to the church of God which is at Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, to the called saints, with all those who invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both their's and our's:

Faithful is God, by whom ye have been called into communion with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptised into the name of Paul?

For the discourse, [the subject of which is] the cross, is indeed to those who perish, folly; but to us who are saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the intelligent will I make useless."

Where is the sophist? where is the scribe? where is the inquisitive searcher after this world's wisdom? hath not God turned into folly the wisdom of this world?

For this foolishness of God is wiser than men; and this weakness of God is stronger than men.

For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many fleshly wise, not many men in power, not many men of high birth, are called:

but the foolish things of this world hath God elected, that he might confound the wise; and the feeble things of the world hath God elected, that he might confound the mighty;

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who hath been made to us of God wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

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

But, as it is written, "The things which eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, and that have not entered into the heart of man, these hath God prepared for those who love him."

But to us hath God revealed them by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth out all things, even the depths of God.

For who among men knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? so also the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

But the spiritual man discerneth indeed all things, though himself is discernible by no man.

AND I, brethren, have been unable to speak to you as unto spiritual men, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ.

For ye are still carnal: for since there are among you envy, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as [other] men?

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but the ministers through whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to each [of us]?

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth; but God who giveth the increase.

According to the grace of God given unto me, as a skilful architect, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every one take heed how he buildeth upon it.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus the Messiah.

every man's work shall be made manifest: for that day shall declare it, for it shall be laid open by fire; and the fire shall prove every man's work of what sort it is.

If any man's work be burnt up, he shall suffer loss: but himself shall be saved; yet so as through the fire.

If any man prophane the temple of God, him will God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

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

For the wisdom of this world is folly in the sight of God. For it is written, "He entangleth the wise in their own craftiness."

And again, "The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are futile."

and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

LET a man so account of us, as the under servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Moreover it is expected of stewards, that a man be found faithful.

But it is my least consideration that I should be judged by you, or by human opinion: yea I decide not respecting myself.

For though I am not conscious to myself of any unfaithfulness, yet am I not thereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

But these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself, and Apollos for your sake; that in us ye might learn not to be attached, beyond what is written, lest one being for one [minister], ye be puffed up [with prejudice] against another.

For who distinguisheth thee? and what hast thou which thou hast not received? But if thou also hast received it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Now ye are full, now ye have grown rich, ye have reigned without us: and I wish indeed that you may reign, that we also might reign together with you.

For I think that God hath exposed us his apostles the last as devoted unto death. For we have been made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men.

We are counted fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are mighty; ye are honourable persons, but we despised.

being injuriously spoken of, we entreat; we are made as the ordures of the world, as the sweepings of all things unto this day.

I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you.

For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my son beloved and faithful in Christ, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ Jesus, as I teach every where in every church.

Now some are puffed up, as though I would not really come to you.

For the kingdom of God is not in talk, but in power.

What is your wish? That I should come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

IT is generally reported that there is whoredom among you, and such whoredom as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

For I indeed, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have already, as present, passed judgment on him who hath so done this thing;

Your glorying is not good: know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole mass?

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new mass, as ye are unleavened. For our passover hath been sacrificed for us, even Christ.

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I speak to you to shame you. Is it so, that there is not among you a wise man? Not so much as one who is able to judge between one brother and another?

Now verily therefore there is altogether a fault among you, because ye have law-suits one with another. Why do ye not rather submit to the wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

Meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for whoredom, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will raise us up by his own power.

Do you not know that he that is joined to an harlot is one body with her? For they two, saith he, shall be "one flesh."

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

Flee whoredom. Every other sin which a man may commit is without the body; but he who committeth whoredom sinneth against his own body.

Do ye not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have from God, and ye are not your own?

For I would that all men were even as myself: but every man hath his peculiar gift from God, one of this sort, and another of that.

I say then to the unmarried and the widows, that it is becoming them if they abide as I am.

But if they have not the gift of continence, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

For the husband that believeth not is sanctified by the wife, and the wife who believeth not is sanctified by the husband: else indeed your children were unclean, but now are they holy.

But if the unbelieving person depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in these cases, but God hath called us unto peace.

Nevertheless as God has bestowed the gift on every man as the Lord hath called every man, so let him walk, and so I give command in all the churches.

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not affect uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the observance of the commandments of God.

Let every one abide in the calling in which he is called.

Art thou called being a slave? let it give thee no concern; but if thou canst also obtain thy freedom, rather make use of it.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord's freed man: in like manner also, he that is called, being a free man, is the servant of Christ.

Let every one, brethren, in the vocation wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I offer my opinion, as having obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.

I think then that this is becoming, considering our present straits, that it is proper for a man to be thus.

Now this I say, brethren, that the time is short. The conclusion is, that even they who have wives, should be as though they had not;

and they who weep as though they wept not; and they who rejoice as though they rejoiced not; and they that purchase as though they possessed not;

and they who use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

But I would have you to be free from anxiety. He who is unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord:

but he who is married is anxious about the things of the world, how he shall please his wife.

A wife and a virgin hath different pursuits: the unmarried woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the things of the world, how she shall please her husband.

Now I say this for your own advantage, and not that I should lay a snare in your way, but as what is seemly, and that you may wait on the Lord without distraction.

But if a person supposes it would be unseemly for a virgin of his if she should pass the flower of her age [in celibacy], and that duty directs it should be so, let him do as he is inclined, he doth not sin: let such marry.

But he that is stedfast in his heart, not having any necessity, but retaineth power over his own inclination, and hath determined this in his heart that he will preserve his own virgin state, doeth well.

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her husband be dead, she is free to be married to whomsoever she will, but only in the Lord.

But she is more blessed if she abide as she is, in my opinion: and I think I have the spirit of God.

But if any man conceit that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

Now concerning eating things sacrificed unto idols: we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

For though there are gods so called, whether celestial or terrestrial, (as [of this sort] there are gods many, and lords many;)

but to us there is one God, the Father; of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Howbeit there is not in all men this knowledge; but some having conscientious respect for the idol to this moment, eat the meat as sacrificed to the idol; and their conscience being weak, is defiled.

But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat are we the better, or if we eat not are we the worse.

For if any man see thee that hast knowledge, sitting in an idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?

Wherefore if meat give occasion of offence to my brother, I will in no wise eat meat for ever, that I give no cause of offence to my brother.

My apology to those who interrogate me is this,

Have we not power to carry about with us a sister wife, as do also the other apostles, even the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Speak I these things [rationally] as a man, or doth not the law speak the same things?

for in the law of Moses it is written, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn." Doth God take care for oxen?

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we should reap your corporal things?

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me, yea verily woe is to me if I preach not the gospel.

What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel, I may put the gospel of Christ to no expence, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

And I became to the Jews as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;

to those who are without law, as without law (not as being without law to God, but under the law to Christ), that I might gain those who were without law.