To the Church of God in Corinth, to those who have been consecrated by union with Christ Jesus and called to become his People, and also to all, wherever they may be, who invoke the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ-their Master and ours,

From Paul, who has been called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, And from Sosthenes, our Brother.

God will not fail you, and it is he who called you into communion with his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

You have rent the Christ in pieces! Was it Paul who was crucified for you? or were you baptized into the Faith of Paul?

The Message of the Cross is indeed mere folly to those who are in the path to Ruin, but to us who are in the path of Salvation it is the very power of God.

For since the world, in God's wisdom, did not by its philosophy learn to know God, God saw fit, by the 'folly' of our proclamation, to save those who believe in Christ!

But to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God!

Look at the facts of your Call, Brothers. There are not many among you who are wise, as men reckon wisdom, not many who are influential, not many who are high-born;

So that-in the words of Scripture-'Let him who boasts make his boast of the Lord!'

It is what Scripture speaks of as-'What eye never saw, nor ear ever heard, what never entered the mind of man-even all that God has prepared for those who love him.'

For what man is there who knows what a man is, except the man's own spirit within him? So, also, no one comprehends what God is, except the Spirit of God.

For 'who has so comprehended the mind of the Lord as to be able to instruct him?' We, however, have the very mind of Christ.

What, I ask, is Apollos? or what is Paul? Servants through whom you were led to accept the Faith; and that only as the Lord helped each of you.

I planted, and Apollos watered, but it was God who caused the growth.

Therefore neither the man who plants, nor the man who waters, is of any account, but only God who causes the growth.

In this the man who plants and the man who waters are one; yet each will receive his own reward in proportion to his own labor.

Whatever is used by those who build upon this foundation, whether gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw,

If any man's work is burnt up, he will suffer loss; though he himself will escape, but only as one who has passed through fire.

For in God's sight this world's wisdom is folly. Scripture tells of-'One who catches the wise in their own craftiness,'

For, though I am conscious of nothing against myself, that does not prove me innocent. It is the Lord who is my judge.

For who makes any one of you superior to others? And what have you that was not given you? But if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as if you had not?

Though you may have thousands of instructors in the Faith of Christ, yet you have not many fathers. It was I who, through union with Christ Jesus, became your father by means of the Good News.

But come to you I will, and that soon, if it please the Lord; and then I shall find out, not what words these men use who are so puffed up, but what power they possess;

Instead of grieving over it and taking steps for the expulsion of the man who has done this thing, is it possible that you are still puffed up?

For I myself, though absent in body, have been present with you in spirit, and in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already passed judgment, just as if I had been present, upon the man who has acted in this way.

Not, of course, meaning men of the world who are in immoral, or who are covetous and grasping, or who worship idols; for then you would have to leave the world altogether.

But, as things are, I say that you are not to associate with any one who, although a Brother in name, is immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or abusive, or a drunkard, or grasping-no, not even to sit at table with such people.

What have I to do with judging those outside the Church? Is it not for you to judge those who are within the Church,

While God judges those who are outside? 'Put away the wicked man from among you.'

Why, then, if you have cases relating to the affairs of this life, do you set to try them men who carry no weight with the Church? To your shame I ask it.

Do not you know that wrong-doers will have no share in God's Kingdom? Do not be deceived. No one who is immoral, or an idolater, or an adulterer, or licentious, or a sodomite,

Or do not you know that a man who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body (for 'the two,' it is said, 'will become one');

While a man who is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit?

It is not the wife, but the husband, who exercises power over her body; and so, too, it is not the husband, but the wife, who exercises power over his body.

My advice, then, to those who are not married, and to widows, is this: It would be well for them to remain as I am myself.

To those who are married my direction is-yet it is not mine, but the Master's-that a woman is not to leave her husband

To all others I say-I, not the Master-If a Brother is married to a woman, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with him, he should not divorce her;

And a woman who is married to a man, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with her, should not divorce her husband.

For, through his wife, the husband who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ's People; and the wife who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ's People through our Brother whom she has married. Otherwise your children would be 'defiled,' but, as it is, they belong to Christ's People.

For the man who was a slave when he was called to the master's service is the Master's freed-man; so, too, the man who was free when called is Christ's slave.

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.

still, if you should marry, that is not wrong; nor, if a young woman marries, is that wrong. But those who marry will have much trouble to bear, and my wish is to spare you.

What I mean, Brothers, is this-The time is short. Meanwhile, let those who have wives live as if they had none,

Those who are weeping as if not weeping, those who are rejoicing as if not rejoicing, those who buy as if not possessing,

And those who use the good things of the world as using them sparingly; for this world as we see it is passing away.

