Therefore, you don't lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus the Messiah to be revealed.

I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else.

For Christ did not send me to immerse people, but to preach the good news. [Note: Christ specifically commissioned Paul to preach; most of the immersing was done by his attendants]. It was not to be done with words of [human] wisdom, so that the [message of the] cross of Christ would not have its power taken away.

God has chosen what is mean and despised in the world ??things which are not, to put down things that are;

This was all done so that no human being could boast in front of God.

And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do];

We don't speak about these things with words taught us by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.

for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren't you fleshly, and don't you walk in the ways of men?

Still, though planter and waterer are on the same level, each will get his own wage for the special work that he has done.

For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ.

each one’s work will be clearly shown [for what it is]; for the day [of judgment] will disclose it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality and character and worth of each person’s work.

Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

If any one tear down God's sanctuary, God will tear him down; for the sanctuary of God is holy, and that is what you are.

It is of little importance to me that I should be evaluated by you or by any human court. In fact, I don’t even evaluate myself.

Therefore don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.

In writing this much, brethren, with special reference to Apollos and myself, I have done so for your sakes, in order to teach you by our example what those words mean, which say, "Nothing beyond what is written!" --so that you may cease to take sides in boastful rivalry, for one teacher against another.

we are fatigu'd by our manual toil: when reviled, we pray: when persecuted, we don't repine:

I don't write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

as if I were present, judged him who hath so done this, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit,

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough?

But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don't even eat with such a person.

For what have I to do with also judging those who are outside? Don't you judge those who are within?

Don't you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Don't you know that we will judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

Then if indeed you have judgments appertaining to this life, do you sit those down who are little esteemed in the church?

beside, you are absolutely in the wrong in going to law with one another at all: why don't you rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer loss?

Or don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,

Don't you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!

Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.

Or don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own,

Don't deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn't tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

But if they don't have self-control, let them marry. For it's better to marry than to burn.

(If she has done so, let her remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.

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.

Were you called being a bondservant? Don't let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

You were bought with a price. Don't become bondservants of men.

Are you bound to a wife? Don't seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don't seek a wife.

Yet if you do not marry, you have not done wrong; and if a girl marries, she has not done wrong. Such people, however, will have trouble in worldly affairs, and I wish to spare you.

But I say this, believers: the time has been shortened, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they did not;

But if a man thinks he is not acting properly toward the girl to whom he is engaged, if his passions are too strong, and that is what ought to be done, let him do as he pleases; it is no sin; let them be married.

Thus both are right alike in marrying and in refraining from marriage, but he who does not marry will be found to have done better.

Still, it is not every one that has this knowledge. Some people, because of their association with idols, continued down to the present time, eat the food as food offered to an idol; and their consciences, while still weak, are dulled.

Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forevermore, that I don't cause my brother to stumble.

Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?

Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife like the other apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?

Am I making use of merely worldly illustrations? Does not the Law speak in the same tone?

If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more?

However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

Don't you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I don't preach the Good News.

For if I do this work of my own free will, then I have a reward; but if it is not of my will [but by God’s choosing], I have been entrusted with a [sacred] stewardship.

Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

but I beat down my body, and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps, when I have been a herald to others, I should myself be rejected as unworthy.

and drank the same supernatural drink??for they used to drink from a supernatural rock which attended them, and the rock was really Christ??5 still most of them disappointed God, for they were struck down in the desert.

Nevertheless, God was not well-pleased with most of them, for they were scattered along the ground in the wilderness [because their lack of self-control led to disobedience which led to death].

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Now these things were done as an example; and were put down in writing for our teaching, on whom the last days have come.

Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don't those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?

But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don't desire that you would have fellowship with demons.

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot dine with the Lord and dine with demons,

But if one of those who don't believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience.

But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," don't eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness."

when I say conscience, I don't mean your own, but that of the other: for why should I expose my liberty to the censure of another man's conscience?

Whether, then, you are eating or drinking, or whatever you are doing, let everything be done to the glory of God.

Don't become a stumbling block to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,

just as I myself try to please everybody in every way. I don't look out for my own benefit, but rather for the benefit of many people, so that they might be saved.

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.

Every man who prays or prophesies [i.e., speaks in a public assembly, since prophecy was always for the benefit of others] with his [physical] head covered [Note: The Greek word here denotes "something hanging down" and could refer to long hair or a cloth shawl], shows disrespect for his head [i.e., Christ].

But a man should certainly not cover his [physical] head [i.e., with "something hanging down," such as long hair or a cloth shawl. See verse 4], since he is the image and glory of God. But the woman [i.e., his wife] is the glory of the man [i.e., her husband].

This [i.e., the order of creation] is the reason that the woman should have [a symbol of] authority on her [physical] head [i.e., hair or a shawl to indicate subjection to her husband], and because of the angels. [Note: This difficult phrase probably means that angels, who observe the activities of Christian assemblies, are pleased when they see things being done in their proper order].

But if any man will not be ruled in this question, this is not our way of doing things, and it is not done in the churches of God.

But in giving you this command, I don't praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this!

For it was handed down to me from the Lord, as I gave it to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when Judas was false to him, took bread,

After the same manner he took the cup when supper was done saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, this do as oft as ye drink it, in the remembrance of me."

But a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

But if we properly saw ourselves, we would not bring down upon us this judgment.

But since we do bring down upon us this judgment, we are being disciplined by the Lord, so that finally we may not be condemned along with the world.

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.

Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant.

If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body.

And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body.

So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

However, our attractive parts don't need this. But God has put the body together and has given special honor to the parts that lack it,

If one part suffers, all the others suffer with it, and if one part has honor done it, all the others share its joy.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing.

If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.

It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.

She finds no pleasure in injustice done to others, but joyfully sides with the truth.

Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man, I had done with what belonged to the child.

Even inanimate things that produce sounds—whether flute or harp—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized?

If then I don't know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

What then is [to be done]? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding;