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.

May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.

I always thank God about you for the blessing bestowed upon you in Christ Jesus.

And God himself will strengthen you to the end, so that at the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ you may be found blameless.

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

My mission from Christ was not to baptize, but to tell the Good News; not, however, in the language of philosophy, lest the cross of the Christ should be robbed of its meaning.

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.

Where is the Philosopher? where the Teacher of the Law? where the Disputant of to-day? Has not God shown the world's philosophy to be folly?

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!

For God's 'folly' is wiser than men, and God's 'weakness' is stronger than men.

But God chose what the world counts foolish to put its wise men to shame, and God chose what the world counts weak to put its strong things to shame,

And God chose what the world counts poor and insignificant-- things that to it are unreal-to bring its 'realities' to nothing,

But you, by your union with Christ Jesus, belong to God; and Christ, by God's will, became not only our Wisdom, but also our Righteousness, Holiness, and Deliverance,

For my own part, Brothers, when I came to you, it was with no display of eloquence or philosophy that I came to tell the hidden purpose of God;

So that your faith should be based, not on the philosophy of man, but on the power of God.

No, it is a divine philosophy that we teach, one concerned with the hidden purpose of God-that long-hidden philosophy which God, before time began, destined for our glory.

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.'

Yet to us God revealed it through his Spirit; for the Spirit fathoms all things, even the inmost depths of God's being.

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.

And as for us, it is not the Spirit of the World that we have received, but the Spirit that comes from God, that we may realize the blessings given to us by him.

The merely intellectual man rejects the teaching of the Spirit of God; for to him it is mere folly; he cannot grasp it, because it is to be understood only by spiritual insight.

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.

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's harvest field, God's building.

In fulfillment of the charge which God had entrusted to me, I laid the foundation like a skillful master-builder; but another man is now building upon it. Let every one take care how he builds;

Do not you know that you are God's Temple, and that God's Spirit has his home in you?

If any one destroys the Temple of God, God will destroy him; for the Temple of God is sacred, and so also are you.

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

But you are Christ's and Christ is God's.

Let men look upon us as Christ's servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God.

Therefore do not pass judgment before the time, but wait till the Lord comes. He will throw light upon what is now dark and obscure, and will reveal the motives in men's minds; and then every one will receive due praise from God.

For, as it seems to me, God has exhibited us, the Apostles, last of all, as men doomed to death. We are made a spectacle to the universe, both to angels and to men!

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.

For the Kingdom of God is based, not on words, but on power.

Get rid entirely of the old leaven, so that you may be like new dough-free from leaven, as in truth you are. For our Passover Lamb is already sacrificed-Christ himself;

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

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 a thief, or covetous, or a drunkard, or abusive, or grasping, will have any share in God's Kingdom.

Such some of you used to be; but you washed yourselves clean. You became Christ's People! you were pronounced righteous through the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the Spirit of our God!

Food exists for the stomach, and the stomach for food; but God will put an end to both the one and the other. The body, however, exists, not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body;

And, as God has raised the Lord, so he will raise up us also by the exercise of his power.

Again, do not you know that your body is a shrine of the Holy Spirit that is within you-the Spirit which you have from God?

Moreover, you are not your own masters; you were bought, and the price was paid. Therefore, honor God in your bodies.

I should wish every one to be just what I am myself. But every one has his own gift from God-one in one way, and one in another.

However, if the unbeliever wishes to be separated, let him be so. Under such circumstances neither the Brother nor the Sister is bound; God has called you to live in peace.

In any case, a man should continue to live in the condition which the Lord has allotted to him, and in which he was when God called him. This is the rule that I lay down in every Church.

Circumcision is nothing; the want of it is nothing; but to keep the commands of God is everything.

Brothers, let every one remain in the condition in which he was when he was called, in close communion with God.

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

Yet she will be happier if she remains as she is-in my opinion, for I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

On the other hand, if a man loves God, he is known by God.

With reference, then, to eating food that has been offered to idols-we are aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

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).

What we eat, however, will not bring us nearer to God. We lose nothing by not eating this food, and we gain nothing by eating it.

For in the Law of Moses it is said-'Thou shalt not muzzle a bullock while it is treading out the grain.' Is it the bullocks that God is thinking of?

If others share in this right over you, do not we even more? Still we did not avail ourselves of this right. No, we endure anything rather than impede the progress of the Good News of the Christ.

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

If I tell the Good News, I have nothing to boast of, for I can but do so. Woe is me if I do not tell it!

What is my reward, then? To present the Good News free of all cost, and so make but a sparing use of the rights which it gives me.

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.

And I do everything for the sake of the Good News, that with them I may share in its blessings.

Yet with most of them God was displeased; for they were 'struck down in the desert.'

No temptation has come upon you that is not common to all mankind. God will not fail you, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; but, when he sends the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, so that you may have strength to endure.

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.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything to the honor of God.

Do not cause offence either to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God;

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.

Indeed, if a woman does not keep her head covered, she may as well cut her hair short. But, since to cut her hair short, or shave it off, marks her as one of the shameless women, let her keep her head covered.

A man ought not to have his head covered, for he has been from the beginning 'the likeness of God' and the reflection of his glory, but woman is the reflection of man's glory.

For just as woman came from man, so man comes by means of woman; and all things come from God.

Judge for yourselves. Is it fitting that a woman should pray to God in public with her head uncovered?

If, however, any one still thinks it right to contest the point-well, we have no such custom, nor have the Churches of God.

In giving directions on the next subject, I cannot praise you; because your meetings do more harm than good.

Have you no houses in which you can eat and drink? Or are you trying to show your contempt for the Church of God, and to humiliate the poor? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I cannot praise you.

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.

To each man there is given spiritual illumination for the general good.

But in fact God has placed each individual part just where he thought fit in the body.

Yes, God has so constructed the body--by giving a special honor to the part that lacks it-

In the Church God has appointed, first, Apostles, secondly Preachers, thirdly Teachers; then he has given supernatural powers, then power to cure diseases, aptness for helping others, capacity to govern, varieties of the gift of 'tongues.'

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.

This being so, Brothers, what good shall I do you, if I come to you and speak in 'tongues,' unless my words convey some revelation, or knowledge, or take the form of preaching or teaching?

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!

Thank God, I use the gift of 'tongues' more than any of you.

The secrets of his heart are revealed, and then, throwing himself on his face, he will worship God, and declare 'God is indeed among you!'

If there is no one able to interpret what is said, they should remain silent at the meeting of the Church, and speak to themselves and to God.

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.) This custom prevails in all the Churches of Christ's People.

What! did God's Message to the world originate with you? or did it find its way to none but you?

Next, Brothers, I would remind you of the Good News which I told you, and which you received-the Good News on which you have taken your stand,

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

But it is through the love of God that I am what I am, and the love that he showed me has not been wasted. No, I have toiled harder than any of them, and yet it was not I, but the love of God working with me.

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!

Then will come the end-when he surrenders the Kingdom to his God and Father, having overthrown all other rule and all other authority and power.

For he must reign until God 'has put all his enemies under his feet.'

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?

Do not be deceived. 'Good character is marred by evil company.'