But I say this, that each of you is saying, "I am with Paul," and "I [am] with Apollos," and "I [am] with Cephas," and "I [am] with Christ."

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the gospel, not with {clever speech}, lest the cross of Christ be emptied.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a cause for stumbling, but to the Gentiles foolishness,

but to those [who are] called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God.

But the foolish [things] of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the wise, and the weak [things] of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the strong,

But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

and my speech and my preaching [were] not with the persuasiveness of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power,

in order that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but wisdom not of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing,

but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory,

But just as it is written, "[Things] which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him."

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who [is] from God, in order that we may know the things freely given to us by God,

[things] which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in [words] taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual [things] to spiritual [people].

But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

Now the spiritual [person] discerns all [things], but he himself is judged by no one.

"For who has known the mind of the Lord; who has advised him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual [people], but as to fleshly [people], as to infants in Christ.

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able [to eat it]. But now you are still not able,

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing [it] to grow.

So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who is causing [it] to grow.

Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon [it]. But each one must direct his attention to how he is building upon [it].

If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire.

But to me it is a very little matter that I be judged by you or by a human court, but I do not [even] judge myself.

For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but not by this am I vindicated. But the one who judges me is the Lord.

For who concedes you [superiority]? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if indeed you received [it], why do you boast as [if you] did not receive [it]?

We [are] fools for the sake of Christ, but you [are] prudent in Christ! We [are] weak, but you [are] strong! You [are] honored, but we [are] dishonored!

I am not writing these [things] to shame you, but admonishing [you] as my dear children.

But some have become arrogant, as [if] I were not coming to you.

But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power.

For the kingdom of God [is] not with talk, but with power.

For [although I] am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already passed judgment on the one who has done this in this way, as [if I] were present.

So then, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven or with the leaven of wickedness and sinfulness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

But now I have written to you not to associate with any so-called brother, if he is a sexually immoral person or a greedy person or an idolater or an abusive person or a drunkard or a swindler--with such a person not even to eat.

But those outside God will judge. Remove the evil person {from among yourselves}.

But brother goes to court with brother, and this before unbelievers!

But you wrong and defraud, and [do] this [to] brothers!

And some of you were these [things], but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

All [things] are permitted for me, but not all [things] are profitable. All [things] are permitted for me, but I will not be controlled by anything.

Food [is] for the stomach, and the stomach for food, but God will abolish {both of them}. Now the body [is] not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit [with him].

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a person commits is outside his body, but the one who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God with your body.

But because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband [does]. And likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but his wife [does].

But I say this as a concession, not as a command.

I wish all people could be like myself, but each one has his own gift from God, one in this way and another in that way.

But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn [with sexual desire].

To the married I command--not I, but the Lord--a wife must not separate from [her] husband.

But if indeed she does separate, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce [his] wife.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the brother, since otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. The brother or the sister is not bound in such [cases]. But God has called us in peace.

But to each one as the Lord has apportioned. As God has called each one, thus let him live--and thus I order in all the churches.

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

Were you called [while] a slave? Do not let it be a concern to you. But if indeed you are able to become free, rather make use of [it].

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

Now concerning virgins I do not have a command from the Lord, but I am giving an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

But if you marry, you have not sinned, and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have affliction in the flesh, and I would spare you.

But I say this, brothers: the time is shortened, that from now on even those who have wives should be as [if they] do not have [wives],

But I want you to be free from care. The unmarried person cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord.

But the one who is married cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife,

and he is divided. And the unmarried woman or the virgin cares for the things of the Lord, in order that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not that I may put a restriction on you, but to promote appropriate and devoted service to the Lord without distraction.

But if anyone thinks he is behaving dishonorably concerning his virgin, if she is past her prime and it ought to be thus, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin. Let them marry.

But he who stands firm in his heart, not having necessity, but has authority concerning his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well.

A wife is bound for as long a time [as] her husband lives. But if her husband {dies}, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, only in the Lord.

But she is happier if she remains thus, according to my opinion--and I think I have the Spirit of God.

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that "we all have knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.

But this knowledge [is] not in everyone. But some, being accustomed until now to the idol, eat [this food] as food sacrificed to idols, and their conscience, [because it] is weak, is defiled.

But food does not bring us close to God. For neither if we eat do we have more, nor if we do not eat do we lack.

But watch out lest somehow this right of yours becomes a cause for stumbling to the weak.

If others share this right over you, do we not [do so] even more? Yet we have not made use of this right, but we endure all [things], in order that we may not cause any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

But I have not made use of any of these [rights]. And I am not writing these [things] in order that it may be thus with me. For [it would be] better to me rather to die than [for] anyone to deprive me of my reason for boasting.

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward, but if [I do so] unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

To those outside the law [I became] as outside the law ([although I] am not outside the law of God, but subject to the law of Christ) in order that I may gain those outside the law.

Do you not know that those who run in the stadium all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

And everyone who competes exercises self-control in all [things]. Thus those [do so] in order that they may receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable [one].

But I discipline my body and subjugate [it], lest somehow [after] preaching to others, myself should become disqualified.

But God was not pleased with the majority of them, for they were struck down in the desert.

nor put Christ to the test, as some of them tested [him], and were destroyed by snakes,

Now these [things] happened to those [people] as an example, but are written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

Temptation has not come upon you except [what is] common to humanity. But God [is] faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make a way out together with the temptation, [so that you] may be able to endure [it].

[No], but that [the things] which they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become sharers with demons.

All [things] are permitted, but not all [things] are profitable. All [things] are permitted, but not all [things] build up.

Let no one seek {his own good} but the [good] of the other.

But if someone says to you, "This is offered to idols," do not eat [it], for the sake of that one who informed [you] and the conscience.

Now I am not speaking about your own conscience, but the [conscience] of the other [person]. For why [is] my freedom judged by another's conscience?

just as I also please all [people] in all [things], not seeking my own benefit, but the [benefit] of the many, in order that they may be saved.

But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man [is the] head of the woman, and [the] head of Christ [is] God.

but every woman who prays or prophesies with uncovered head dishonors her head, for she is one and the same with the one whose [head] is shaved.

For if a woman does not cover herself, let her [hair] be shorn off. But if [it is] shameful for a woman to [have her head] shorn or shaved, let her cover her [head].

For indeed a man ought not to cover his head, [because he] is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man.

For man is not from woman, but woman from man.

For indeed man was not created for the sake of the woman, but woman for the sake of the man.

For just as the woman [is] from the man, thus also the man [is] through the woman. But all [things] [are] from God.

But a woman, if she wears long hair, it is her glory, because her hair is given for a covering.

But if anyone is disposed to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

But in giving this instruction I do not praise [you], because you come together not for the better but for the worse.