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.

It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian.

But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.

So, then, as to the question of taking food offered to images, we are certain that an image is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

For though there are those who have the name of gods, in heaven or on earth, as there are a number of gods and a number of lords,

There is for us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we are for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we have our being through him.

But God's approval of us is not based on the food we take: if we do not take it we are no worse for it; and if we take it we are no better.

For if a man sees you, who have knowledge, taking food as a guest in the house of an image, will it not give him, if he is feeble, the idea that he may take food offered to images?

And in this way, doing evil to the brothers, and causing trouble to those whose faith is feeble, you are sinning against Christ.

For this reason, if food is a cause of trouble to my brother, I will give up taking meat for ever, so that I may not be a cause of trouble to my brother.

If to others I am not an Apostle, at least I am one to you: for the fact that you are Christians is the sign that I am an Apostle.

My answer to those who are judging me is this.

Have we no right to take about with us a Christian wife, like the rest of the Apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Am I talking as a man? does not the law say the same?

For it says in the law of Moses, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. Is it for the oxen that God is giving orders?

Or has he us in mind? Yes, it was said for us; because it is right for the ploughman to do his ploughing in hope, and for him who is crushing the grain to do his work hoping for a part in the fruits of it.

If we have been planting the things of the Spirit for you, does it seem a great thing for you to give us a part in your things of this world?

If others have a part in this right over you, have we not even more? But we did not make use of our right, so that we might put nothing in the way of the good news of Christ.

Do you not see that the servants of the holy things get their living from the Temple, and the servants of the altar have their part in the food which is offered on the altar?

But I have not made use of any of these things: and I am not writing this in the hope that it may be so for me: for it would be better for me to undergo death, than for any man to make this pride of mine of no effect.

For if I am a preacher of the good news, I have no cause for pride in this; because I am forced to do so, for a curse is on me if I do not.

What then is my reward? This, that when I am giving the good news, I may give it without payment, not making use of my rights as a preacher of the good news.

And to the Jews I was as a Jew, so that I might give the good news to them; to those under the law I was the same, not as being myself under the law, but so that I might give the good news to those under the law.

To those without the law I was as one without the law, not as being without law to God, but as under law to Christ, so that I might give the good news to those without the law.

To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble, so that they might have salvation: I have been all things to all men, so that some at least might have salvation.

And every man who takes part in the sports has self-control in all things. Now they do it to get a crown which is of this world, but we for an eternal crown.

So then I am running, not uncertainly; so I am fighting, not as one who gives blows in the air:

For it is my desire, my brothers, that you may keep in mind how all our fathers were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea;

Now these things were for an example to us, so that our hearts might not go after evil things, as they did.

Then do not go after false gods, as some of them did; as it is said in the holy Writings, After resting and feasting, the people got up to take their pleasure.

Again, let us not give way to the desires of the flesh, as some of them did, of whom twenty-three thousand came to their end in one day.

And let us not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and came to their death by snakes.

And do not say evil things against the Lord, as some of them did, and destruction overtook them.

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

You have been put to no test but such as is common to man: and God is true, who will not let any test come on you which you are not able to undergo; but he will make with the test a way out of it, so that you may be able to go through it.

What I am saying is for wise men, do you be the judges of it.

The cup of blessing which we take, does it not give us a part in the blood of Christ? and is not the broken bread a taking part in the body of Christ?

See Israel after the flesh: do not those who take as food the offerings of the altar take a part in the altar?

Do I say, then, that what is offered to images is anything, or that the image is anything?

What I say is that the things offered by the Gentiles are offered to evil spirits and not to God; and it is not my desire for you to have any part with evil spirits.

It is not possible for you, at the same time, to take the cup of the Lord and the cup of evil spirits; you may not take part in the table of the Lord and the table of evil spirits.

We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good.

Let a man give attention not only to what is good for himself, but equally to his neighbour's good.

Whatever meat may be had at the public market, take as food without question of right or wrong;

For the earth is the Lord's and all things in it.

If a Gentile makes a feast for you, and you are pleased to go as a guest, take whatever is put before you, without question of right or wrong.

But if anyone says to you, This food has been used as an offering, do not take it, on account of him who said it, and on account of his sense of right and wrong:

Right and wrong, I say, not for you, but for the other man; for the fact that I am free is not dependent on another man's sense of right or wrong.

So then, if it is a question of food or drink, or any other thing, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.

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

But it is important for you to keep this fact in mind, 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 who takes part in prayer, or gives teaching as a prophet, with his head covered, puts shame on his head.

But every woman who does so with her head unveiled, puts shame on her head: for it is the same as if her hair was cut off.

For if a woman is not veiled, let her hair be cut off; but if it is a shame to a woman to have her hair cut off, let her be veiled.

For it is not right for a man to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

For this reason it is right for the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.

But the woman is not separate from the man, and the man is not separate from the woman in the Lord.

For as the woman is from the man, so the man is through the woman; but all things are from God.

Does it not seem natural to you that if a man has long hair, it is a cause of shame 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.

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 order, there is one thing about which I am not pleased: it is that when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.

But now, when you come together, it is not possible to take the holy meal of the Lord:

For when you take your food, everyone takes his meal before the other; and one has not enough food, and another is the worse for drink.

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,

And when it had been broken with an act of praise, he said, This is my body which is for you: do this in memory of me.

In the same way, with the cup, after the meal, he said, This cup is the new testament in my blood: do this, whenever you take it, in memory of me.

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.

But if we were true judges of ourselves, punishment would not come on us.

But if punishment does come, it is sent by the Lord, so that we may be safe when the world is judged.

If any man is in need of food, let him take his meal in his house; so that you may not come together to your damage. And the rest I will put in order when I come.

But about the things of the spirit, my brothers, it is not right for you to be without teaching.

So it is my desire for you to be clear about this; that no one is able to say by the Spirit of God that Jesus is cursed; and no one is able to say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.

And there are different operations, but the same God, who is working all things in all.

But to every man some form of the Spirit's working is given for the common good.

But all these are the operations of the one and the same Spirit, giving to every man separately as his pleasure is.

For as the body is one, and has a number of parts, and all the parts make one body, so is Christ.

For the body is not one part, but a number of parts.

If the foot says, Because I am not the hand, I am not a part of the body; it is no less a part of the body.

And if the ear says, Because I am not the eye, I am not a part of the body; it is a part of the body all the same.

But now God has put every one of the parts in the body as it was pleasing to him.

And to those parts of the body which seem to have less honour we give all the more honour; and to those parts of the body which are a cause of shame to us we give the greater respect;

But those parts of the body which are beautiful have no need of such care: and so the body has been joined together by God in such a way as to give more honour to those parts which had need of it;

And if there is pain in one part of the body, all the parts will be feeling it; or if one part is honoured, all the parts will be glad.

And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.

If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.

And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.

Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;

Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil;

It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;

For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true:

But when that which is complete is come, then that which is in part will be no longer necessary.

When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.

For now we see things in a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now my knowledge is in part; then it will be complete, even as God's knowledge of me.

But now we still have faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

For he who makes use of tongues is not talking to men but to God; because no one has the sense of what he is saying; but in the Spirit he is talking of secret things.

He who makes use of tongues may do good to himself; but he who gives the prophet's word does good to the church.

Now though it is my desire for you all to have the power of tongues, it would give me more pleasure to be hearing the prophet's word from you; for this is a greater thing than using tongues, if the sense is not given at the same time, for the good of the church.

Even things without life, having a voice, such as a music-pipe or other instrument, if they do not give out different sounds, who may be certain what is being played?