And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

is not self-interested, is not easily provoked, nor suspects any ill;

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

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away.

But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away.

For now we see through a mirror {indirectly}, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know completely, just as I have also been completely known.

Thus 'faith and hope and love last on, these three,' but the greatest of all is love.

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].

I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

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, I suppose, a great many kinds of languages in the world [unknown to us], and none is lacking in meaning.

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].

Therefore, the person who speaks in a language [supernaturally] should pray [i.e., in advance] for the ability to interpret it [as well].

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?

For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

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.

Brethren! do not become children, in your understandings; but, in baseness, become babes, while, in your understandings, ye become, full-grown.

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, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

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.

How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

Let all things be done to edification. If any one speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two or three at most, and that by course, and let one interpret.

Let two or three prophets speak [as inspired by the Holy Spirit], while the rest pay attention and weigh carefully what is said.

For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

for the spirits of prophets will give way to prophets,

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

As in all the churches of the saints, the women must keep silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak out, but must place themselves in submission, as the oral law also says.

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.

Let all things be done decently and in order.

By this faith you are saved [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose], if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain [just superficially and without complete commitment].

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

after that, he was seen by over five hundred brothers all at once, the majority of whom survive to this day, though some have died;

After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

For I am the least of all the apostles, which am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the congregation of God:

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

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?

And, if Christ, hath not been raised, void, after all, is our proclamation, void also, our faith, -

And also we are found [to be] false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if after all, then, the dead are not raised.

More than that: those who have slept the sleep of death in Christ have perished after all.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

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

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all 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 cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

I solemnly declare by all the joy over you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

What good has it done me if, [merely] from a human point of view, I fought with wild animals at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised [at all], let us eat and drink [enjoying ourselves now], for tomorrow we die.

Be sober-minded [be sensible, wake up from your spiritual stupor] as you ought, and stop sinning; for some [of you] have no knowledge of God [you are disgracefully ignorant of Him, and ignore His truths]. I say this to your shame.

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.

All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

There are also heavenly bodies [sun, moon and stars] and earthly bodies [humans, animals, and plants], but the glory and beauty of the heavenly is one kind, and the glory of the earthly is another.

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 shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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.

so that, my brethren beloved, become ye stedfast, unmovable, abounding in the work of the Lord at all times, knowing that your labour is not vain in the Lord.

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.

for I have a great and promising opportunity here, as well as many opponents.

If Timothy comes, see to it that he does not have anything to be afraid of while he is with you, for he is doing the Lord's work as I am.

Therefore let no one slight him, but all of you should help him forward in peace to join me; for I am waiting for him and others of the brethren.

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.

Let all your things be done with charity.

to be subject to such leaders [treating them with courtesy and respect], and to everyone who helps in the work and labors [for the benefit of yourselves and the church].

They have refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So fully acknowledge such men and deeply appreciate them.

All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

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)!

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.