Get rid entirely of the old leaven, so that you may be like new dough-free from leaven, as in truth you are. For our Passover Lamb is already sacrificed-Christ himself;

But, as things are, I say that you are not to associate with any one who, although a Brother in name, is immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or abusive, or a drunkard, or grasping-no, not even to sit at table with such people.

Can it be that, when one of you has a dispute with another, he dares to have his case tried before the heathen, instead of before Christ's People?

Do not you know that Christ's People will try the world? And if the world is to be tried by you, are you unfit to try the most trivial cases?

Do not you know that we are to try angels-to say nothing of the affairs of this life?

Can it be that there is not one man among you wise enough to decide between two of his Brothers?

Must Brother go to law with Brother, and that, too, before unbelievers?

Do not you know that wrong-doers will have no share in God's Kingdom? Do not be deceived. No one who is immoral, or an idolater, or an adulterer, or licentious, or a sodomite,

Do not you know that your bodies are Christ's members? Am I, then, to take the members that belong to the Christ and make them the members of a prostitute? Heaven forbid!

Or do not you know that a man who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body (for 'the two,' it is said, 'will become one');

Shun all immorality. Every other sin that men commit is something outside the body; but an immoral man sins against his own body.

Again, do not you know that your body is a shrine of the Holy Spirit that is within you-the Spirit which you have from God?

Do not deprive each other of what is due-unless it is only for a time and by mutual consent, so that your minds may be free for prayer till you again live as man and wife-lest Satan should take advantage of your want of self-control and tempt you.

To those who are married my direction is-yet it is not mine, but the Master's-that a woman is not to leave her husband

(If she has done so, let her remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.

In any case, a man should continue to live in the condition which the Lord has allotted to him, and in which he was when God called him. This is the rule that I lay down in every Church.

Let every one remain in that condition of life in which he was when the Call came to him.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. No, even if you are able to gain your freedom, still do your best.

With regard to unmarried women, I have no command from the Master to give you, but I tell you my opinion, and it is that of a man whom the Master in his mercy has made worthy to be trusted.

I think, then, that, in view of the time of suffering that has now come upon us, what I have already said is best-that a man should remain as he is.

still, if you should marry, that is not wrong; nor, if a young woman marries, is that wrong. But those who marry will have much trouble to bear, and my wish is to spare you.

If, however, a father thinks that he is not acting fairly by his unmarried daughter, when she is past her youth, and if under these circumstances her marriage ought to take place, let him act as he thinks right. He is doing nothing wrong-let the marriage take place.

Yet she will be happier if she remains as she is-in my opinion, for I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

With reference to food that has been offered in sacrifice to idols-We are aware that all of us have knowledge! Knowledge breeds conceit, while love builds up character.

If a man thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet reached that knowledge which he ought to have reached.

With reference, then, to eating food that has been offered to idols-we are aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

Even supposing that there are so-called 'gods' either in Heaven or on earth-and there are many such 'gods' and 'lords'-

Still, it is not every one that has this knowledge. Some people, because of their association with idols, continued down to the present time, eat the food as food offered to an idol; and their consciences, while still weak, are dulled.

But take care that this right of yours does not become in any way a stumbling-block to the weak.

For if some one should see you who possess this knowledge, feasting in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is a weak man, become so hardened that he, too, will eat food offered to idols?

If I am not an Apostle to others, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal that stamps me as an Apostle in union with the Lord.

The defense that I make to my critics is this:

For in the Law of Moses it is said-'Thou shalt not muzzle a bullock while it is treading out the grain.' Is it the bullocks that God is thinking of?

Since we, then, sowed spiritual seed for you, is it too much that we should reap from you an earthly harvest?

Do not you know that those who do the work of the Temple live on what comes from the Temple, and that those who serve at the altar share the offerings with the altar?

So, too, the Master has appointed that those who tell the Good News should get their living from the Good News.

To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law- -not that I am free from God's Law; no, for I am under Christ's Law-to win those who have no law.

And I do everything for the sake of the Good News, that with them I may share in its blessings.

Do not you know that on a race-course, though all run, yet only one wins the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

Every athlete exercises self-restraint in everything; they, indeed, for a crown that fades, we for one that is unfading.

I want you to bear in mind, Brothers, that all our ancestors were beneath the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

That in the cloud and in the sea they all underwent baptism as followers of Moses;

And that they all ate the same supernatural food,

and all drank the same supernatural water, for they used to drink from a supernatural rock which followed them, and that rock was the Christ.

Nor let us act immorally, as some of them acted, with the result that twenty-three thousand of them fell dead in a single day.

Nor let us try the patience of the Lord too far, as some of them tried it, with the result that they 'were, one after another, destroyed by the snakes.'

Therefore let the man who thinks that he stands take care that he does not fall.

No temptation has come upon you that is not common to all mankind. God will not fail you, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; but, when he sends the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, so that you may have strength to endure.

