I thank my God always about you, in respect of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus;

For it has been shewn to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of the house of Chloe, that there are strifes among you.

that no one may say that I have baptised unto my own name.

For Christ has not sent me to baptise, but to preach glad tidings; not in wisdom of word, that the cross of the Christ may not be made vain.

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world, that he may put to shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world, that he may put to shame the strong things;

and the ignoble things of the world, and the despised, has God chosen, and things that are not, that he may annul the things that are;

and my word and my preaching, not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power;

But we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things which have been freely given to us of God:

According to the grace of God which has been given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation, but another builds upon it. But let each see how he builds upon it.

Let no one deceive himself: if any one thinks himself to be wise among you in this world, let him become foolish, that he may be wise.

But for me it is the very smallest matter that I be examined of you or of man's day. Nor do I even examine myself.

For I am conscious of nothing in myself; but I am not justified by this: but he that examines me is the Lord.

Now these things, brethren, I have transferred, in their application, to myself and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye may learn in us the lesson of not letting your thoughts go above what is written, that ye may not be puffed up one for such a one against another.

Not as chiding do I write these things to you, but as my beloved children I admonish you.

I entreat you therefore, be my imitators.

For this reason I have sent to you Timotheus, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in mind of my ways as they are in Christ, according as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

to deliver, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (ye and my spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ), him that has so wrought this:

to deliver him, I say, being such, to Satan for destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened. For also our passover, Christ, has been sacrificed;

All things are lawful to me, but all things do not profit; all things are lawful to me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Flee fornication. Every sin which a man may practise is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.

But concerning the things of which ye have written to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman;

Defraud not one another, unless, it may be, by consent for a time, that ye may devote yourselves to prayer, and again be together, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.

But concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give my opinion, as having received mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

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

But I say this for your own profit; not that I may set a snare before you, but for what is seemly, and waiting on the Lord without distraction.

But she is happier if she so remain, according to my judgment; but I think that I also have God's Spirit.

Wherefore if meat be a fall-trap to my brother, I will eat no flesh for ever, that I may not be a fall-trap to my brother.

Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

My defence to those who examine me is this:

If others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for it were good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless to others, so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in announcing the glad tidings.

And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

Know ye not that they who run in the race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.

But every one that contends for a prize is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest after having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

but conscience, I mean, not thine own, but that of the other: for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

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

Be my imitators, even as I also am of Christ.

Now I praise you, that in all things ye are mindful of me; and that as I have directed you, ye keep the directions.

For there must also be sects among you, that the approved may become manifest among you.

and having given thanks broke it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.

In like manner also the cup, after having supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

But being judged, we are disciplined of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

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

If any one be hungry, let him eat at home, that ye may not come together for judgment. But the other things, whenever I come, I will set in order.

And if I shall dole out all my goods in food, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but have not love, I profit nothing.

Follow after love, and be emulous of spiritual manifestations, but rather that ye may prophesy.

Now I desire that ye should all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy. But greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of undistinguishable sound.

If therefore I do not know the power of the sound, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks a barbarian for me.

Thus ye also, since ye are desirous of spirits, seek that ye may abound for the edification of the assembly.

Wherefore let him that speaks with a tongue pray that he may interpret.

For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

but in the assembly I desire to speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

It is written in the law, By people of other tongues, and by strange lips, will I speak to this people; and neither thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.

For ye can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all be encouraged.

and last of all, as to an abortion, he appeared to me also.

But by God's grace I am what I am; and his grace, which was towards me, has not been vain; but I have laboured more abundantly than they all, but not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

But when all things shall have been brought into subjection to him, then the Son also himself shall be placed in subjection to him who put all things in subjection to him, that God may be all in all.)

If, to speak after the manner of man, I have fought with beasts in Ephesus, what is the profit to me if those that are dead do not rise? let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die.

And what thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain: it may be of wheat, or some one of the rest:

So then, my beloved brethren, be firm, immovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

On the first of the week let each of you put by at home, laying up in whatever degree he may have prospered, that there may be no collections when I come.

and if it be suitable that I also should go, they shall go with me.

But perhaps I will stay with you, or even winter with you, that ye may set me forward wheresoever I may go.

For a great door is opened to me and an effectual one, and the adversaries many.

Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear; for he works the work of the Lord, even as I.

Let not therefore any one despise him; but set him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: own therefore such.

The salutation of me Paul with my own hand.

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.