On the other hand, a father, who has definitely made up his mind, and is under no compulsion, but is free to carry out his own wishes, and who has come to the decision, in his own mind, to keep his unmarried daughter at home will be doing right.

In short, the one who consents to his daughter's marriage is doing right, and yet the other will be doing better.

Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom all things come (and for him we live), and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things come (and through him we live).

For if some one should see you who possess this knowledge, feasting in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is a weak man, become so hardened that he, too, will eat food offered to idols?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to give up working for our bread?

Do not you know that those who do the work of the Temple live on what comes from the Temple, and that those who serve at the altar share the offerings with the altar?

So, too, the Master has appointed that those who tell the Good News should get their living from the Good News.

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews. To those who are subject to Law I became like a man subject to Law-though I was not myself subject to Law-to win those who are subject to Law.

To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law- -not that I am free from God's Law; no, for I am under Christ's Law-to win those who have no law.

No, I bruise my body and make it my slave, lest I, who have called others to the contest, should myself be rejected.

Therefore let the man who thinks that he stands take care that he does not fall.

Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices share with the altar?

No; what I say is that the sacrifices offered by the Gentiles 'are offered to demons and to a Being who is no God,' and I do not want you to share with demons.

Any man who keeps his head covered, when praying or preaching in public, dishonors him who is his Head;

While any woman, who prays or preaches in public bare-headed, dishonors him who is her Head; for that is to make herself like one of the shameless women who shave their heads.

For it was not man who was taken from woman, but woman who was taken from man.

For the man who eats and drinks brings a judgment upon himself by his eating and drinking, when he does not discern the body.

Therefore I tell you plainly that no one who speaks under the influence of the Spirit of God says 'JESUS IS ACCURSED,' and that no one can say 'JESUS IS LORD,' except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Results differ, yet the God who brings about every result is in every case the same.

All these result from one and the same Spirit, who distributes his gifts to each individually as he wills.

He who, when speaking, uses the gift of 'tongues' is speaking, not to men, but to God, for no one understands him; yet in spirit he is speaking of hidden truths.

But he who preaches is speaking to his fellow men words that will build up faith, and give them comfort and encouragement.

He who, when speaking, uses the gift of 'tongues' builds up his own faith, while he who preaches builds up the faith of the Church.

Now I want you all to speak in 'tongues,' but much more I wish that you should preach. A Preacher is of more account than he who speaks in 'tongues,' unless he interprets his words, so that the faith of the Church may be built up.

If the bugle sounds a doubtful call, who will prepare for battle?

If, however, I do not happen to know the language, I shall be a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be foreigners to me.

Therefore let him who, when speaking, uses the gift of 'tongues' pray for ability to interpret them.

If you bless God with your spirit only, how can the man in the congregation who is without your gift say 'Amen' to your thanksgiving? He does not know what you are saying!

Therefore the gift of the 'tongues' is intended as a sign, not for those who believe in Christ, but for those who do not, while the gift of preaching is intended as a sign, not for those who do not believe in Christ, but for those who do.

So, when the whole Church meets, if all present use the gift of 'tongues,' and some men who are without the gift, or who are unbelievers, come in, will not they say that you are mad?

Any one who ignores it may be ignored.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of our Brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have gone to their rest.

Last of all, he appeared even to me, who am, as it were, the abortion.

For I am the meanest of the Apostles, I who am unworthy of the name of 'Apostle,' because I persecuted the Church of God.

Yes, and we are being proved to have borne false testimony about God; for we testified of God that he raised the Christ, whom he did not raise, if, indeed, the dead do not rise!

Yes, and they, who have passed to their rest in union with Christ, perished!

But, in truth, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are at rest.

But each in his proper order-Christ the first-fruits; afterwards, at his Coming, those who belong to the Christ.

For God has placed all things under Christ's feet. (But, when it is said that all things have been placed under Christ, it is plain that God is excepted who placed everything under him.)

And, when everything has been placed under him, the Son will place himself under God who placed everything under him, that God may be all in all!

Again, what good will they be doing who are baptized on behalf of the dead? If it is true that the dead do not rise, why are people baptized on their behalf?

Awake to a righteous life, and cease to sin. There are some who have no true knowledge of God. I speak in this way to shame you.

Those who are of the dust are like him who came from the dust; and those who are of Heaven are like him who came from Heaven.

And as we have borne the likeness of him who came from the dust, so let us bear the likeness of him who came from Heaven.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

On my arrival, I will send any persons, whom you may authorize by letter, to carry your gift to Jerusalem;

Accursed be any one who has no love for the Lord. THE LORD IS COMING.

My love to all of you who are in union with Christ Jesus.