The Bread is one, and we, though many, are one body; for we all partake of that one Bread.

No; what I say is that the sacrifices offered by the Gentiles 'are offered to demons and to a Being who is no God,' and I do not want you to share with demons.

Eat anything that is sold in the market, without making inquiries to satisfy your scruples;

For 'the earth, with all that is in it, belongs to the Lord.'

If an unbeliever invites you to his house and you consent to go, eat anything that is put before you, without making inquiries to satisfy your scruples.

I do not say 'your' scruples, but 'his.' For why should the freedom that I claim be condemned by the scruples of another?

If, for my part, I take the food thankfully, why should I be abused for eating that for which I give thanks?

For I, also, try to please everybody in everything, not seeking my own advantage, but that of men in general, that they may be saved.

But I am anxious that you should understand that the Christ is the Head of every man, that man is the Head of woman, and that God is the Head of the Christ.

While any woman, who prays or preaches in public bare-headed, dishonors him who is her Head; for that is to make herself like one of the shameless women who shave their heads.

Judge for yourselves. Is it fitting that a woman should pray to God in public with her head uncovered?

Does not nature herself teach us that, while for a man to wear his hair long is degrading to him,

For, as you eat, each of you tries to secure his own supper first, with the result that one has too little to eat, and another has too much to drink!

That is why so many among you are weak and ill, and why some are sleeping.

Yet, in being judged by the Lord, we are undergoing discipline, so that we may not have judgment passed upon us with the rest of the world.

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

You know that there was a time when you were Gentiles, going astray after idols that could not speak, just as you happened to be led.

Therefore I tell you plainly that no one who speaks under the influence of the Spirit of God says 'JESUS IS ACCURSED,' and that no one can say 'JESUS IS LORD,' except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

For it was by one Spirit that we were all baptized to form one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free men, and were all imbued with one Spirit.

If the foot says 'Since I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it does not on that account cease to belong to the body.

Or if the ear says 'Since I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' it does not on that account cease to belong to the body.

No! Those parts of the body that seem naturally the weaker are indispensable;

Yes, God has so constructed the body--by giving a special honor to the part that lacks it-

As to secure that there should be no disunion in the body, but that the parts should show the same care for one another.

Even though I dole my substance to the poor, even though I sacrifice my body, that I may boast, yet have not Love, it avails me nothing!

But, when the Perfect has come, that which is incomplete will be done with.

When I was a child, I talked as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; now that I am a man, I have done with childish ways.

But he who preaches is speaking to his fellow men words that will build up faith, and give them comfort and encouragement.

Now I want you all to speak in 'tongues,' but much more I wish that you should preach. A Preacher is of more account than he who speaks in 'tongues,' unless he interprets his words, so that the faith of the Church may be built up.

So, when the whole Church meets, if all present use the gift of 'tongues,' and some men who are without the gift, or who are unbelievers, come in, will not they say that you are mad?

For you can all preach in turn, so that all may learn some lesson and all receive encouragement.

(The spirit that moves the preachers is within the preachers' control;

If any one thinks that he has the gift of preaching or any other spiritual gift, let him recognize that what I am now saying to you is a command from the Lord.

And by means of which you are being saved. I would remind you of the very words that I used in telling it to you, since you are still holding fast to it, and since it was not in vain that you became believers in Christ.

For at the very beginning of my teaching I gave you the account which I had myself received-that Christ died for our sins (as the Scriptures had foretold),

That he was buried, that on the third day he was raised (as the Scriptures had foretold),

And that he appeared to Kephas, and then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of our Brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have gone to their rest.

After that, he appeared to James, and then to all the Apostles.

But it is through the love of God that I am what I am, and the love that he showed me has not been wasted. No, I have toiled harder than any of them, and yet it was not I, but the love of God working with me.

Now, if it is proclaimed of Christ that he has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say that there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead?

Yes, and we are being proved to have borne false testimony about God; for we testified of God that he raised the Christ, whom he did not raise, if, indeed, the dead do not rise!

If all that we have done has been to place our hope in Christ for this life, then we of all men are the most to be pitied.

For God has placed all things under Christ's feet. (But, when it is said that all things have been placed under Christ, it is plain that God is excepted who placed everything under him.)

And, when everything has been placed under him, the Son will place himself under God who placed everything under him, that God may be all in all!

Again, what good will they be doing who are baptized on behalf of the dead? If it is true that the dead do not rise, why are people baptized on their behalf?

Daily I face death-I swear it, Brothers, by the pride in you that I feel through my union with Christ Jesus, our Lord.

And when you sow, you sow not the body that will be, but a mere grain-perhaps of wheat, or something else.

God gives it the body that he pleases-to each seed its special body.

That is what is meant by the words-'Adam, the first man, became a human being'; the last Adam became a Life-giving spirit.

That which comes first is not the spiritual, but the human; afterwards comes the spiritual;

It is sin that gives death its sting, and it is the Law that gives sin its power.