17Because {there is} one bread, we the many {are} one body; for we all partake from the one bread. 18Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not the ones eating the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19What am I saying then: that {food} sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20Rather, 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! 21You are not able to drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You are not able to partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. 22Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than him, are we?

23“All {things are} lawful,” but not all {things are} beneficial. “All {things are} lawful,” but not all things build up. 24Let no one seek his own good, but that of the other {person}. 25Eat everything that is being sold in the market, without asking for the sake of the conscience. 26For “the earth {is} the Lord’s, and the fullness of it.” 27If any of the unbelievers invite you, and you want to go, eat everything being set before you, without asking questions for the sake of the conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This is offered in sacrifice,” do not eat {it}, for the sake of that one having informed you, and conscience— Some older manuscripts add For the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord. But the best manuscripts do not have this. 29now I say the conscience, not your own, but that of the other {person}. For why {is} my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30If I partake with gratitude, why am I insulted for that which I give thanks? 31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33just as I also please all {people} in all things, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, so that they might be saved.

111Be imitators of me, just as I also {am} of Christ.

2Now I praise you, because you remember me in all things and you hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. 3Now 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. 4Every man praying or prophesying, having something on his head, dishonors his head. 5But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as having been shaved. 6For 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 to be shaved, let her cover her head. 7For a man ought not to cover his head, being the image and glory of God. But the woman is the glory of man. 8For man is not from woman, but woman {is} from man. 9For indeed man was not created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10Because of this the woman ought to have authority on the head, because of the angels. 11Nevertheless, in the Lord, woman {is} not independent from man, nor {is} man independent from woman. 12For even as the woman {is} from the man, so also the man {is} through the woman, but all {things are} from God. 13Judge for your own selves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God uncovered? 14Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man might have long hair, it is a disgrace for him, 15but if a woman might have long hair, it is glory for her? For the long hair has been given to her as a covering. 16But if anyone thinks to be contentious {about this}, we do not have any such practice, nor the churches of God.

17But in commanding this, I do not praise you, for you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18For first, I hear {that in} your coming together in the church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19For it is necessary indeed for there to be factions among you, so that also the ones approved may become evident among you. 20So then, your coming together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21For when eating, each one takes his own supper first; and one is indeed hungry, but one is drunk. 22For do you certainly not have houses in {which} to eat and to drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate the ones having nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you for this? I do not praise you! 23For 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, 24and having given thanks, he broke {it} and said, “This is my body, {which is} for you. Do this in the remembrance of me.” 25In the same way also the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink {it}, in the remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he would come. 27Whoever, therefore, might eat the bread or might drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and in this way let him eat from the bread, and let him drink from the cup. 29For the one eating and drinking without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment to himself. 30Because of this many among you {are} weak and sick, and many are fallen asleep. 31But if we were examining ourselves, we would not be judged. 32But being judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we might not be condemned along with the world. 33Therefore, my brothers, coming together to eat, wait for one another. 34If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you might not come together for judgment. Now {about} the remaining things, I will give directions when I come.

121Now about the spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, in whatever ways you were led. 3Therefore, I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus {is} accursed,” and no one is able to say, “Jesus {is} Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

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

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

131If 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. 2And if I have 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. 3And if I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body, so that I might boast, but I do not have love, I gain nothing. The best ancient copies read I hand over my body, so that I might boast. Some other versions read I hand over my body to be burned. 4Love is patient {and} is kind; love does not envy; love does not boast; it is not puffed up. 5It is not rude; it does not seek {its} own; it is not easily angered; it does not keep a count of the wrongs. 6It does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails. But if {there are} prophecies, they will pass away; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when the perfect comes, {that which is} partial will pass away. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away the things of the child. 12For 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 also have been fully known. 13But now these three remain: faith, hope, {and} love. But the greatest of these {is} love.

141Pursue love, but be zealous for the spiritual gifts, but especially that you might prophesy. 2For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands, but he speaks mysteries in spirit. 3But the one prophesying speaks to men for building up and encouragement and consolation. 4The one speaking in a tongue builds up himself, but the one prophesying builds up the church. 5Now I desire you all to speak in tongues, but even more, that you might prophesy. Now the one prophesying is greater than the one speaking in tongues (unless he would interpret, so that the church might receive building up). 6But 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? 7Even lifeless things giving sounds—whether flute or harp—if they would not give different sounds, how will the thing being played on the flute or the thing being played on the harp be known? 8For indeed, if a trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9In the same way also you, unless you give intelligible speech with your tongue, how will the thing being spoken be understood? For you will be speaking into the air. 10There are doubtless so many kinds of languages in the world, and none {is} without meaning. 11If then I would 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. 12So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts for the building up of the church, seek that you would abound in them. 13So let the one speaking in a tongue pray that he might interpret. 14If I would pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15What then is it? 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. 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will the one filling the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17For you certainly give thanks well, but the other {person} is not built up. 18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you; 19but in the church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I might also instruct others, than myriads of words in a tongue.

