[This letter is from] Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and [from] our brother Sosthenes;

For in [fellowship with] Him you people have been made [spiritually] rich in every way, through all [kinds of] speech and knowledge. [Note: This probably refers to the communication and comprehension of truth represented by the spiritual gifts of languages and revelation].

In this way my testimony to Christ has been confirmed in your experience,

God is entirely trustworthy, and it is He through whom you have been called into this fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

but we [apostles] preach that Christ was crucified [for our sins]. This message is offensive to Jews and foolishness to [unconverted] Gentiles.

For this foolishness of God is wiser than men; and this weakness of God is stronger than men.

but the foolish things of this world hath God elected, that he might confound the wise; and the feeble things of the world hath God elected, that he might confound the mighty;

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,

This was all done so that no human being could boast in front of God.

This is the God to whom you owe your being in Christ Jesus, whom God has made our 'Wisdom,' that is, our righteousness and consecration and redemption;

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, even this crucified man.

And I was weak, apprehensive and fearful when I was [there] with you. [Note: This probably refers to Paul's sense of inadequacy in view of the task before him].

And I did not use persuasive words of [human] wisdom in my message and preaching, but they were [accompanied by] a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power [from God]. [Note: This "demonstration" could have included the evidence of miraculous spiritual gifts which Paul utilized while there in Corinth. See 14:18].

This was so that your faith would not [have to] depend on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

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

this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God.

now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us.

These truths we are setting forth, not in words that man's wisdom teaches but in words that the Spirit teaches, in this way fitting spiritual words to spiritual truths.

Now the natural person [Note: Since this person is contrasted with the spiritual person of verse 15, it is taken here to mean the person without the Holy Spirit] does not receive the things [i.e., truths] revealed by the Holy Spirit of God, because they are [considered] foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them because they must be discerned by using spiritual judgment [i.e., judgment aided by the Holy Spirit].

I fed you with milk and not with solid food, since for this you were not yet strong enough. And even now you are not strong enough:

For when some one says, "I belong to Paul," and another says, "I belong to Apollos," is not this the way men of the world speak?

In this the man who plants and the man who waters are one; yet each will receive his own reward in proportion to his own labor.

According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on this. But let every one take heed how he builds on this.

For no one can lay any other foundation, but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ: and if any build upon this foundation gold,

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

the character of each one's work will come to light, for the judgment day will show it up. This is so, because that day will show itself in fire, and the fire will test the character of each one's work.

If any person’s work which he has built [on this foundation, that is, any outcome of his effort] remains [and survives this test], he will receive a reward.

If any one destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, and this temple are ye.

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

So let no one boast in men [about their wisdom, or of having this or that one as a leader]. For all things are yours,

Let men this wise esteem us, even as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God.

Now in this matter of trustees the first and final requirement is that they should prove to be trustworthy.

But [as for me personally] it matters very little to me that I may be judged by you or any human court [on this point]; in fact, I do not even judge myself.

for of nothing to myself have I been conscious, but not in this have I been declared right -- and he who is discerning me is the Lord:

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.

Now, brothers, for your sakes I have applied all this to Apollos and myself, that from us as illustrations you might learn the lesson, "Never go beyond what is written," so that you might stop boasting in favor of one teacher against another.

Why, who gives you your superiority, my brother? Or what have you that you did not receive? And if you really did receive it, why boast as if this were not so?

Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

I do not write this to make you blush with shame but to give you counsel as my dear children.

For no matter how many guides you may have in the Christian life, you will not have many fathers; for in this matter of union with Christ, I became your father, through preaching the good news to you.

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.

On all hands, there is reported to be among you - fornication, and such fornication as this - which, not among the nations, is found , - as that one should have, his father's wife: -

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

to deliver, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (ye and my spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ), him that has so wrought this:

to turn such a man as this over to Satan for the destruction of his lower nature, in order that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

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

I have written to you in this epistle, not to associate with persons guilty of lewdness:

Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

But, now, I have written unto you not to be mixing yourselves up, - if anyone named a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one as this, not so much, as to be eating together,

Or, do you not know that God's people will judge the world? [Note: Possibly this refers to Christians somehow assisting Christ on the judgment day]. And if the world is [to be] judged by you [at that time], are you not capable of judging small matters [now]?

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

I ask this to make you blush with shame. Has it come to this, that there is not a single wise man among you who could settle a grievance of one brother against another,

but brother with brother doth go to be judged, and this before unbelievers!

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?

But you wrong and defraud, and [do] this [to] brothers!

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,

Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

"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.

the meats are for the belly, and the belly for the meats. And God both this and these shall make useless; and the body is not for whoredom, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body;

Stay away from [any involvement in] sexual immorality. Every sin a person commits is outside [the realm] of his body; but the one who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. [Note: Possibly this means that sex, because it requires the deepest and most complete commitment of human involvement, becomes a unique sin when its true purpose and expression are violated].

I now want to reply to the matters you people wrote me about. It is [a] good [idea] for a man not to get married. [Note: The words "to get married" here are "to touch" in the Greek and probably refer to sexual relations within marriage. This advice, not a prohibition, is further explained in verses 26-35].

But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

To unmarried people and to widows I would say this: It would be a fine thing for them to remain single, as I am.

To the people already married I give this instruction -- no, not I but the Lord -- that a wife is not to leave her husband.

To the rest I declare—I, not the Lord [since Jesus did not discuss this]—that if any [believing] brother has a wife who does not believe [in Christ], and she consents to live with him, he must not leave her.

For the unbelieving husband is consecrated by union with his wife and the unbelieving wife by union with her Christian husband, for otherwise your children would be unblessed, but in this way they are consecrated.

Nevertheless, everyone should live the life that the Lord gave him and to which God called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

This is what I command in all the Churches. Was any one already circumcised when called? Let him not have recourse to the surgeons. Was any one uncircumcised when called? Let him remain uncircumcised.

Each in the calling in which he was called -- in this let him remain;

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

I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

But if you do get married, you have not sinned in doing so. And if a girl gets married, she has not sinned in doing so. But those who do will have trouble in their earthly life, and I am trying to spare you this.

But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

But a married man is concerned about things of this world, that is, about how he can please his wife,

so his interests are divided. However, the unmarried woman [Note: Possibly this refers to a widow, divorcee or non-virgin] and the virgin are concerned about the affairs of the Lord [and] how to be dedicated [to God] in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of the world [and] how to please her husband.

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.

And he who hath stood stedfast in the heart -- not having necessity -- and hath authority over his own will, and this he hath determined in his heart -- to keep his own virgin -- doth well;

However, in my opinion she will be happier if she stays as she is. And in saying this, I think that I, too, have God's Spirit.

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.

and if any one doth love God, this one hath been known by Him.

Now concerning eating food offered to idols: We know that no idol is real in this world and that there is only one God.

For though there are gods so called, whether celestial or terrestrial, (as [of this sort] there are gods many, and lords many;)

Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

What we eat, however, will not bring us nearer to God. We lose nothing by not eating this food, and we gain nothing by eating it.

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

For if somebody sees you, who have an intelligent view of this matter, partaking of a meal in an idol's temple, will he not be emboldened, with his overscrupulous conscience, to eat the food which has been sacrificed to an idol?

So he is lost, this weak man, lost by your "knowledge." this brother for whom Christ died.

When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak consciences, you are sinning against the Messiah.

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.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

Either only I and Barnabas have not power this to do?