and so his attention is divided.

An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, that is, about how she can please her husband. I'm saying this for your benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.

If a man thinks he is not behaving properly toward his virgin, and if his passion is so strong that he feels he ought to marry her, let him do what he wants; he isn't sinning. Let them get married.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

However, in my opinion she will be happier if she stays as she is. And in saying this, I think that I, too, have God's Spirit.

If anyone thinks he really knows something, he has not yet learned it as he ought to know it.

But anyone who loves God is known by him.

Now concerning eating food offered to idols: We know that no idol is real in this world and that there is only one God.

For even if there are "gods" in heaven and on earth (as indeed there are many so-called "gods" and "lords"),

yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom everything came into being and for whom we live. And there is only one Lord, Jesus the Messiah, through whom everything came into being and through whom we live.

But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are so accustomed to idolatry that when they eat food that has been offered to an idol, their conscience becomes contaminated because it is weak.

However, food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat food that has been offered to an idol, and no better off if we do.

In that case, the weak brother for whom the Messiah died is ruined by your knowledge.

This is my defense to those who would examine me:

We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas, don't we?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to keep on working for a living?

For in the Law of Moses it is written, "You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." God is not only concerned about oxen, is he?

If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?

If others enjoy this right over you, don't we have a stronger claim? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we tolerate everything in order not to put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of the Messiah.

What, then, is my reward? It is to be able to preach the gospel free of charge, and so I never resort to demanding my rights when I'm preaching the gospel.

That is the way I run, with a clear goal in mind. That is the way I fight, not like someone shadow boxing.

Now their experiences serve as examples for us so that we won't set our hearts on evil as they did.

Let's stop being idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to play."

Let's stop sinning sexually, as some of them were doing, and on a single day 23,000 fell dead.

Let's stop putting the Lord to the test, as some of them were doing, and were destroyed by snakes.

You must stop complaining, as some of them were doing, and were annihilated by the destroyer.

These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down as a warning for us in whom the culmination of the ages has been attained.

Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing securely should watch out so he doesn't fall.

No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it.

The cup of blessing that we bless is our fellowship in the blood of the Messiah, isn't it? The bread that we break is our fellowship in the body of the Messiah, isn't it?

Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because all of us eat from the same loaf.

Look at the Israelis from a human point of view. Those who eat the sacrifices share in what is on the altar, don't they?

or you'll provoke the Lord to jealousy, won't you? Are we stronger than he is?

Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up.

Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question about it on the grounds of conscience,

If an unbeliever invites you to his house and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you, raising no question on the grounds of conscience.

However, if someone says to you, "This was offered as a sacrifice," don't eat it, both out of consideration for the one who told you and also for the sake of conscience.

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.

Imitate me, as I do the Messiah.

Now I want you to realize that the Messiah is the head of every man, and man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of the Messiah.

and every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, which is the same as having her head shaved.

So if a woman does not cover her head, she should cut off her hair. If it is a disgrace for a woman to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her own head.

A man should not cover his head, because he exists as God's image and glory. But the woman is man's glory.

This is why a woman should have authority over her own head: because of the angels.

In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man of woman.

For as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But everything comes from God.

Decide for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

Nature itself teaches you neither that it is disgraceful for a man to have long hair

nor that hair is a woman's glory, since hair is given as a substitute for coverings.

Now I am not praising you in giving you the following instructions. When you gather, it is not for the better but for the worse.

For in the first place, I hear that when you gather as a church there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it.

When you gather in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.

For as you eat, each of you rushes to eat his own supper, and one person goes hungry while another gets drunk.

gave thanks for it, and broke it in pieces, saying, "This is my body that is for you. Keep doing this in memory of me."

He did the same with the cup after the supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. As often as you drink from it, keep doing this in memory of me."

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

If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather it may not bring judgment on you. And when I come I will give instructions concerning the other matters.

For this reason I want you to be aware that no one who is speaking by God's Spirit can say, "Jesus is cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

There are varieties of results, but it is the same God who produces all the results in everyone.

For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, form a single body, so it is with the Messiah.

For by one Spirit all of us Jews and Greeks, slaves and free were baptized into one body and were all privileged to drink from one Spirit.

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is praised, every part rejoices with it.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can understand all secrets and every form of knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains but have no love, I am nothing.

Love is always patient; love is always kind; love is never envious or arrogant with pride. Nor is she conceited,

and she is never rude; she never thinks just of herself or ever gets annoyed. She never is resentful;

is never glad with sin; she's always glad to side with truth, and pleased that truth will win.

She bears up under everything; believes the best in all; there is no limit to her hope, and never will she fall.

Love never fails. Now if there are prophecies, they will be done away with. If there are languages, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be done away with.

For what we know is incomplete and what we prophesy is incomplete.

But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will be done away with.

Now we see only an indistinct image in a mirror, but then we will be face to face. Now what I know is incomplete, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

For the person who speaks in a foreign language is not actually speaking to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is talking about secrets by the Spirit.

Now I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages, but especially that you could prophesy. The person who prophesies is more important than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless he interprets it so that the church may be built up.

In the same way, lifeless instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. But if there's no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played?

In the same way, unless you speak an intelligible message with your language, how will anyone know what is being said? You'll be talking into the air!

There are, I suppose, many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.

For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive.

In the Law it is written, "By means of foreign languages and through the mouths of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," declares the Lord.

Foreign languages, then, are meant to be a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers, while prophecy is meant, not for unbelievers, but for believers.

Now if the whole church gathers in the same place and everyone is speaking in foreign languages, when uneducated people or unbelievers come in, they will say that you are out of your mind, won't they?

But if everyone is prophesying, when an unbeliever or an uneducated person comes in he will be convicted and examined by everything that's happening.

His secret, inner heart will become known, and so he will bow down to the ground and worship God, declaring, "God is truly among you!"

If an interpreter is not present, the speaker should remain silent in the church and speak to himself and God.

Two or three prophets should speak, and others should weigh carefully what is said.

If a revelation is made to another person who is seated, the first person should be silent.

for God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints, the women must keep silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak out, but must place themselves in submission, as the oral law also says.

If they want to learn anything, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is inappropriate for a woman to speak out in church.

If anyone thinks he is a prophet or a spiritual person, he must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.

he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and is still alive!

and finally he was seen by me, as though I were born abnormally late.

So, whether it was I or the others, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Now if we preach that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, how can some of you keep claiming there is no resurrection of the dead?

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then the Messiah has not been raised,

In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God because we testified on God's behalf that he raised the Messiah whom he did not raise if in fact it is true that the dead are not raised.

and if the Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still imprisoned by your sins.

For as in Adam all die, so also in the Messiah will all be made alive.

The last enemy to be done away with is death,

I face death every day! That is as certain, brothers, as it is that I am proud of you in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord.