To the Church of God in Corinth, to those who have been consecrated by union with Christ Jesus and called to become his People, and also to all, wherever they may be, who invoke the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ-their Master and ours,

to the Church of God at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all, wherever they are, who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

Sage, rabbi, skeptic of this present age??here are they all? Has not God made foolish the philosophy of the world?

for whereas the world, with all their learning, did not distinguish the characters of his divine wisdom, in his works, it pleased God to save those who believe, by preaching, which they counted folly.

but to those whom God has called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is God's power and God's wisdom.

Because the foolishness of God, as they call it, is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

and my language and the message I preached were not adorned with pleasing words of worldly wisdom, but they were attended with proof and power given by the Spirit,

Yet there is a wisdom that we impart when we are with people who have a mature faith, but it is not what this world calls wisdom, nor what the authorities of this world, doomed as they are to pass away, would call so.

Of which not one of the rulers of this world had knowledge: for if they had, they would not have put the Lord of glory on the cross:

But, as the Scripture says, they are: "Things which eye has never seen and ear has never heard, and never have occurred to human hearts, which God prepared for those who love Him."

For the natural man is not able to take in the things of the Spirit of God: for they seem foolish to him, and he is not able to have knowledge of them, because such knowledge comes only through the Spirit.

but they are all expos'd to the judgment of the spiritual, whilst he himself is not subject to the judgment of any man.

What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? They are but servants who gave you the good news as God gave it to them.

Now the planter and the waterer are working for the same end: but they will have their separate rewards in the measure of their work.

And again, The Lord has knowledge of the reasonings of the wise, that they are nothing.

whether it be Paul, either Apollos, either Cephas: whether it be the world, or life, either death, whether they be present things or things to come: all are yours,

Furthermore it is required of the stewards that they be found faithful.

For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on exhibition at the disgraced end of the procession, as they do with men who are doomed to die in the arena.

And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;

when they slander us, we try to conciliate them. We have come to be like the scum of the earth, the dregs of the world, and we are so now.

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.

Certain individuals have got puffed up, have they, as if I were not coming myself?

but if the Lord pleases, I will visit you very soon; and then I shall try, not what these boasters can say, but what they can do:

not that in this world you are to keep wholly aloof from such as they, any more than from people who are avaricious and greedy of gain, or from worshippers of idols. For that would mean that you would be compelled to go out of the world altogether.

If therefore you have things belonging to this life which need to be decided, is it men who are absolutely nothing in the Church--is it *they* whom you make your judges?

have ye not known that he who is joined to the harlot is one body? 'for they shall be -- saith He -- the two for one flesh.'

For ye are dearly bought. Therefore glorify ye God in your bodies and in your spirits, for they are God's.

But I say, to the unmarried, and to the widows, good, were it for them, that they should abide, even as I;

But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire.

To those already married my instructions are??nd they are not mine, but the Lord's??hat a wife is not to separate from her husband.

But I, not the Lord, say this to the rest of you [Note: Paul now addresses the matter of mixed marriages, a circumstance Jesus never taught about]: If any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she agrees to continue living with him [Note: In these verses Paul addresses a situation where one marriage partner is converted after they are married], he should not divorce her.

For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy.

not that it is a sin for you to marry; nor is it so if a virgin marry; but they that do, will be troubled for their relations, and that I would prevent.

But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not;

And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing;

And, they who use the world, as though they used it not to the full, - for the fashion of this world passeth away;

But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, if she is past marriageable age, and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married.

For also though they are called gods, whether in heaven, whether upon the earth, (for there are many gods, and many lords,)

Still, all men have not that knowledge: but some, being used till now to the image, are conscious that they are taking food which has been offered to the image; and because they are not strong in the faith, their minds are troubled.

Know ye not that, they who labour in the holy rites, do eat the provisions out of the holy place? They who at the altar wait, do, with the altar, share?

Thus, also, hath the Lord, appointed - that, they who the glad message tell, should, of the glad-message, live.

But I have not used any of these rights, and I'm not writing this so that they may be applied in my case. I would rather die than let anyone deprive me of my reason for boasting.

To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble, so that they might have salvation: I have been all things to all men, so that some at least might have salvation.

Know ye not that, they who, in a racecourse, run, all, indeed, run, - but, one, receiveth the prize? So, be running, that ye may lay hold.

And every man who takes part in the sports has self-control in all things. Now they do it to get a crown which is of this world, but we for an eternal crown.

For it is my desire, my brothers, that you may keep in mind how all our fathers were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea;

And they all had baptism from Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

And they all took the same holy food;

And the same holy drink: for they all took of the water from the holy rock which came after them: and the rock was Christ.

