Paul, by the will of God called as an apostle of Jesus Christ, and our brother Sosthenes,

From Paul, who has been called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, And from Sosthenes, our Brother.

so that you will be deficient in no gift; during your expectation of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

and to the very end He will guarantee that you are vindicated at the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

for he, who has called you to the communication of his son Jesus Christ our Lord, will make good his promise.

I exhort you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected in the same mind and the same will.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.

For the Scripture says: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the learning of the learned."

But you, by your union with Christ Jesus, belong to God; and Christ, by God's will, became not only our Wisdom, but also our Righteousness, Holiness, and Deliverance,

However, what we preach is wisdom, to those who are thoroughly instructed: yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who will soon come to nothing.

A material man will not accept what the Spirit of God offers. It seems mere folly to him, and he cannot understand it, because it takes spiritual insight to see its true value.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? who will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

The planter and the waterer are one in aim, and yet each of us will get his own pay in accordance with his own work,

According to the grace of God vouchsafed me, like a skillful master-builder, I have laid a foundation; but another will be building upon it. Let each take heed how he builds on it.

On that foundation, if a man proceeds to build gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each man's work will be made manifest.

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 the structure which one builds upon it stands the test, he will get his pay.

If the structure which one builds is burned up, he will get no pay; and yet he himself will be saved, but just as one who goes through a fire.

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is sacred to Him, and you are that temple.

So you must stop forming any premature judgments, but wait until the Lord shall come again, for He will bring to light the secrets hidden in the dark and will make known the motives of men's hearts, and the proper praise will be awarded each of us.

Brothers, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what the Scriptures say. Then you will stop boasting about one person at the expense of another.

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.

This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is a dear child of mine and trustworthy in the Lord's work; he will call to your minds my methods in the work of Christ Jesus, just as I teach them everywhere in every church.

But I am coming, and coming soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out, not only what those conceited fellows say but what they can do,

What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

to turn such a person over to Satan for his body to be destroyed [Note: This probably refers to his removal from their fellowship. See verse 2], in order for his spirit to be saved in the day of the Lord [i.e., the judgment day]. [Note: This implies that his removal from their fellowship will have produced a genuine repentance before that time].

Your ground for boasting about such a case is not good. Are you not aware that a little yeast will change the whole lump of dough?

For why is it for me to judge the outsiders? Do you not judge those within? But God will judge those without.

God will judge outsiders. "Expel that wicked man."

When any controversy arises among you, will any one presume to appeal to the Gentiles, and not to Christians?

You know that the saints will rule the world, don't you? And if the world is going to be ruled by you, can't you handle insignificant cases?

You know that we will rule angels, not to mention things in this life, don't you?

If then you have ordinary matters to be settled, will you submit them for judgment to men who are nothing in the church?

I say [this] to your shame. So is there not anyone wise among you who will be able to render a decision between his brothers?

Do you not know that wrongdoers will not have a share in the kingdom of God? Stop being misled; people who are sexually immoral or idolaters or adulterers or sensual or guilty of unnatural sexual vice

or thieves or greedy graspers for more or drunkards or slanderers or swindlers will not have a share in the kingdom of God.

Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is good for me. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not become a slave to anything.

Foods are intended for the stomach, and the stomach for foods, but God will finally put a stop to both of them. The body is not intended for sexual immorality but for the service of the Lord, and the Lord is for the body to serve.

And as God by His power raised the Lord to life, so He will raise us too.

You know that the person who unites himself with a prostitute becomes one body with her, don't you? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."

Do not deprive one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

For I will all men to be as also myself. But each has his own favor of God, the one truly thus, and the other thus.

but if the infidel will separate, let him go: a brother or a sister is not inslaved in such cases. but God has called us to peace; for how do you know,

For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

About unmarried women I have no command from the Lord, but I will give you my opinion as of one who is trustworthy, since I have had mercy shown me by the Lord.

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 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 I want you to be without worry. The unmarried man cares for things of the Lord, how he will please the Lord.

But he who is married cares for things of the world, how he will please his wife.

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

But the father who stands firm in his purpose, without having any necessity for doing so, and he has made the decision in his own heart to keep her single, will do what is right.

So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, and the one who does not marry [her] will do better.

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

But in my opinion she will be happier, if she remains as she is, and I think too that I have God's Spirit.

Food will never bring us near to God. We are no worse if we do not eat it; we are no better if we do.

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?

And will not the weak brother for whom Christ died perish by your knowledge?

So then, if food can make my brother fall, I will never, no, never, eat meat again, in order to keep my brother from falling.

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.

If we sowed spiritual things to you, is it a great thing if we will reap your carnal things?

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.

But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me. In fact, it would be better for me to die than -- no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

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.

Any man who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training, to win a wreath that will soon wither, but the one we compete for will never wither.

No, I keep on disciplining my body, making it serve me so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified.

And I will not ye be ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

But, that what things they sacrifice the nations sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I will not ye be partakers of demons.

And I will you to know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman the man; and the head of Christ God.

Any man who offers prayer or explains the will of God with anything on his head disgraces his head,

and any woman who offers prayer or explains the will of God bareheaded disgraces her head, for it is just as though she had her head shaved.

For if a woman will not wear a veil, let her have her hair cut off too. Now if it is a dishonor for a woman to have her hair cut off, or her head shaved, let her wear a veil.

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.

for there must be factions among you, whereby it will appear who among you are the approved.

You have homes in which to eat and drink, don't you? Or do you despise God's church and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I will not praise you for this!

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks from the cup in an unworthy manner will be held responsible for the Lord's body and blood.

But [if we] are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined, in order that we will not be condemned with the world.

So, my brothers, when you assemble for a meal, wait for each other [i.e., so some will not be finished before others. See verse 21].

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that your meetings may not bring down a judgment upon you. The details I will settle when I come.

To one the utterance of wisdom has been granted through the Spirit; to another the utterance of knowledge in accordance with the will of the same Spirit;

and to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and to another discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

And if there is pain in one part of the body, all the parts will be feeling it; or if one part is honoured, all the parts will be glad.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?

But you must earnestly continue to cultivate your higher spiritual gifts. And yet I will show you a way that is better by far:

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.

And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing.

And if I parcel out all my possessions, and if I hand over my body in order that I will be burned, but do not have love, it benefits [me] nothing.

is never glad with sin; she's always glad to side with truth, and pleased that truth will win.

It will bear anything, believe anything, hope for anything, endure anything.

Love will never die out. If there is inspired preaching, it will pass away. If there is ecstatic speaking, it will cease. If there is knowledge, it will pass away.

But when perfection comes, what is imperfect will pass away.

Now we see only an indistinct image in a mirror, but then we will be face to face. Now what I know is incomplete, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

and now faith, hope, social virtue, these three will all remain; but the most permanent of the three is social virtue.

Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].

But [on the other hand] the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification [to promote their spiritual growth] and [speaks words of] encouragement [to uphold and advise them concerning the matters of God] and [speaks words of] consolation [to compassionately comfort them].

One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church [promotes growth in spiritual wisdom, devotion, holiness, and joy].