to the church of God at Corinth, to those who are consecrated in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, as well as to all who, wherever they may be, invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord no less than ours:

Sage, scribe, critic of this world, where are they all? Has not God stultified the wisdom of the world?

None of the Powers of this world understands it (if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory).

The unspiritual man rejects these truths of the Spirit of God; to him they are 'sheer folly,' he cannot understand them. And the reason is, that they must be read with the spiritual eye.

Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? They are simply used by God to give you faith, each as the Lord assigns his task.

Now in this matter of stewards your first requirement is that they must be trustworthy.

Certain individuals have got puffed up, have they, as if I were not coming myself?

To the unmarried and to widows I would say this: it is an excellent thing if like me they remain as they are.

Still, if they cannot restrain themselves, let them marry. Better marry than be aflame with passion!

For married people these are my instructions (and they are the Lord's, not mine). A wife is not to separate from her husband ??11 if she has separated, she must either remain single or be reconciled to him ??and a husband must not put away his wife.

I mean, brothers, ??the interval has been shortened; so let those who have wives live as if they had none,

let mourners live as if they were not mourning, let the joyful live as if they had no joy, let buyers live as if they had no hold on their goods,

let those who mix in the world live as if they were not engrossed in it, for the present phase of things is passing away.

Every athlete practises self-restraint all round; but while they do it to win a fading wreath, we do it for an unfading.

still with most of them God was not satisfied; they were laid low in the desert.

Now this took place as a warning for us, to keep us from craving for evil as they craved.

And you must not be idolaters, like some of them; as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to make sport.

If they all made up one member, what would become of the body?

Love never disappears. As for prophesying, it will be superseded; as for 'tongues,' they will cease; as for knowledge, it will be superseded.

It is written in the Law, By men of alien tongues and by the lips of aliens I will speak to this People; but even so, they will not listen to me, saith the Lord.

Hence if at a gathering of the whole church everybody speaks with 'tongues,' and if outsiders or un believers come in, will they not say you are insane?

women must keep quiet at gatherings of the church. They are not allowed to speak; they must take a subordinate place, as the Law enjoins.

If they want any information, let them ask their husbands at home; it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

At any rate, whether I or they have done most, such is what we preach, such is what you believed.

But, someone will ask, 'how do the dead rise? What kind of body have they when they come?'

if the sum makes it worth my while to go too, they shall accompany me.

I ask this favour of you, my brothers. The household of Stephanas, you know, was the first to be reaped in Achaia, and they have laid themselves out to serve the saints.

I am glad that Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus have arrived, for they have made up for your absence.

They refresh my spirit as they do your own. You should appreciate men like that.