As it is written and forever remains written,

“Behold I am laying in Zion a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense;
And he who believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].”

For I am a witness for them, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Isaiah, after that, is bold and saith, "I am found of them that sought me not, and have appeared to them that asked not after me."

So I say, Has God put his people on one side? Let there be no such thought. For I am of Israel, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

And because of God's unearned favor shown to me [i.e., in appointing me to be an apostle], I am telling every person among you not to think he is more important than he really is. Instead, he should have a sensible estimate [of his gifts] in harmony with the degree of faith God has given to each person.

For it is written [Isa. 45:23], "As surely as I am the living God, says the Lord, everyone's knee will bow before me, and everyone's mouth will confess to [or, praise] God."

I am conscious of this, and am certain in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself; but for the man in whose opinion it is unclean, for him it is unclean.

But I am persuaded, my brethren, I myself also, concerning you, that yourselves also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

with the result that I am a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving the gospel of God as a priest, in order that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

I can therefore glory in Christ Jesus concerning the work for God in which I am engaged.

For I am bold enough to tell you only about what the Messiah has accomplished through me in bringing gentiles to obedience. By my words and actions,

whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope [while I] am passing through to see you and to be sent on my way by you, whenever I have first enjoyed your [company] for a while.

But for now, I am going to Jerusalem to serve the saints (Jewish believers).

And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

asking that I may escape unhurt from those in Judaea who are disobedient, and that the service which I am going to Jerusalem to render may be well received by the Church there,

who risked their own necks for my life, for which not only I am thankful, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Gaius, with whom I am living, whose house is open to all the church, sends his love, so does Erastus, the manager of the accounts of the town, and Quartus, the brother.

To Him who has it in His power to make you strong, as declared in the Good News which I am spreading, and the proclamation concerning Jesus Christ, in harmony with the unveiling of the Truth which in the periods of past Ages remained unuttered,

I am always thanking God about you, for the blessing God has given you through Christ Jesus.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

I am thankful that I did not immerse any of you, except for Crispus and Gaius,

And I gave baptism to the house of Stephanas; but I am not certain that any others had baptism from me.

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

But it is a small thing to me that I am judged by you or by man's judging; I am not even a judge of myself.

For I am conscious of nothing in myself; but I am not justified by this: but he that examines me is the Lord.

I am not writing these [things] to shame you, but admonishing [you] as my dear children.

For this cause I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and true child in the Lord; he will make clear to you my ways in Christ, even as I am teaching everywhere in every church.

But some of you have been puffed up through getting the idea that I am not coming to Corinth.

But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power.

What will ye? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in love, and the spirit of mildness?

For I, though absent [from you] in body but present in spirit, have already passed judgment on him who has committed this [act], as if I were present.

In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are gathered together (and I am there in spirit), and the power of our Lord Jesus is there, too,

But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.

With a view to shame you, am I speaking. So, is it possible that there is among you - not so much as one wise man, who shall be able to judge between his brethren, -

I am free to do all things; but not all things are wise. I am free to do all things; but I will not let myself come under the power of any.

But I am saying this as a concession, not as a 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.

And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I am;

To the rest it is I who am speaking, not the Lord. If any brother has a wife who is not a believer, if he is willing to live with her, let him not send her away.

Now concerning virgins I do not have a command from the Lord, but I am giving an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not that I may put a restriction on you, but to promote appropriate and devoted service to the Lord without distraction.

Well then, with regard to food that has been offered to idols, I am quite aware that 'there is no such thing as an idol in the world' and that 'there is only the one God.'

I am free, am I not? I am an apostle, am I not? I have seen Jesus our Lord, haven't I? You are the result of my work in the Lord, aren't you?

If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

I am not saying these [things] according to a human perspective. Or does the law not also say these [things]?

But I have not made use of any of these [rights]. And I am not writing these [things] in order that it may be thus with me. For [it would be] better to me rather to die than [for] anyone to deprive me of my reason for boasting.

For if I am a preacher of the good news, I have no cause for pride in this; because I am forced to do so, for a curse is on me if I do not.

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

What then is my reward? This, that when I am giving the good news, I may give it without payment, not making use of my rights as a preacher of the good news.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ].

To the Jews I have become like a Jew in order to win Jews; to men under the Law as if I were under the Law--although I am not--in order to win those who are under the Law;

To those who are without (outside) the Law, [I became] as one without the Law, though [I am] not without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who 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 I am doing all things for the Gospel's sake, that I may become a partaker thereof with others.

That is how I run, not being in any doubt as to my goal. I am a boxer who does not inflict blows on the air,

I am speaking as to wise and sensible people; judge [carefully and thoughtfully consider] for yourselves what I say.

On the contrary, the things which the Gentiles (pagans) sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons [in effect], and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons [by eating at feasts in pagan temples].

Now I am not speaking about your own conscience, but the [conscience] of the other [person]. For why [is] my freedom judged by another's conscience?

If, so far as I am concerned, I partake with a grateful heart, why am I to be found fault with in regard to a thing for which I give thanks?"

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Now I am pleased to see that you keep me in memory in all things, and that you give attention to the teaching which was handed down from me to you.

But I am anxious that you should understand that the Christ is the Head of every man, that man is the Head of woman, and that God is the Head of the Christ.

But in giving you this order, there is one thing about which I am not pleased: it is that when you come 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.

What? have you not houses to take your meals in? or have you no respect for the church of God, putting the poor to shame? What am I to say to you? am I to give you praise? certainly not.

But, concerning the spiritually gifted, brethren, I am not wishing you to be ignorant.

Therefore I am informing you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

But let your desires be turned to the more important things given by the Spirit. And now I am pointing out to you an even better way.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

and if I give away to feed others all my goods, and if I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

I am willing, indeed, that you should all speak in tongues, but rather that you should prophesy; for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, in order that the church may receive instruction.

But if the sense of the voice is not clear to me, I am like a man from a strange country to him who is talking, and he will be the same to me.

For, if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful.

What should I do then? I will pray with my spirit [i.e. from within], and I will pray with my understanding also [i.e., with a knowledge of what I am saying]. I will sing with my spirit, and I will sing with my understanding also.

I give praise to God that I am able to make use of tongues more than you all:

If anyone thinks and claims that he is a prophet [a true spokesman for God] or spiritually astute [filled with and energized by the Holy Spirit], let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.

Now I am going to make clear to you, my brothers, what the good news was which I gave to you, and which you took, and on which your faith is based,

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

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

If then it is I who am the preacher, or they, this is our word, and to this you have given your faith.

[For that matter] why are we [running such risks and putting ourselves] in danger [nearly] every hour [if there is no resurrection]?

I face death every day! That is as certain, brothers, as it is that I am proud of you in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord.

Wake up to sobriety, in righteousness, and be not committing sin; for some have, an ignorance of God: for shame, unto you, am I speaking!

Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Listen! I am telling you a mystery:

We will not all fall asleep,
but we will all be changed,

And when I am arrived, whomsoever ye shall approve, these I will send with letters to carry your bounty to Jerusalem:

But I will come to you whenever I go through Macedonia (for I am going through Macedonia),

For I do not wish to see you right now just in passing, but I hope to remain with you for some time [later on], if the Lord permits.