I think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a man to be as he is.

But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world?how she may please her husband.

This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He does not sin. Let them marry.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God's Spirit.

But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one.

For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;"

yet to us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.

However, that knowledge is not in all men. But some, being so accustomed to idols until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we do not eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.

For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol's temple, won't his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?

And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whom the Christ died.

Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

My defense to those who examine me is this.

Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it for the oxen that God cares,

If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?

If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.

For if I proclaim the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I do not proclaim the Good News.

What then is my reward? That, when I proclaim the Good News, I may present the Good News without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;

to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.

To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air,

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

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

Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.

Neither let us test the Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.

Neither grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.

No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say.

The cup of blessing which we bless, is not it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is not it a sharing of the body of Christ?

Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.

What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat, asking no question for the sake of conscience,

for "the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness."

But if one of those who do not 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.

Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other's conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.

Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Now I praise you, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.

But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved.

For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.

For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man.

For man is not from woman, but woman from man;

Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.

For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.

Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled?

Doesn't even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.

When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.

For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunk.

When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me."

In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me."

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.

Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is accursed." No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," but by the Holy Spirit.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.

For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;

But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.

For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.

For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot would say, "Because I'm not the hand, I'm not part of the body," it is not therefore not part of the body.

But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired.

When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

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 do not have love, I am nothing.

Love is patient and is kind; love does not envy. Love does not brag, is not proud,

does not behave itself inappropriately, does not seek its own way, is not irritable, does not keep a record of wrongs;

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.

but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.

But now faith, hope, and love remain?these three. The greatest of these is love.

Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy, and he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the church may be built up.

Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they did not give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning.

For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

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 you truly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

In the law it is written, "By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord."

Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.

If therefore the whole church is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won't they say that you are crazy?

But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all.

And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself, and to God.

But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent.

for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

let the women keep silent in the churches, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the Law also says.

If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to chatter in the church.