For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,

But victuals do not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;

but see, lest this privilege of yours may become a stumbling-block to the infirm,

for if any one may see thee that hast knowledge in an idol's temple reclining at meat -- shall not his conscience -- he being infirm -- be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to idols,

so that your notions may endanger the life of thy weak brother, for whom Christ died.

Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

if to others I am not an apostle -- yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

Have I no right to take a believing wife with me on my journey, as the rest of the apostles and the Lord's brothers and Peter do?

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 gospel of Christ.

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 though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

For [although I] am free from all [people], I have enslaved myself to all, in order that I may gain more.

I have become like a Jew to the Jews, in order that I may gain the Jews. To those under the law [I became] as under the law ([although I] myself am not under the law) in order that I may gain those under the law.

To those outside the law [I became] as outside the law ([although I] am not outside the law of God, but subject to the law of Christ) in order that I may gain those outside the law.

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

And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

But every one that contends for a prize is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

That is how I run, not being in any doubt as to my goal. I am a boxer who does not inflict blows on the air,

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

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;

And these became our examples, in order that we may not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

neither may we commit whoredom, as certain of them did commit whoredom, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand;

neither may we tempt the Christ, as also certain of them did tempt, and by the serpents did perish;

So let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he may 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 dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

I am speaking to sensible people; weigh my words for yourselves.

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.

Or may we be the cause of envy to the Lord? are we stronger than he?

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

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

and if any one may say to you, 'This is a thing sacrificed to an idol,' -- do not eat, because of that one who shewed it, and of the conscience, for the Lord's is the earth and its fulness:

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

If I take my share [of food] with thankfulness, why am I accused because of something for which I give thanks?

So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of [our great] God.

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

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

Indeed, if a woman does not keep her head covered, she may as well cut her hair short. But, since to cut her hair short, or shave it off, marks her as one of the shameless women, let her keep her head covered.

A man ought not to be veil'd: he has the honour of being invested with authority from God, and may glory in his priority to the woman.

Therefore the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, for the sake of the angels [so as not to offend them].

Does not nature itself teach you, that, if a man may indeed have long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

But if anyone is disposed to be contentious about it, I for my part recognize no other practice in worship than this, and neither do the churches of God.

For first of all, it has come to my ears that when you come together in the church, there are divisions among you, and I take the statement to be true in part.

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

why, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or the assembly of God do ye despise, and shame those not having? what may I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I do not praise!

For I received from the Lord Himself that [instruction] which I passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread;

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

for as often as ye may eat this bread, and this cup may drink, the death of the Lord ye do shew forth -- till he may come;

so that whoever may eat this bread or may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, guilty he shall be of the body and blood of the Lord:

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

If any one be hungry, let him eat at home, that ye may not come together for judgment. But the other things, whenever I come, I will set in order.

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

You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to mute idols, however you may have been moved.

Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit.

now to particular men the spirit gives particular gifts, that they may be displayed to greater advantage.

if the foot may say, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body;' it is not, because of this, not of the body;

and if the ear may say, 'Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body;' it is not, because of this, not of the body?

And the eye may not say to the hand, I have no need of you: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same anxiety for one another,

If I may speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not divine love, I have become a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.

and when that which is perfect may come, then that which is in part shall become useless.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, felt like a child, reasoned like a child: when I became a man, I put from me childish ways.

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.

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

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

I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

And now, brethren, if I may come unto you speaking tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?

yet the things without life giving sound -- whether pipe or harp -- if a difference in the sounds they may not give, how shall be known that which is piped or that which is harped?

for if also an uncertain sound a trumpet may give, who shall prepare himself for battle?

so also ye, if through the tongue, speech easily understood ye may not give -- how shall that which is spoken be known? for ye shall be speaking to air.

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Then what am I to do? I will pray with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will pray with the mind [using words I understand]; I will sing with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will sing with the mind [using words I understand].

For if you [ask God to] bless with your spirit [i.e., in a language supernaturally], how will the person there, who does not have the gift [i.e., of interpreting the language] be able to say, "May it be so," when you offer [a prayer of] thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

You are giving thanks well enough [in a way that God is glorified], but the other person [who does not understand you] is not edified [and spiritually strengthened since he cannot join in your thanksgiving].

I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

My brothers, do not be children in mind: in evil be as little children, but in mind be of full growth.

In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord." Wherefore the tongues are for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers, but for believers.

If, therefore, the whole assembly may come together, to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

and if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,

What then is it, brethren? whenever ye may come together, each of you hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? let all things be for building up;

and if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and to himself let him speak, and to God.

and if to another sitting anything may be revealed, let the first be silent;