Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth,

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

all of which verifies the testimony we bore to Christ when we were with you.

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift [which comes from the Holy Spirit], as you eagerly wait [with confident trust] for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ [when He returns].

which shall strengthen you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

For after the world by its wisdom--as God in His wisdom had ordained--had failed to gain the knowledge of God, God was pleased, by the apparent foolishness of the Message which we preach, to save those who accepted it.

but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense],

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men's wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men's might.

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

But you--and it is all God's doing--are in Christ Jesus: He has become for us a wisdom which is from God, consisting of righteousness and sanctification and deliverance;

That according, as it is written, "He which rejoiceth, should rejoice in the Lord."

And as for myself, brethren, when I came to you, it was not with surpassing power of eloquence or earthly wisdom that I came, announcing to you that which God had commanded me to bear witness to.

And my language and the Message that I proclaimed were not adorned with persuasive words of earthly wisdom, but depended upon truths which the Spirit taught and mightily carried home;

That we speak of is wisdom among them that are perfect - not the wisdom of this world, neither of the rulers of this world, which goeth to nought -

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

So then, neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth: but God which gave the increase.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

And whether the building which any one is erecting on that foundation be of gold or silver or costly stones, of timber or hay or straw--

the true character of each individual's work will become manifest. For the day of Christ will disclose it, because that day is soon to come upon us clothed in fire, and as for the quality of every one's work-- the fire is the thing which will test it.

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

But if anyone's work is burned up [i.e., does not survive the judgment], he will experience loss [i.e., of his converts], but he himself will [still] be saved, like a person escaping from the fire [i.e., of a burning building, which consumes his efforts].

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Therefore form no premature judgements, but wait until the Lord returns. He will both bring to light the secrets of darkness and will openly disclose the motives that have been in people's hearts; and then the praise which each man deserves will come to him from God.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

For who makes thee to differ? and what hast thou which thou hast not received? but if also thou hast received, why boastest thou as not receiving?

You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you!

Me thinketh that God hath set forth us, which are apostles, for the lowest of all: as it were, men appointed to death. For we are a gazingstock unto the world, and to the angels, and to men.

When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers: we are made as the unclean things of the world, as that for which no one has any use, even till now.

It is with no wish to shame you that I am writing like this; but to warn you as my own dear children.

For though you have ten thousand teachers in the Christian life, you certainly could not have many fathers. For it was I myself who became your father through your union with Christ Jesus, which resulted from my telling you the good news.

For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

what do ye wish? with a rod shall I come unto you, or in love, with a spirit also of meekness?

It is reported everywhere [that there] is sexual immorality among you, and sexual immorality of such a kind which [does] not [even exist] among the Gentiles, so that someone has the wife of [his] father.

And ye swell and have not rather sorrowed, that he which hath done this deed might be put from among you.

you are to hand over this man to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

It is no good thing--this which you make the ground of your boasting. Do you not know that a little yeast corrupts the whole of the dough?

For what have I to do to judge them which are without? Do ye not judge them that are within?

Which one of you having a matter dares to go to law with another before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Do you not know that God's people will sit in judgement upon the world? And if you are the court before which the world is to be judged, are you unfit to deal with these petty matters?

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?

"Everything is permissible for me [to do];" but not everything is profitable. [Note: The words in quote marks in this and the following verse are thought to have been commonly held views of that day, to which Paul gives an inspired reply]. "Everything is permissible for me [to do];" but I will not be ruled by anything.

Don't you know, that your bodies are parts of Christ's mystical body? now, how can that which is Christ's, be made the property of a very creature?

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

Flee fornication. Every sin which a man may practise is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

But concerning the things of which ye have written to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman;

Let the husband give to the wife that which is due, and likewise the wife also to the husband.

Now I wish all men to be even as myself: but every one has his own gift of God: one man thus, and another thus.

But if they cannot control their [sexual] desires, they should get married, for it is better [for them] to marry than to burn [i.e., with sexual lust which cannot be legitimately gratified].

But as to the other cases, which were not decided by the Lord; I say, if any brother has a pagan wife, who likes to live with him, let him not put her away.

And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

Only, let each one live the life which the Lord has assigned him, and to which God has called him [for each person is unique and is accountable for his choices and conduct, let him walk in this way]. This is the rule I make in all the churches.

Let each abide in that calling in which he has been called.

each, in that in which he was called, brethren, in this let him remain with God.

Concerning unmarried women I have no command to give you from the Lord; but I offer you my opinion, which is that of a man who, through the Lord's mercy, is deserving of your confidence.

I think then that, taking into consideration the distress which is now upon us, it is well for a man to remain as he is.

But if thou hast married, thou hast committed no sin; and if a virgin hath married, she hath committed no sin. Such, however, will have trouble in the flesh, which I desire to spare you.

This say I, brethren: the time is short. It remaineth that they which have wives, be as though they had none:

But I wish you to be without care. The unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;

And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

Now as to things which have been sacrificed to idols. This is a subject which we already understand--because we all have knowledge of it. Knowledge, however, tends to make people conceited; it is love that builds us up.

If any one imagines that he already possesses any true knowledge, he has as yet attained to no knowledge of the kind to which he ought to have attained;

As to eating things which have been sacrificed to idols, we are fully aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but One.

For though there are those which are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are many gods, and many lords,)

yet unto us is there but one God, which is the father, of whom are all things, and we in him: and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

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.

Only be careful that this liberty of yours [this power to choose] does not somehow become a stumbling block [that is, a temptation to sin] to the weak [in conscience].

For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

Now [if you] sin in this way against the brothers and wound their conscience, which is weak, you sin against Christ.

For which reason, if meat cause my brother to fall, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

for in the law of Moses it is written, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn." Doth God take care for oxen?

Is God simply thinking about the oxen? Or is it really in our interest that He speaks? Of course, it was written in our interest, because it is His will that when a plough-man ploughs, and a thresher threshes, it should be in the hope of sharing that which comes as the result.

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

now if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, it is a dispensation of trust which must be discharged.

What are my wages then? The very fact that the Good News which I preach will cost my hearers nothing, so that I cannot be charged with abuse of my privileges as a Christian preacher.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

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.

And I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed them: (now the rock was the Christ;)

Therefore, the one who thinks that he stands must watch out lest he fall.

You have been put to no test but such as is common to man: and God is true, who will not let any test come on you which you are not able to undergo; but he will make with the test a way out of it, so that you may be able to go through it.

I speak as unto them which have discretion: judge ye what I say.

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.