I say unto the unmarried men, and widows: it is good for them if they abide even as I do,

But to those already married my instructions are--yet not mine, but the Lord's--that a wife is not to leave her husband;

(If she has done so, let her remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.

And a woman who is married to a man, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with her, should not divorce her husband.

If, however, the unbeliever is determined to leave, let him or her do so. Under such circumstances the Christian man or woman is no slave; God has called us to live lives of peace.

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave.

Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

Concerning unmarried women I have no command to give you from the Lord; but I offer you my opinion, which is that of a man who, through the Lord's mercy, is deserving of your confidence.

I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

for a single man to be so. Art thou bound to a wife indeed? seek not to be loosed: but art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

But I say this, believers: the time has been shortened, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they did not;

But I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

but the married man is concerned about worldly things, how he may please his wife,

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin.

So then the man who marries the virgin acts appropriately, but the man who refrains from marriage does even better.

To speak of things dedicated unto idols, we are sure that we all have knowledge. Knowledge maketh a man swell: but love edifieth.

And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

meat does not recommend us to God: if we eat, we are not the better men; if we don't eat, we are not the worse.

For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

For through your knowledge (spiritual maturity) this weak man is ruined [that is, he suffers in his spiritual life], the brother for whom Christ died.

Am I not a free man? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? [See Acts 9:17; I Cor. 15:8]. Are you people not [the result of] my work in [the service of] the Lord?

If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

What man ever serves as a soldier, at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and eats not of its fruit? Or who tends a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?

Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

Is God simply thinking about the oxen? Or is it really in our interest that He speaks? Of course, it was written in our interest, because it is His will that when a plough-man ploughs, and a thresher threshes, it should be in the hope of sharing that which comes as the result.

Do you not know that those who officiate in the sacred services of the temple eat from the temple [offerings of meat and bread] and those who regularly attend the altar have their share from the [offerings brought to 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 do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.

What is my reward then? Verily that when I preach the gospel, I make the gospel of Christ free, that I misuse not mine authority in the gospel.

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews [for Christ]; to men under the Law, [I became] as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might win those who are under the Law.

to men without Law as if I were without Law--although I am not without Law in relation to God but am abiding in Christ's Law--in order to win those who are without Law.

To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Do you not know that in a race, though all run, only one man gains the prize? Run so as to win the prize.

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

I, therefore, run with no uncertain aim. I box-not like a man hitting the air.

And they all ate the same spiritual food [i.e., the supernatural manna. See Ex. 16:4-5],

But these things became our examples, for us not to be men who lust for evil things as those also lusted.

Now all these things happened to those men for examples, and they were written for our admonition, to whom the ends of the ages came.

Therefore let the man who thinks that he stands take care that he does not fall.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

Is the cup of blessing which we bless [at the Lord’s Supper] not a sharing in the blood of Christ? [Indeed it is.] Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? [Indeed it is.]

Do I mean that a thing sacrificed to an idol is what it claims to be, or that an idol is a real thing?

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.

Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.

But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?

But if I give praise to God for the food which I take, let no man say evil of me for that reason.

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

So take me for your example, even as I take Christ for mine.

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.

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

or prophesies with her head uncovered, dishonoureth the man who is her head: for it is the same thing as if her head was shav'd.

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.

Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

This is why woman ought to wear upon her head a symbol of man's authority, especially out of respect to the angels.

Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

For there must of necessity be differences of opinion among you, in order that it may be plainly seen who are the men of sterling worth among you.

When ye come together in one place, a man cannot eat the Lord's supper.

for it is his own supper of which each of you is in a hurry to partake, and one eats like a hungry man, while another has already drunk to excess.

What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those [impoverished believers] who have nothing? What will I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? In this I will not praise you!

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

For a man puts himself in danger, if he takes part in the holy meal without being conscious that it is the Lord's body.

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Now there are different qualities given to men, but the same Spirit.

There are varieties of working, but the same God who works all of them in all men.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

One man is granted words of wisdom by the Spirit, another words of knowledge by the same Spirit;

to a third man, by means of the same Spirit, special faith; to another various gifts of healing, by means of the one Spirit;

and to another, workings of miracles, and to another, prophecy, and to another, discerning of spirits, and to a different man, kinds of tongues, and to another, the interpretation of tongues.

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For, in fact, in one Spirit all of us--whether we are Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free men--were baptized to form but one body; and we were all nourished by that one Spirit.

If the foot should say, "I am not part of the body because I'm not the hand," that does not mean it is not part of the body [does it ?].

And if the ear should say, "I am not part of the body because I am not the eye," that does not mean it is not part of the body [does it ?]

And in the church God has placed men who are first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

I should be right glad were you all to speak in 'tongues,' but yet more glad were you all to prophesy. And, in fact, the man who prophesies is superior to him who speaks in 'tongues,' except when the latter can interpret in order that the Church may get a blessing.

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]?

But if the sense of the voice is not clear to me, I am like a man from a strange country to him who is talking, and he will be the same to me.

Therefore let a man who has the gift of tongues pray for the power of interpreting them.