I give thanks to my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which hath been given you in Christ Jesus;

For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by those of the family of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

that no man might say, I baptised into my own name.

For Christ sent me not to baptise, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of discourse, lest the cross of Christ should be slighted.

And my conversation and my preaching was not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with demonstration of the Spirit, and of power:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Now I conjure you, be followers of me.

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.

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ye being assembled together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

to deliver such a one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

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.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for me, but I will not put myself under the power of any.

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

NOW with regard to those things concerning which ye have written unto me, it were good for a man not to touch a woman.

Defraud not one another, except it may be by consent occasionally, that ye may have more leisure for fasting and prayer; and come together again, lest Satan tempt you through your incontinence.

But in this I speak my opinion only, not authoritatively.

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.

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

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.

AM I not an apostle? am I not a free man? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

If I am not an apostle unto others, doubtless I am to you: for ye are the seal of my apostolic mission in the Lord.

My apology to those who interrogate me is this,

But I have used nothing of these things, nor have I written indeed these things, that it should be so done respecting me; for it would become me to die rather than that any man should make my glorying void.

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 this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you.

Know ye not that they who run on the course, all run indeed, yet but one obtaineth the price? So run, that ye may obtain.

And every one who contendeth [in the games] is temperate in all things: they indeed therefore do it that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run not as uncertainly; so do I exercise with my fists, not as striking the air:

but I beat down my body, and bring it into subjection, that I may not by any means, after having preached to others, myself become reprobate.

No temptation hath overtaken you, but what is common to men. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able to bear; but will with the temptation make also a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear up under it.

Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not profitable; all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

For why is my liberty abridged by another's conscience? If I truly with thanksgiving am a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

even as I please all men, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, that they may be saved.

BE ye imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the injunctions as I delivered them unto you.

For there must be heresies among you, that they who are the tried ones, may be made manifest among you.

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

In like manner also he took the cup, after they had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

And if I deal out all my goods in alms, and deliver up my body that I should be burned, but have not love, I am nothing advantaged by it.

FOLLOW earnestly after love, and zealously seek spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

Now I could wish that you all spake with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: for greater is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret also, that the church may receive edification.

If therefore I know not the force of the expression, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

So also ye, if ye zealously affect spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound in them for the edification of the church.

Therefore let him who speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret also.

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my mind produces no fruit.

What then is my object? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing psalms with the spirit, and I will sing psalms with the understanding also.

I thank my God, that I speak with different tongues more than you all:

but in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

In the law it is written, "That with other tongues, and with other lips, will I speak to this people: and even thus will they not attend to me, saith the Lord."

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

Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

And last of all he was seen also by me, who am but as an abortion.

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was given to me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

But when he shall have put all things under him, then also the Son himself shall be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

If after the manner of men I have fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, of what advantage would it be to me, if the dead did not rise again? shall we eat and drink; because to-morrow we die?

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

On the first day of the week let every one of you set apart with himself, treasuring it up, whatsoever he may please to give, that when I come there may be then no gatherings.

But if it be of importance that I should go also, they shall go with me.

and perhaps I shall abide with you, yea and winter with you, that you may send me forward whithersoever I go.

for there is opened to me a great door, and effectual, and there are many adversaries.

But if Timothy come, see that he may be among you without fear: for he worketh the Lord's work, as I also do.

Let no man therefore treat him with disrespect; but forward him on his way in peace, that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours; respect therefore such men.

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