Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And I myself also am persuaded concerning you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly to you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me from God.

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and around to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

But as it is written, They shall see to whom he was not spoken of: and they that have not heard shall understand.

And I am sure that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

That I may be delivered from them in Judea who do not believe; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem, may be acceptable to the saints;

That I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

That ye receive her in the Lord, as it becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also.

Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epenetus, who is the first-fruits of Achaia to Christ.

Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that are of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

For your obedience is come abroad to all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise to that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which hath been kept secret since the world began,

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Who will also confirm you to the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.

For it hath been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by them who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

Lest any should say that I had baptized in my own name.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God.

For when in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called:

And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:

That no flesh should glory in his presence.

That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

However, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

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

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged by no man.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor.

For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's judgment: yes, I judge not my own self.

For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself, and to Apollos, for your sakes; that ye may learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you on account of one, may be puffed up against another.

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I wish ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men.

It is reported commonly that there is lewdness among you, and such lewdness as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

To deliver such one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Your boasting is not good. Know ye not, that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Cleanse out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

But now I have written to you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother is a lewd person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such person no not to eat.

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do ye not judge them that are within?

But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Do ye not know that the saints will judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?

I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that will be able to judge between his brethren?

But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers.

But ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

Know ye not, that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? By no means.

What? know ye not that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

Flee lewdness. Every sin that a man doeth, is without the body; but he that committeth lewdness, sinneth against his own body.

What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God, and ye are not your own?

Defraud ye not one the other, except with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan may not tempt you for your incontinence.

For I would that all men were as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.

But to the rest I speak, not the Lord, if any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

And the woman who hath a husband that believeth not, and if he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's free-man: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.

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

But this I say, brethren, The time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none;

And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

And they that use this world, as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away.

But I would have you without anxious care. He that is unmarried, is anxious for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

But he that is married, is anxious for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirit: but she that is married, is anxious for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself uncomely towards his virgin, if she hath passed the flower of her age, and need so requireth, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

Nevertheless, he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

But she is happier if she so remain, after my judgment; and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

Now as concerning things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

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

Therefore as concerning the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

For though there are that are called gods, whether in heaven or upon earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many)

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

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours should become a stumbling-block to them that are weak.

My answer to them that examine me is this,

For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

Or saith he this altogether for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

Do ye not know that they who minister about holy things live from the things of the temple, and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.

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