do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Then you will say, "The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."

For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.

For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.

Or who has first given to God, that God needs to repay him?

Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God -- what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God's appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.

For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.

so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God's truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers,

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve the gospel of God like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

So I boast in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God.

when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of Christ's blessing.

Pray that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea and that my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.

so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many, including me.

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages,

to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus.

so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For members of Chloe's household have made it clear to me, my brothers and sisters, that there are quarrels among you.

Now I mean this, that each of you is saying, "I am with Paul," or "I am with Apollos," or "I am with Cephas," or "I am with Christ."

I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name!

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel -- and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless.

so that no one can boast in his presence.

so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory.

But just as it is written, "Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him."

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God.

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

Guard against self-deception, each of you. If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise.

And again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."

Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful.

So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn "not to go beyond what is written," so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.

For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Already you are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign with you!

It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with his father's wife.

turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough?

Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough -- you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits?

Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters!

The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals,

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

Or do you not know that anyone who is united with a prostitute is one body with her? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that.

To the unmarried and widows I say that it is best for them to remain as I am.

Let each one remain in that situation in life in which he was called.

I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord.

But in my opinion, she will be happier if she remains as she is -- and I think that I too have the Spirit of God!

With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that "we all have knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know.

With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that "an idol in this world is nothing," and that "there is no God but one."

But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak.

For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them to sin.

If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

Don't you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings?

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!

What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights in the gospel.

To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.

I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.

Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win.

Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,

and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.

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

So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall.

No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ?

Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything?

No, I mean that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.

Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience,

If I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for the food that I give thanks for?

just as I also try to please everyone in all things. I do not seek my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.

But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him,

For there must in fact be divisions among you, so that those of you who are approved may be evident.

Do you not have houses so that you can eat and drink? Or are you trying to show contempt for the church of God by shaming those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I will not praise you for this!

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread,

That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead.

But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come.

You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led.