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

“By {people} of other 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. 22So then, the tongues are for a sign, not to the ones believing, but to the unbelievers; but prophecy {is} not to the unbelievers, but to the ones believing. 23If, therefore, the whole church might come together to the same place and they would all speak in tongues, but ungifted or unbelievers would come in, will they not say that you are insane? 24But if they all would prophesy, but some unbeliever or ungifted person might come in, he is convicted by all, he is examined by all, 25the secrets of his heart become visible, and so, having fallen on his face, he will worship God, declaring, “God is really among you.”

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

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

37If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that what I write to you is a command of the Lord. 38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. Many of the best ancient manuscripts have let him be ignorant. Some ancient manuscripts have he is considered ignorant.

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

151Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel that I proclaimed to you, which also you received, on which also you stand, 2by which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to what word I proclaimed to you, unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you among the first what I also received—that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, 4and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve. 6Then he was seen by more than 500 brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. 7Then he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8Now last of all, he was seen by me also, as if to a child born at the wrong time. 9For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace that {was} in me was not in vain. Instead, I labored harder than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11Therefore, whether I or they, in this way we preach, and in this way you believed.

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

20But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of the ones having fallen asleep. 21For since death {is} by a man, by a man also resurrection of the dead. 22For even as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then at his coming, the ones of Christ. 24Then {will be} the end, when he hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all the enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be abolished: death. 27For “he has put everything under his feet.” But when it says, “he has put everything,” {it is} clear that the one having put everything in subjection to him {is} excepted. 28Now when all the things have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one having subjected all the things to him, so that God might be all in all.

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

35But someone will say, “How are the dead raised, and with what kind of body do they come?” 36You foolish one! What you sow is not caused to live unless it dies. 37And what you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare seed—perhaps wheat or something else. 38But God gives it a body just as he desires, and to each of the seeds, its own body. 39Not all flesh {is} the same flesh. Instead, {there is} one {flesh} of men, 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, and that 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. 42So also {is} the resurrection of the dead. {What} is sown in decay is raised in immortality. 43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual {body}. 45So also it is written, “The first man Adam became a living soul.” The last Adam {is} a life-giving spirit. 46But the spiritual {is} not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. 47The first man {is} of the earth, made of dust. The second man {is} from heaven. 48As the earthly, so also {are} the ones of earth; and as the heavenly, so also {are} the ones of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us also bear Instead of let us also bear, some ancient manuscripts read we will also bear. the image of the heavenly.

50Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood are not able to inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed— 52in 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. 53For it is necessary for this perishable to put on incorruptibility, and this mortal to put on immortality. 54But when this perishable has put on incorruptibility, and this mortal has put on immortality, then will come about the word that is written,

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55“Death, where {is} your victory?

Death, where {is} your sting?”

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

161Now concerning the collection {that is} for the saints, even as I directed the churches of Galatia, so also you must do. 2Every first of the week, let each of you put {something} aside, storing up from whatever he might have prospered, so that when I come, there will not be collections then. 3Now when I arrive, whomever you might approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4But if it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me. 5But I will come to you after I have passed through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia. 6But perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my way wherever I might go. 7For I do not desire to see you now only in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord would permit. 8But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9for a wide and effective door has opened for me, and many are opposing {me}.

10Now if Timothy comes, see that he would be unafraid with you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I {am.} 11Therefore, 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. 12Now concerning the brother Apollos, I strongly encouraged him that he would come to you with the brothers, but it was not at all his will that he would come now. However, he will come when he might have the opportunity.

13Stay alert; stand firm in the faith; act like men; be strong. 14Let all your things happen in love.

15Now I urge you, brothers (you know the household of Stephanas, that they are the firstfruits of Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to service of the saints), 16that you also would be subject to the ones such as these and to everyone who is joining together in the work and laboring. 17Now I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied {what} was lacking from you; 18for they refreshed my spirit and yours. So then, recognize the ones like these.

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

21This greeting {is} in my own hand—Paul. 22If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed. Maranatha! 23The grace of the Lord Jesus {be} with you. 24My love {be} with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. Some versions leave out Amen.