[it is being sent] to the church of God at Corinth. [You people are] set apart in [the fellowship of] Christ Jesus and called [by God] to be saints [i.e., His holy people], along with all [others] everywhere who call on our Lord Jesus Christ [i.e., in prayer]. He is their Lord and ours [as well].

I continually give thanks to God on your behalf, for the favour he has bestowed on you thro' Jesus Christ;

And He will also confirm you to the end [keeping you strong and free of any accusation, so that you will be] blameless and beyond reproach in the day [of the return] of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on], and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And this is it that I mean: how that commonly among you, one sayeth, "I hold of Paul"; Another, "I hold of Apollos"; the third, "I hold of Cephas"; and the fourth that, "I hold of Christ."

Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

For the Message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are on the way to perdition, but it is the power of God to those whom He is saving.

Where is the wise? where is he who has knowledge of the law? where is the man of this world who has a love of discussion? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

but we preach the Messiah crucified. He is a stumbling block to Jews and nonsense to gentiles,

both Jews and Gentiles, he is the Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;

and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:

But you--and it is all God's doing--are in Christ Jesus: He has become for us a wisdom which is from God, consisting of righteousness and sanctification and deliverance;

That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

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];

But we give the news of the secret wisdom of God, which he had kept in store before the world came into existence, for our glory;

but just as it is written [in Scripture],“Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed].”

now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us.

Of these high themes we speak in words not taught by human philosophy, but by the Spirit; interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was causing the growth.

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Are ye not aware that ye are the temple of God, and how that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the [humanly] wise, that they are useless.”

This is how you are to look upon us, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's secret truths.

now it is required in a steward, that he be found faithful.

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

So do not go on passing judgment before the appointed time, but wait until the Lord comes, for He will both bring to light the [secret] things that are hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

These things, my brethren, I have represented to you in my own person, and that of Apollos, out of respect to you: to show you how to moderate your esteem by the rule prescrib'd, that you may not be transported in favour of one rather than another.

[Now] you already have all you want! You have already become wealthy! You have begun to rule as kings without our help! How I wish that you had [really] begun to rule as kings, so that we also could rule with you!

We, for Christ's sake, are labeled as "foolish"; you, as Christians, are men of shrewd intelligence. We are mere weaklings: you are strong. You are in high repute: we are outcasts.

For no matter how many guides you may have in the Christian life, you will not have many fathers; for in this matter of union with Christ, I became your father, through preaching the good news to you.

This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wants me to. Then I will determine not [only] what these arrogant people are saying, but how much power they have.

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

But actually, I have written to you not to associate with any so-called [Christian] brother if he is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater [devoted to anything that takes the place of God], or is a reviler [who insults or slanders or otherwise verbally abuses others], or is a drunkard or a swindler—you must not so much as eat with such a person.

Does any one of you, when he has a complaint (civil dispute) with another [believer], dare to go to law before unrighteous men (non-believers) instead of [placing the issue] before the saints (God’s people)?

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

How much more things pertaining to this life? If then ye have any controversies of things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no esteem in the church?

Do ye not remember how that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived. For neither fornicators, neither worshippers of images, neither whoremongers, neither weaklings, neither abusers of themselves with mankind,

and as God by His power raised the Master to life, so He will also raise us up.

Do you not see that your bodies are part of the body of Christ? how then may I take what is a part of the body of Christ and make it a part of the body of a loose woman? such a thing may not be.

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

Either, know ye not how that your bodies are the temple of the holy ghost, which is in you, whom he have of God, and how that ye are not your own?

the wife cannot do as she pleases with her body ??her husband has power, and in the same way the husband cannot do as he pleases with his body ??his wife has power.

I would like all men to be as I am. However, everyone is endowed by God in his own way; he has a gift for the one life or the other.

(but even if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband) and that the husband should not leave his wife.

To the rest I declare—I, not the Lord [since Jesus did not discuss this]—that if any [believing] brother has a wife who does not believe [in Christ], and she consents to live with him, he must not leave her.

And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

but if the infidel will separate, let him go: a brother or a sister is not inslaved in such cases. but God has called us to peace; for how do you know,

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Only, whatever be the condition in life which the Lord has assigned to each individual--and whatever the condition in which he was living when God called him--in that let him continue.

Was anyone called [after] being circumcised? He must not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called in uncircumcision? He must not become circumcised.

Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a man to be as he is.

But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, that is, about how she can please her husband. I'm saying this for your benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

A wife is bound [to her husband by law] as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, only [provided that he too is] in the Lord.

And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

But if any one love God, he is known of him):

yet there is [only] one God to us, [and He is] the Father, from whom all things have come, and for whom we live. And [there is only] one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things have come, and through whom we live.

For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?

For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

That is how I vindicate myself to those who criticize me.

For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,

Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

Do ye not understand how that they which minister in the temple, have their finding of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for this obligation has been entrusted to me. How terrible it would be for me if I didn't preach the gospel!

To those who have no law I have become like a man without any law??hough I am not without the law of God, but under the law of Christ??o as to win over those who are without any law.

Perceive ye not how that they which run in a course, run all, yet but one receiveth the reward? So run that ye may obtain.

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,

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

still with the most of them God was not at all satisfied, for He allowed them to be laid low in the desert.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

No temptation hath taken you -- except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear it.

Since there is one bread, we [believers] who are many are [united into] one body; for we all partake of the one bread [which represents the body of Christ].

Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Does not even nature itself teach you, that man, if he have long hair, it is a dishonour to him?

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 when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.