To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified (set apart, made holy) in Christ Jesus, who are selected and called as saints (God’s people), together with all those who in every place call on and honor the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

that in everything you were made rich in him, in all speech and all knowledge,

In this way our testimony about Christ was confirmed and established in you,

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift [which comes from the Holy Spirit], as you eagerly wait [with confident trust] for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ [when He returns].

Now I exhort you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same [thing] and there not be divisions among you, and that you be made complete in the same mind and with the same purpose.

For I have been informed about you, my brothers and sisters, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are quarrels and factions among you.

that no man might say, I baptised into my own name.

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men's wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men's might.

but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;

and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:

So that no flesh might have glory before God.

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

For I had made the decision to have knowledge of nothing among you but only of Jesus Christ on the cross.

that your faith might not stand in men's wisdom, but in God's power.

but just as it is written [in Scripture],“Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed].”

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

I [Paul] planted [i.e., preached God's word], Apollos watered [it], but God made it grow.

On that foundation, if a man proceeds to build gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each man's work will be made manifest.

Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

If any man's work??he building he has made??tands the test, he will be rewarded.

But it is a very small thing to me that I might be appraised by you or by a day of mankind. Yet neither do I appraise myself,

for I know nothing on myself. Yet I have not been made righteous in this, but he who appraises me is Lord.

So do not criticize at all; the hour of reckoning has still to come, when the Lord will come to bring dark secrets to the light and to reveal life's inner aims and motives. Then each of us will get his meed of praise from God.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

We are made to seem foolish for Christ, but you are wise in Christ; we are feeble, but you are strong; you have glory, but we have shame.

We work hard, toiling with our own hands. We meet abuse with blessings, we meet persecution with endurance,

Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

To deliver such a one to Satan for the ruin of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

But the sense of my letter was that if a brother had the name of being one who went after the desires of the flesh, or had the desire for other people's property, or was in the way of using violent language, or being the worse for drink, or took by force what was not his, you might not keep company with such a one, or take food with him.

And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].

"meat is design'd for the belly, and the belly for meat:" true, yet God has design'd both for destruction. now the body is not design'd for licentiousness, but for the glory of the Lord; since the Lord died for the glorification of the body:

And God who made the Lord Jesus come back from the dead will do the same for us by his power.

Don't you know, that your bodies are parts of Christ's mystical body? now, how can that which is Christ's, be made the property of a very creature?

You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.

Deprive ye not one another, except somewhat of an agreement for a time, that ye might have leisure for fasting and prayer; and again upon the same ye might come together, lest Satan tempt you for your want of self command.

It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that.

For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy.

Yet if the unbelieving mate separates [from his spouse], let him go. The brother or sister is not obligated [to continue the marriage] under such circumstances. For God has called you [believers] to live in peace.

Wife, you might be able to save your husband. Husband, you might be able to save your wife.

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

It is the Lord who has made payment for you: be not servants of men.

With regard to unmarried women, I have no command from the Master to give you, but I tell you my opinion, and it is that of a man whom the Master in his mercy has made worthy to be trusted.

Are you married? [If so], then do not separate [from your mate]. Are you unmarried? [If so], then do not look for a wife.

Of course, if you are actually married, there is no sin in that; and if a maid marries, there is no sin in that. (At the same time those who marry will have outward trouble ??and I would spare you that.)

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how best to satisfy his wife ??34 so he is torn in two directions. The unmarried woman or the maid is also anxious about the Lord's affairs, how to be consecrated, body and spirit; once married, she is anxious about worldly affairs, how best to satisfy her husband.

Again, the woman who is widow, or the maid, is anxious about the Lord's business, how she may be pure in body and in mind; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how she may please her husband.

At the same time, if any man considers he is not behaving properly to the maid who is his spiritual bride, if his passions are strong and if it must be so, then let him do what he wants ??let them be married; it is no sin for him.

However, if a man stands firm in his resolve, feels no necessity, and has made up his mind to keep her a virgin, he will be acting appropriately.

To speak of meat dedicated unto idols, we are sure that there is none idol in the world: and that there is none other God but one.

For supposing there are so-called gods in heaven or on earth??nd indeed there are plenty of such gods and lords??6 yet for us there is just one God, the Father, who is the source of all things, and for whom we live, and just one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom everything was made and through whom we live.

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, who is the source of all things and the goal of our living, and but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom everything was made and through whom we live.

But all have not this knowledge; for some, under the persuasion that an idol is a reality, even yet eat meat, as if it were offered to an idol, and their conscience being weak, is defiled.

But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

have we not a right to meat and drink?

or doth He say this indeed for our sakes? For it is certainly written for our sakes, that he, who ploweth, might plow in hope; and that he, who thresheth in hope, should partake of his hope.

If others share this right over you, do we not [do so] even more? Yet we have not made use of this right, but we endure all [things], in order that we may not cause any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

Even so did the Lord give orders that the preachers of the good news might get their living from the good news.

But I have used none of these privileges, nor am I writing this [to suggest] that any such provision be made for me now. For it would be better for me to die than to have anyone deprive me of my boast [in this matter of financial support].

What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless to others, so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in announcing the glad tidings.

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

Do ye not know that they running in a race-course, all truly run, and one receives the prize of combat? Do ye so run, that ye might receive.

And every one contending for the prize, has self command in all things. These surely therefore that they might receive a corruptible crown; and we an incorruptible.

But I give blows to my body, and keep it under control, for fear that, after having given the good news to others, I myself might not have God's approval.

For I would not have you, brothers, to be ignorant of the fact that though our forefathers were all made safe by the cloud, and all went securely through the sea, and in the cloud and the sea

And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

Now these things were for an example to us, so that our hearts might not go after evil things, as they did.

Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.

you have met with no trials yet, but such as are common to men: and God who is faithful, will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength; but will with the temptation make a way to escape, by enabling you to bear it.

Am I suggesting that an offering made to idols means anything, or that an idol itself means anything?

Or are we to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we mightier than he?

Whatever in the meat-market is sold eat ye, not inquiring, because of the conscience,

But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake;

Do not offend Jews or Greeks or even the church of God [but live to honor Him];

just as I myself try to please everybody in every way. I don't look out for my own benefit, but rather for the benefit of many people, so that they might be saved.

So, if a woman does not cover her [physical] head [i.e., with sufficient hair or a cloth shawl], she might as well cut her hair off. But if it is a shame for a woman to cut her hair off or shave her head [See note on verse 5], then she should have her head covered [i.e., with hair or a shawl].

(Man was not made from woman, woman was made from man;

And the man was not made for the woman, but the woman for the man.

For as the woman originates from the man, so also man is born through the woman; and all things [whether male or female] originate from God [as their Creator].

If anyone presumes to raise objections on this point ??well, I acknowledge no other mode of worship, and neither do the churches of God.

But in giving this next instruction, I do not praise you, because when you meet together it is not for the better but for the worse.

for, in the first place, when you meet as a Church, there are divisions among you. This is what I am told, and I believe that there is some truth in it.

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

When, however, you meet in one place, there is no eating the Supper of the Lord;

And in the same way with the cup, after supper, saying "This cup is the new Covenant made by my blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in memory of me."

for if we made such a discrimination, we should not be punished.