To God’s church at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.

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

For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached.

Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom,

But as it is written:

What eye did not see and ear did not hear,
and what never entered the human mind—
God prepared this for those who love Him.

We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride.

For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside?

So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge?

And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none,

those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,

and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.

My defense to those who examine me is this:

Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar?

In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—to win those under the law.

To those who are without that law, like one without the law—not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law—to win those without the law.

Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar?

Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this!

But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary.

And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation.

Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Like the man made of dust,
so are those who are made of dust;
like the heavenly man,
so are those who are heavenly.

When I arrive, I will send with letters those you recommend to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem.