Where is the wise? where is he who has knowledge of the law? where is the man of this world who has a love of discussion? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

But God made selection of the foolish things of this world so that he might put the wise to shame; and the feeble things that he might put to shame the strong;

But still we have wisdom for those who are complete in knowledge, though not the wisdom of this world, and not of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing:

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:

For the wisdom of this world is foolish before God. As it is said in the holy Writings, He who takes the wise in their secret designs:

For I am not conscious of any wrong in myself; but this does not make me clear, for it is the Lord who is my judge.

For this reason let there be no judging before the time, till the Lord comes, who will make clear the secret things of the dark, and the designs of the heart; and then will every man have his praise from God.

Even to this hour we are without food, drink, and clothing, we are given blows and have no certain resting-place;

For this cause I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and true child in the Lord; he will make clear to you my ways in Christ, even as I am teaching everywhere in every church.

And in place of feeling sorrow, you are pleased with yourselves, so that he who has done this thing has not been sent away from among you.

For I myself, being present in spirit though not in body, have come to a decision about him who has done this thing;

That this man is to be handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may have forgiveness in the day of the Lord Jesus.

This pride of yours is not good. Do you not see that a little leaven makes a change in all the mass?

Is it not certain that we are to be the judges of angels? how much more then of the things of this life?

If then there are questions to be judged in connection with the things of this life, why do you put them in the hands of those who have no position in the church?

I say this to put you to shame. Is there not among you one wise man who may be able to give a decision between his brothers?

More than this, it is not to your credit to have causes at law with one another at all. Why not put up with wrong? why not undergo loss?

So far from doing this, you yourselves do wrong and take your brothers' property.

Have you not knowledge that evil-doers will have no part in the kingdom of God? Have no false ideas about this: no one who goes after the desires of the flesh, or gives worship to images, or is untrue when married, or is less than a man, or makes a wrong use of men,

But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord.

It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that.

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 make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end.

But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife.

Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord.

But take care that this power of yours does not give cause for trouble to the feeble.

And in this way, doing evil to the brothers, and causing trouble to those whose faith is feeble, you are sinning against Christ.

For this reason, if food is a cause of trouble to my brother, I will give up taking meat for ever, so that I may not be a cause of trouble to my brother.

My answer to those who are judging me is this.

If we have been planting the things of the Spirit for you, does it seem a great thing for you to give us a part in your things of this world?

If others have a part in this right over you, have we not even more? But we did not make use of our right, so that we might put nothing in the way of the good news of Christ.

But I have not made use of any of these things: and I am not writing this in the hope that it may be so for me: for it would be better for me to undergo death, than for any man to make this pride of mine of no effect.

For if I am a preacher of the good news, I have no cause for pride in this; because I am forced to do so, for a curse is on me if I do not.

What then is my reward? This, that when I am giving the good news, I may give it without payment, not making use of my rights as a preacher of the good news.

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 this cause, my dear brothers, give no worship to false gods.

But if anyone says to you, This food has been used as an offering, do not take it, on account of him who said it, and on account of his sense of right and wrong:

But it is important for you to keep this fact in mind, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

For this reason it is right for the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.

But if any man will not be ruled in this question, this is not our way of doing things, and it is not done in the churches of God.

But in giving you this order, there is one thing about which I am not pleased: it is that when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.

And when it had been broken with an act of praise, he said, This is my body which is for you: do this in memory of me.

In the same way, with the cup, after the meal, he said, This cup is the new testament in my blood: do this, whenever you take it, in memory of me.

For this cause a number of you are feeble and ill, and a number are dead.

So it is my desire for you to be clear about this; that no one is able to say by the Spirit of God that Jesus is cursed; and no one is able to say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.

Now though it is my desire for you all to have the power of tongues, it would give me more pleasure to be hearing the prophet's word from you; for this is a greater thing than using tongues, if the sense is not given at the same time, for the good of the church.

For this reason, let the man who has the power of using tongues make request that he may, at the same time, be able to give the sense.

In the law it is said, By men of other tongues and by strange lips will my words come to this people; and not even so will they give ear to me, says the Lord.

For this reason tongues are for a sign, not to those who have faith, but to those who have not: but the prophet's word is for those who have faith, and not for the rest who have not.

If then it is I who am the preacher, or they, this is our word, and to this you have given your faith.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most unhappy.

Be awake to righteousness and keep yourselves from sin; for some have no knowledge of God: I say this to put you to shame.

Now I say this, my brothers, that it is not possible for flesh and blood to have a part in the kingdom of God; and death may not have a part in life.

For this body which comes to destruction will be made free from the power of death, and the man who is under the power of death will put on eternal life.

But when this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, Death is overcome by life.

For this cause, my dear brothers, be strong in purpose and unmoved, ever giving yourselves to the work of the Lord, because you are certain that your work is not without effect in the Lord.