Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife like the other apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?

Am I making use of merely worldly illustrations? Does not the Law speak in the same tone?

If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more?

However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

Don't you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I don't preach the Good News.

For if I do this work of my own free will, then I have a reward; but if it is not of my will [but by God’s choosing], I have been entrusted with a [sacred] stewardship.

Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

but I beat down my body, and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps, when I have been a herald to others, I should myself be rejected as unworthy.

and drank the same supernatural drink??for they used to drink from a supernatural rock which attended them, and the rock was really Christ??5 still most of them disappointed God, for they were struck down in the desert.

Nevertheless, God was not well-pleased with most of them, for they were scattered along the ground in the wilderness [because their lack of self-control led to disobedience which led to death].

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Now these things were done as an example; and were put down in writing for our teaching, on whom the last days have come.

Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don't those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?

But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don't desire that you would have fellowship with demons.

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot dine with the Lord and dine with demons,

But if one of those who don't believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience.

But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," don't eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness."

when I say conscience, I don't mean your own, but that of the other: for why should I expose my liberty to the censure of another man's conscience?

Whether, then, you are eating or drinking, or whatever you are doing, let everything be done to the glory of God.

Don't become a stumbling block to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,

just as I myself try to please everybody in every way. I don't look out for my own benefit, but rather for the benefit of many people, so that they might be saved.

Now I am pleased to see that you keep me in memory in all things, and that you give attention to the teaching which was handed down from me to you.

Every man who prays or prophesies [i.e., speaks in a public assembly, since prophecy was always for the benefit of others] with his [physical] head covered [Note: The Greek word here denotes "something hanging down" and could refer to long hair or a cloth shawl], shows disrespect for his head [i.e., Christ].

But a man should certainly not cover his [physical] head [i.e., with "something hanging down," such as long hair or a cloth shawl. See verse 4], since he is the image and glory of God. But the woman [i.e., his wife] is the glory of the man [i.e., her husband].

This [i.e., the order of creation] is the reason that the woman should have [a symbol of] authority on her [physical] head [i.e., hair or a shawl to indicate subjection to her husband], and because of the angels. [Note: This difficult phrase probably means that angels, who observe the activities of Christian assemblies, are pleased when they see things being done in their proper order].

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.

But in giving you this command, I don't praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this!

For it was handed down to me from the Lord, as I gave it to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when Judas was false to him, took bread,

After the same manner he took the cup when supper was done saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, this do as oft as ye drink it, in the remembrance of me."

But a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

But if we properly saw ourselves, we would not bring down upon us this judgment.

But since we do bring down upon us this judgment, we are being disciplined by the Lord, so that finally we may not be condemned along with the world.

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.

Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant.

If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body.

And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body.

So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

However, our attractive parts don't need this. But God has put the body together and has given special honor to the parts that lack it,

If one part suffers, all the others suffer with it, and if one part has honor done it, all the others share its joy.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing.

If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.

It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.

She finds no pleasure in injustice done to others, but joyfully sides with the truth.

Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man, I had done with what belonged to the child.

Even inanimate things that produce sounds—whether flute or harp—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized?

If then I don't know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

What then is [to be done]? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding;

For your giving of the blessing is certainly well done, but of no profit to the man without knowledge.

Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Brothers, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.

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.

And if someone sitting down receives a revelation, the person who is speaking should conclude.

Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don't forbid speaking with other languages.

Let all things be done decently and in order.

For I gave to you first of all what was handed down to me, how Christ underwent death for our sins, as it says in the Writings;

But by God's grace I am what I am. The grace he showed me did not go for nothing; no, I have done far more work than all of them ??though it was not I but God's grace at my side.

At any rate, whether I or they have done most, such is what we preach, such is what you believed.

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.

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.

the last enemy is done away -- death;

besides, my engaging with those monsters, as I may say, at Ephesus, what advantage was it to me? if the dead don't rise, "let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die."

Don't be deceived! "Evil companionships corrupt good morals."

Wake up righteously, and don't sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

That which you sow, you don't sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind.

And when this corrupted shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then shall be the word written, Death was swallowed down in victory.

On the first day of the week, let every one of you put by him in store, in measure as he has done well in business, so that it may not be necessary to get money together when I come.

I don’t want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows.

Therefore, no one should look down on him. Send him on his way in peace so he can come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Let all your things be done with charity.

And I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for they have done what was needed to make your work complete.

For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

Also we received an answer of death in ourselves, and that was done because we should not put our trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead to life again -

You don't have to read between the lines of my letters; you can understand them. Yes, I trust you will understand the full meaning of my letters

[who] also sealed us and gave the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

But if anyone has caused grief, he didn't cause me any grief. To some extent I don't want to emphasize this too much it has affected all of you.

So that on the contrary ye should rather show kindness, and console, lest perhaps such be swallowed down with more abundant sadness.

But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for if I have given forgiveness for anything, I have done it because of you, in the person of Christ;

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don't need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

And are not just like Moses, who kept putting a veil upon his face, so that the sons of Israel should not look steadily unto the end of that which was to be done away.

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart;

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint.

in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them .

For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake;

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body.

Therefore we don't faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

while we don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For we have known that if our earthly house of the tabernacle may be thrown down, a building from God we have, an house not made with hands -- age-during -- in the heavens,

For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened [often weighed down, oppressed], not that we want to be unclothed [separated by death from the body], but to be clothed, so that what is mortal [the body] will be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].

Now the one who has prepared us for this very [thing] [is] God, who has given us the down payment, the Spirit.