For to those who are on the way to destruction, the story of the cross is nonsense, but to us who are to be saved, it means all the power of God.

The right way for a man to think of us is as Christ's servants, and managers authorized to distribute the secret truths of God.

A wife cannot do as she likes with her own person; it is her husband's; and in the same way a husband cannot do as he likes with his own person; it is his wife's.

But in sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their too scrupulous consciences, you are really sinning against Christ.

If others enjoy such rights over you, have we not a still better claim? But, you say, we have never availed ourselves of this right. No, we will stand anything rather than put any hindrance in the way of the good news of the Christ.

In just that way the Lord directed that those who preach the good news should get their living from it.

Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one wins the prize? That is the way you must run, so as to win.

So that is the way I run, unswervingly. That is the way I fight, not punching the air.

It is no superhuman temptation that you have had. And God can be depended on, not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but when temptation comes, to give you a way out of it, so that you can withstand it.

He took the cup, too, after supper, in the same way, saying, "This cup is the new agreement ratified by my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in memory of me."

Hence anyone who eats the bread or drinks from the Lord's cup in a way that is unworthy of it will be guilty of profaning the body and the blood of the Lord.

I will show you a far better way. If I can speak the languages of men and even of angels, but have no love, I am only a noisy gong or a clashing cymbal.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside my childish ways.

So since you are ambitious for spiritual endowments, you must try to excel in them in ways that will do good to the church.

For in this way you can all preach one after another, as you are inspired to, so that everyone may be instructed and stimulated,

for the spirits of prophets will give way to prophets,

But let everything be done in a proper and orderly way.