For since in God's providence the world with all its wisdom did not come to know God, God chose, through the folly of the gospel message, to save those who had faith in him.

So when I came to you, brothers, I did not come and tell you the secret purpose of God in superior, philosophical language,

But the Spirit we have received is not that of the world, but the Spirit that comes from God, which we have to make us realize the blessings God has given us.

Do not form any premature judgments, therefore, but wait until the Lord comes back. For he will light up the darkness that now hides things and show what the motives in people's minds are, and then everyone will get from God the praise he deserves.

when they slander us, we try to conciliate them. We have come to be like the scum of the earth, the dregs of the world, and we are so now.

Which will you have? Shall I come to you with a stick, or in a loving and gentle spirit?

Do you not know that the Christians are to be the judges of the world? And if the world is to come before you for judgment, are you unfit to decide the most trivial cases?

I ask it to shame you. Has it come to this, that there is not a single wise man among you who could settle a disagreement between one brother and another,

You must not refuse each other what is due, unless you agree to do so for a while, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then to come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

It is no superhuman temptation that you have had. And God can be depended on, not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but when temptation comes, to give you a way out of it, so that you can withstand it.

For just as woman was made from man, man is born of woman, and both like everything else really come from God.

For until the Lord comes back, every time you eat this bread and drink from the cup, you proclaim his death.

So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that your meetings may not bring down a judgment upon you. The details I will settle when I come.

And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as inspired preachers, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then come ability to cure the sick, helpfulness, administration, ecstatic speaking.

But when perfection comes, what is imperfect will pass away.

But as it is brothers, if I come back to you and speak ecstatically, what good will I do you, unless I have some revelation or special knowledge or message or teaching to give you?

Hence, if the whole church assembles and they all speak ecstatically, and ordinary people or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are crazy?

But if they are all inspired to preach and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convinced of his sin by them all, he is called to account by them all,

After that will come the end, when he will turn over the kingdom to God his Father, bringing to an end all other government, authority, and power,

But someone will say, "How can the dead rise? What kind of a body will they have when they come back?"

You foolish man, the very seed you sow never comes to life without dying first;

It is not the spiritual that comes first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.

And when this mortal nature puts on immortality, then what the Scripture says will come true??Death has been triumphantly destroyed.

On the first of every week each of you is to put aside and store up whatever he gains, so that money will not have to be collected after I come.

When I come I will send whatever persons you authorize with credentials, to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

I will come to you after passing through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia,

So no one is to slight him. But see him off cordially when he comes back to me, for I am expecting him with the other brothers.

As for our brother Apollos, I have often urged him to visit you with the other brothers, and he is quite unwilling to come now, but he will come when he has a good opportunity.

And I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come here, for they have made up for your absence.

A curse upon anyone who has no love for the Lord. Lord, come quickly!