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

Now I wish that all of you spoke in unknown tongues, but even more [I wish] that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater [and more useful] than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he translates or explains [what he says], so that the church may be edified [instructed, improved, strengthened].

Now, believers, if I come to you speaking in unknown tongues, how will I benefit you unless I also speak to you [clearly] either by revelation [revealing God’s mystery], or by knowledge [teaching about God], or by prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], or by instruction [teaching precepts that develop spiritual maturity]?

Yet even lifeless things, whether flute or harp, when producing a sound, if they do not produce distinct [musical] tones, how will anyone [listening] know what is piped or played?

And if the [war] bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air.

There are, we will suppose, a great number of languages in the world, and no creature is without a language.

If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

So it is with you, since you are so very eager to have spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that will build up the church [spiritually].

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

For otherwise, if you praise in [your] spirit, how will the one who fills the place of the outsider say the "amen" at your thanksgiving, because he does not know what you are saying?

But in the church, I will to speak five words by my mind, that I might also sound. in the ears of others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

Therefore, [unknown] tongues are [meant] for a [supernatural] sign, not to believers but to unbelievers [who might be receptive]; while prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people] is not for unbelievers but for believers.

If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

But if all prophesy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and an unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted [of his sins] by all, and he is called to account by all [because he can understand what is being said];

And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

For [in this way] you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may be instructed and everyone may be encouraged;

for the spirits of prophets will give way to prophets,

And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

If anyone thinks and claims that he is a prophet [a true spokesman for God] or spiritually astute [filled with and energized by the Holy Spirit], let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.

But if anyone ignores this, he will be ignored.

Therefore, believers, desire earnestly to prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people], and do not forbid speaking in unknown tongues.

[and] you have been saved by it also, if you hold on to it firmly [i.e., continue believing and practicing it]. For if you do not [hold on to it firmly], you will have believed [it] all for nothing.

Now if it is preached that Christ was raised from the dead, how can some people among you say that people will not be raised from the dead?

for since by man came death, by man the resurrection of the dead will likewise come.

For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected with incorruptible, immortal bodies] at His coming.

Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power.

For his rule will go on till he has put all those who are against him under his feet.

The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

for He will have put all things in subjection under His feet. And when He shall have declared that "All things are in subjection," it will be with the manifest exception of Him who has reduced them all to subjection to Him.

However, when all things are subjected to Him (Christ), then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One (the Father) who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [manifesting His glory without any opposition, the supreme indwelling and controlling factor of life].

Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them?

if after the manner of a man with wild beasts I fought in Ephesus, what the advantage to me if the dead do not rise? let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die!

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

Fool! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies.

And what you sow [is] not the body which it will become, but you sow the bare seed, whether perhaps of wheat or of some of the rest.

This is how it will be at the resurrection of the dead. What is planted is decaying, what is raised cannot decay.

it is sown in dishonour, it will be raised in glory: it is sown in decay, it will be raised in power:

it is sown an animal body, it will rise a spiritual body. there is an animal body, and there is a spiritual body.

And just as we have borne the image of the [one who is] made of earth, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

But this I tell you, brethren: our mortal bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor will what is perishable inherit what is imperishable.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed].

For this body which comes to destruction will be made free from the power of death, and the man who is under the power of death will put on eternal life.

But whenever this perishable [body] puts on incorruptibility and this mortal [body] puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: "Death is swallowed up in victory.

therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye inflexibly steady, and continually surpass others in the work of the Lord, knowing that he will not leave your christian labour unrewarded.

On the first day of every week each one of you is to put something aside, in proportion to his prosperity, and save it so that no collections [will need to] be made when I come.

And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

and if it is fitting for me to go too, they will accompany me.

Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.

And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.

For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.

For they cheered me up, as they have cheered [or, will cheer] you up [also]. [Note: How these three men did this for Paul and the Corinthians is not known]. You should give recognition to such men.

If anyone does not love the Lord [does not obey and respect and believe in Jesus Christ and His message], he is to be accursed. Maranatha (O our Lord, come)!

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

If we meet with trouble, it is for the sake of your consolation and salvation; and, if we find consolation, it is for the sake of the consolation that you will experience when you are called to endure the very sufferings that we ourselves are enduring;

And our hope for you [is] firm, [because we] know that as you are sharers in the sufferings, so also [you will be sharers] in the comfort.

Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then thanks will be given by many persons on our behalf for the gracious gift [of deliverance] granted to us through the prayers of many [believers].

For we write no other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end:

just as some few of you have recognized us as your reason for boasting, even as you will be ours, on the day of Jesus our Lord.

Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time?

For if I [cause] you sorrow, then who will make me glad except the one who is caused to be sad by me?

and I wrote to you upon that disagreeable subject, that when I came, I might not receive uneasiness from those from whom I ought to receive comfort, being persuaded that you will all think yourselves interested to promote my satisfaction.

So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief.

For which cause my desire is that you will make your love to him clear by your acts.

Now whomever you forgive [for doing] anything [wrong], I will forgive also. For indeed, whatever I have forgiven, if I have [actually] forgiven anything, has been for your sakes in the sight of Christ. [Note: Paul seems to be saying "Since my forgiveness depends on your forgiveness of the man, I am not sure of my forgiveness because I am not sure of yours"].

how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more with glory?

For if [there was] glory in the ministry of condemnation, by much more will the ministry of righteousness overflow with glory.

For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

But whenever the heart of the nation shall have returned to the Lord, the veil will be withdrawn.

For God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," [is the one] who has shined in our hearts for the enlightenment of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and will present us [along] with you in His presence.

All this is for your sake so that, as his grace spreads, more and more people will give thanks and glorify God.

for the light affliction, which I at present suffer, will be infinitely over-ballanced by an eternal weight of glory;

For I know that if this earthly tent that I live in is taken down, God will provide me a building in heaven to live in, not built by human hands but eternal.

if indeed, even [after we] have taken [it] off, we will not be found naked.

For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

Now God is the One who has prepared us for this very thing [i.e., the receiving of a new body to live in]. He has [also] given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment. [Note: This refers to the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit as being a guarantee that we will receive the balance of our inheritance in the form of a new body].

We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.

So, from now on we will not regard any person by worldly standards, even though we [once] regarded Christ that way. But we will not regard Him [that way] anymore. [Note: Paul seems to be saying that before his conversion he viewed Christ on the basis of His family, His education, His position, etc., but since his conversion he does not view Him that way anymore].

[We are] giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found [with it],

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Because God, then, will give us such rewards, dear brothers, let us make ourselves clean from all evil of flesh and spirit, and become completely holy in the fear of God.

I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are [nested] in our hearts [and you will remain there] to die together and to live together [with us].

now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to [the will of] God, so that you suffered loss in no way through us.

For grief according to [the will of] God brings about a repentance [leading] to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death.

For behold how much diligence this very [thing], being grieved according to [the will of] God, has brought about in you: what defense [of yourselves], what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! In everything you have demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

For I can testify that to the utmost of their power, and even beyond their power, they have of their own free will given help.

And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

that as you excel in every thing, in faith, in language, mystical knowledge, in all virtue, and in your affection to us; I hope you will excel too in this charitable disposition.

And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will.