But with most of them God was not pleased: for they came to their end in the waste land.

Now these things were for an example to us, so that our hearts might not go after evil things, as they did.

And you must not be idolaters like some of them. as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, And they rose up for idol dances.

Let us not try the Lord's patience too far, as some of them did, for they were killed for it by the snakes.

You must not grumble, as some of them did, for they were destroyed for it by the destroying angel.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Be looking at Israel after the flesh: - are not, they who eat the sacrifices, joint partakers with the altar?

On the contrary - that, the things which the nations sacrifice, unto demons, and not unto God, they sacrifice; and I wish not that ye should become, sharers together with the demons!

Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.

This [i.e., the order of creation] is the reason that the woman should have [a symbol of] authority on her [physical] head [i.e., hair or a shawl to indicate subjection to her husband], and because of the angels. [Note: This difficult phrase probably means that angels, who observe the activities of Christian assemblies, are pleased when they see things being done in their proper order].

for just as the woman was made from the man, so also is the man born of the woman, while they both come from God.

But as I am giving you these instructions I cannot approve of your meetings, because they do not turn out for the better but for the worse.

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

So, when you people assemble together [Note: This was a church meeting at which they also shared a common meal prior to the Lord's Supper], it is not possible to eat the Lord's Supper [properly].

In the same manner, the cup also, after they had taken supper, saying - This cup, is, the new covenant in my blood, this, do ye, as often soever as ye may be drinking it, in remembrance of me.

Now there are a variety of [spiritual] gifts, but [they are given by] the same Holy Spirit.

And there are a variety of services, but [they are rendered to] the same Lord.

now to particular men the spirit gives particular gifts, that they may be displayed to greater advantage.

For just as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, [although they] are many, are one body, thus also Christ.

And if they were all one part, where would the body be?

But now they are all different parts, but one body.

and those which we deem less honorable we clothe with more abundant honor; and so our ungraceful parts come to have a more abundant grace, while our graceful parts have everything they need.

so that if one member suffer, they all suffer with it: or if one be honoured, they partake of it.

Not all [are] apostles, [are they]? Not all [are] prophets, [are they]? Not all [are] teachers, [are they]? Not all [are workers of] miracles, [are they]?

Not all have gifts of healing, [do they]? Not all speak with tongues, [do they]? Not all interpret, [do they]?

Love, at no time, faileth; - but, whether prophesyings, they shall be done away, whether tongues, they shall cease, whether gaining knowledge, it shall be done away;

In like manner, the things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, if, a distinction in the sounds, they do not give, how shall it be known, what is being piped or harped?

If, however, I do not happen to know the language, I shall be a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be foreigners to me.

In the law, it is written - With strange tongues, and with lips of strangers, will I speak unto this people; and, not even so, will they hearken unto me, - saith the Lord.

and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord." Wherefore the tongues are for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers, but for believers.

If, then, the whole assembly come together with one consent, and, all, are speaking with tongues, - and there come in persons unskilled or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are raving?

But if they are all inspired to preach and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convinced of his sin by them all, he is called to account by them all,

If any person speaks in a language [supernaturally], there should be [only] two, or at most three people [doing it in one meeting], and they should take turns. And [only] one person should interpret [the language spoken].

If there is no one able to interpret what is said, they should remain silent at the meeting of the Church, and speak to themselves and to God.

And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say.

the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says.

If, however, they are wishing to learn something, at home, their own husbands, let them question; for it is a shame for a woman to be speaking in assembly.

If anyone thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge the things which I am writing to you, - that they are, a commandment, of the Lord.

But, by favour of God, I am what I am, and, his favour, which was unto me, hath not been made void, - but, much more abundantly than they all, have I toiled, albeit not, I, but the favour of God with me.

Whether therefore, I, or, they, thus do we proclaim, and, thus did ye believe.

Hence also, they who are fallen asleep in Christ, are lost:

For just as because of their relation to Adam all men die, so because of their relation to Christ they will all be brought to life again.

But, each, in his own rank: - A firstfruit, Christ, after that, they who are the Christ's, in his presence,

Else, what will they do, who are being immersed in behalf of the dead? If, not at all, are the dead to be raised, why are they even being immersed in their behalf?

But some one will say - How, are the dead raised? and, with what kind of body, do they come?

As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

And, if it be meet that, I also, be journeying, with me, shall they journey.

Now I beseech you, brethren, - ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is a first-fruit of Achaia, and, for the purpose of ministering, they devoted themselves, unto the saints -

that ye submit yourselves to such as they are, and to every one that worketh with us, and laboreth.

I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

They have given rest, in fact, unto my spirit, and yours: hold in acknowledgment, therefore, such as these.