For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

See that ye give none occasion of evil: neither to the Jews, nor yet to the gentiles, neither to the congregation of God.

Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Imitate herein my example as I do that of Christ.

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Every man that prays or prophesies, having his head covered, dishonors his head.

But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

If a woman will not veil herself, she should cut off her hair as well. But she ought to veil herself; for it is disgraceful that a woman should have her hair cut off or be shaven.

That is why she ought to wear upon her head something to symbolize her subjection, out of respect to the angels, if to nobody else.

(Of course, in the Lord, woman does not exist apart from man, any more than man apart from woman;

Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

but that it is a woman's glory to do so? For her hair is given her for a covering.

But if anyone is inclined to be contentious about it, I for my part prescribe no other practice than this, and neither do the churches of God.

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

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

So when you hold your meetings it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat,

For, as you eat, each of you tries to secure his own supper first, with the result that one has too little to eat, and another has too much to drink!

What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

and having given thanks, he brake, and said, 'Take ye, eat ye, this is my body, that for you is being broken; this do ye -- to the remembrance of me.'

In the same way, when the meal was over, He also took the cup. "This cup," He said, "is the new Covenant of which my blood is the pledge. Do this, every time that you drink it, in memory of me."

For every time that you eat this bread and drink from the cup, you are proclaiming the Lord's death--until He returns.

so that whoever may eat this bread or may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, guilty he shall be of the body and blood of the Lord:

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

That's why so many of you are weak and sick and a considerable number are dying.

If, however, we had been setting, ourselves, apart, we had not, in that case, been coming under judgment;

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

So that, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait for one another.

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that your meetings may not bring down a judgment upon you. The details I will settle when I come.

It is important, brethren, that you should have clear knowledge on the subject of spiritual gifts.

You know that when you were heathen you would stray off, as impulse directed, to idols that could not speak.

Therefore, I must tell you that no one who is speaking under the influence of the Spirit of God ever says, "Curse Jesus!" and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord!" without being under the influence of the holy Spirit.

And there are divers manners of operations, and yet but one God, which worketh all things that are wrought in all creatures.

But, unto each one, is given the manifesting of the Spirit, with a view to that which is profitable;

to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit;

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

For it was by one Spirit that we were all baptized to form one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free men, and were all imbued with one Spirit.

If the foot says, "As I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body.

And if the ear says, "As I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body.

On the contrary, the parts of the body that are considered most delicate are indispensable,

and the parts of it that we think common, we dress with especial care, and our unpresentable parts receive especial attention

For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

that there is no clash in the body, but its parts all alike care for one another.

so that if one member suffer, they all suffer with it: or if one be honoured, they partake of it.

And God hath also ordained in the congregation, first the apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, then them that do miracles; after that, the gifts of healing, helpers, governors, diversity of tongues.

But you must earnestly continue to cultivate your higher spiritual gifts. And yet I will show you a way that is better by far:

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction].

And though I could prophesy, and understood all secrets, and all knowledge: yea, if I had all faith so that I could move mountains out of their places, and yet had no love, I were nothing.

And though I bestowed all my goods to feed the poor, and though I gave my body even that I burned, and yet had no love, it profiteth me nothing.

Acteth not unbecomingly, seeketh not her own things, is not easily provoked, imputeth not that which is base,

is never glad with sin; she's always glad to side with truth, and pleased that truth will win.

Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

Though that prophesying fail, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge vanish away: yet love falleth never away.

but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is unperfect shall be done away.

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 [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God].

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

For he that speaketh with tongues speaketh not unto men, but unto God. For no man heareth him: Howbeit, in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men, to edifying, to exhortation, and to comfort.

He that speaketh with tongues, profiteth himself: he that prophesieth, edifieth the congregation.

I would that ye all spake with tongues: but rather that ye prophesied. For greater is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues, except he expound it also, that the congregation may have edifying.

Even inanimate things, like the flute or the harp, may give out sounds, but if there is no difference in the notes, how can the tune that is played on the flute or the harp be told?

Even so, likewise, when ye speak with tongues, except ye speak words that have signification, how shall it be understood what is spoken? For ye shall but speak in the air.

If it so happens that there are so many kinds of voices in the world, and nothing without a voice;

If I know not what the voice meaneth, I shall be unto him that speaketh an alien: and he that speaketh shall be an alien unto me.

Even so ye - forasmuch as ye covet spiritual gifts - seek that ye may have plenty unto the edifying of the congregation.

Wherefore, let him that speaketh with tongues, pray: that he may interpret also.

For if I pray ecstatically, it is my spirit that prays, but my mind is helping nobody.

Then what am I to do? I will pray with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will pray with the mind [using words I understand]; I will sing with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will sing with the mind [using words I understand].

For else when thou blessest with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say "amen" at thy giving of thanks? Seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.

Yet had I rather, in the congregation, to speak five words with my mind to the information of others, rather than ten thousand words with the tongue.

In the law it is written, "With other tongues, and with other lips will I speak unto this people, and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord."

Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe: but to them that believe not. Contrariwise, prophesying serveth not for them that believe not: but for them which believe.

If therefore when all the congregation is come together, and all speak with tongues, there come in they that are unlearned, or they which believe not: will they not say that ye are out of your wits?

But and if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is rebuked of all men, and is judged of every man;

and so are the secrets of his heart opened: and so falleth he down on his face, and worshippeth God, and saith that God is with you indeed.

How comes it then, brethren, that when ye assemble together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? Let all things be done to edification.

If any man speak with tongues, let it be two at once - or at the most three at once - and that by course, and let another interpret it:

But if there is no interpreter, that person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.

And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say.

If any revelation be made to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may have comfort.

(The spirit that moves the preachers is within the preachers' control;

What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?

If anyone claims to be inspired to preach, or to have any other spiritual endowment, let him understand that what I am now writing you is a command from the Lord.

If anyone does not recognize this [that it is a command of the Lord], he is not recognized [by God].

so that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;

And I make known to you, brethren, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which also ye did receive, in which also ye have stood,

by which also ye are saved; if ye cleave to that word I have preached to you, except haply ye have believed in vain.

For first of all, I delivered unto you that which I received: how that Christ died for our sins, agreeing to the scriptures,

and that he was buried, and that he arose again the third day according to the scriptures,

and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.

After that, he was seen of more than five hundred brethren at once: of which many remain unto this day, and many are fallen asleep.

After that appeared he to James, then to all the apostles.