4 I always give thanks to my God for you, by God’s grace which has been given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in all things you have been made rich in him, in all words and in all knowledge— 6 which things the witness of Christ has confirmed in you— 7 so that you may not be lacking in any gift, as you await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who also has confirmed you until the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, by whom you have been called into association with his son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
10 Now I beseech you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no dissent among you, but that you be a whole body, in one mind, and one judgment. 11 For those of Chloe’s family have shown me that there are arguments among you. 12 And I am saying, one of you would say “Well, I am Paul’s”, or “I am Apollo’s”, or “I am Cephas’”, or “I am Christ’s.” 13 Now, is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except for Crispus and Gaius, 15 or someone might say I was baptizing in my own name. 16 And I baptized the family of Stephanas; I do not know if I baptized anyone else. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to evangelize; not with boldness of words, lest the cross of Christ be rendered devoid of effect.
18 Now the word of the cross, to those who are perishing, is foolishness; but to those of us who are becoming saved, it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will perish the wisdom of the wise, and reject the knowledge of the knowing.” 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in wisdom, the world did not know God by the wisdom of God, God saw fit to save the believers by the foolishness of preaching, 22 since after all the Jews insist on signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 and we are preaching Christ crucified—indeed, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 24 but to those who have been called—Jew and Greek alike—Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.
26 So look at your calling, brothers, that not many of you are wise according to the flesh, nor many mighty, nor many of noble birth; 27 rather, God selected what was foolish to the world to shame what is wise, and those things that were weak in the world God selected to shame what is strong, 28 and those things that were ignoble and contempted God selected, and those things that have not been, to wipe out those things that are, 29 so that all flesh may not glory before him. 30 But you are his in Christ Jesus, who has made us to God wisdom, justice, sanctification and redemption, 31 so that inasmuch as it is written, whoever shall glory shall glory in the Lord.
6 But we speak wisdom among the perfect—yet, not the wisdom of this age, nor of the princes of this age which shall be done away with— 7 but we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, which God predetermined before the age into our glory, 8 which no prince of this age has known, for had they known they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But just as it was written—
“What eye has not seen,10 And God has revealed it to us by his spirit; for the spirit investigates everything, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what person knows the things of people, except through the spirit of people which is in him? Thus also those things which are of God: no one knows them except through the spirit of God.
nor ear heard,
nor has it risen in the human heart;
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
12 But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God, so that we may know what Christ has given to us, 13 of which we speak not in the instructive words which human wisdom teaches, but as the holy spirit has put forth to teach, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. 14 And mankind is natural, not receiving those things which are of the spirit of God, for to such they are foolishness, and they cannot know that which is spiritually judged. 15 And indeed the spiritual judge all things, but are themselves judged by no one. 16 For Who has known the mind of the Lord, to instruct him? But we bear the mind of Christ.
7 Indeed neither is the one who planted of any account, nor is the one who watered, but the one who gave the growth, that is to say, God. 8 And the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each and every one shall receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are co-workers of God, farmers of God, builders of God. 10 According to the grace of God which has been given to me, as a wise architect I lay the foundation; but someone else builds upon it. But let everyone see how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that is already laid, that is to say, Christ Jesus. 12 And if anyone should build upon this foundation—gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble— 13 everyone’s work shall be revealed; for the day will declare it, which will be revealed in fire; and everyone’s work, how it shall be, the fire will prove. 14 If anyone’s work which he shall have built should remain, he will receive a wage; 15 but if his work shall be burned down, he will bear a loss; now he will be saved, but so, as it were, by fire.
16 Or do you not know that you people are the temple of God, and the spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone should violate the temple of God, God will perish him, for the temple of God is holy, which you people are. 18 Let no one lead you astray; if anyone would see himself to be wise among you in this age, he should become a fool so that he may be wise. 19 For indeed, the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He has seized the wise in their cleverness. 20 And again, God knows the thinking of the wise, that it is vain. 21 Indeed, no one should glory in humanity. 22 For all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future; for all things are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ God’s.
6 And this, brothers, I have applied figuratively to myself and Apollo because of you, so that you may learn from us not to presume above what is written, to seem to oneself, that none of you may be puffed-up, one against another. 7 For who distinguishes you? And what do you have which you have not received? And if you did receive it, why would you glory as if you did not receive? 8 You are already full, you are already rich, you have reigned as kings without us...I wish you did reign, so that we might also reign with you. 9 For I suppose that in the end God shall show those of us who are apostles in the end, as people doomed to die; for we are made a gazingstock to the world, and to angels, and to people.
10 We are fools because of Christ, and you are wise in Christ; we are weak, and you are strong; you are respected, we are contempted. 11 And even until now we hunger and thirst and are naked, and are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place, and we toil, working with our own hands; 12 hearing evil, we bless; bearing persecution, we suffer it; being slandered, we plead; 13 we are made like the dung of the earth, the offal of everything until this very day.
14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but as to my beloved sons, I admonish you. 15 For if you should even have thousands upon thousands of instructors, in Christ you have not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus, I fathered you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I beseech you that you be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I sent you Timothy, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, to lead you back into memory of my ways which are in Christ Jesus, just as I teach in every community.
18 Now some, perhaps deeming that I will not be coming to you, are puffed-up. 19 But I shall come shortly to you, if the Lord wills it; and I will know, not their words (which are puffed-up), but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in words, but power. 21 Now really, would you rather that I come to you with the rod, or with love, and the spirit of leniency?
6 Your glorying is not good. Or do you not know that it only takes a small amount of leavening to leaven the whole batch of dough? 7 So remove the old yeast from yourselves so that you may be a new batch, as if to be unleavened. For even for us Christ was sacrificed as our Passover. 8 Therefore we should celebrate the festival not in the old yeast, or the yeast of malice and wickedness, but in the flat unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 Now I had written to you in a letter not to mingle with fornicators, 10 though not utterly with the fornicators of this world, or with the greedy, or with thieves, or with idol worshipers; otherwise you would need to leave the world altogether. 11 But now I have written to you not to mingle; if one whom you call a brother should be a fornicator, or greedy, or a worshiper of idols, or a drinker, or a thief—with such a person, do not so much as take a meal. 12 For what does it matter to me to judge those who are outside? Do not you judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside, God will judge them. And as for the wicked one: Get rid of him.
5 I say this to embarrass you people. Is there not a single wise person among you? Not a single person who could judge among his brothers? 6 But a brother sues another brother, and this under the infidels?!
7 Now there is certainly a fault among you that you are litigious among yourselves. Why could you not rather have born the slight, or taken the loss? 8 But you harm yourselves, and cheat yourselves, even though you are brothers!
9 Or do you not know that the wicked will not earn inheritance in the kingdom of God? Do not fool yourselves. Neither fornicators, nor idol worshipers, nor adulterers, 10 nor the weakwilled, nor men who sleep with men, nor the raging, nor the greedy, nor drinkers, nor those who curse, nor thieves, receive inheritance in the kingdom of God. 11 Now some of you were thus; but you have been washed, but you have been sanctified, but you have been made holy in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the spirit of our God.
12 All things are permitted to me, but not all things are conducive; everything is a power to me, but I myself shall not be brought under any such power. 13 “Meat for the gut, and the gut for meat”, but God will still destroy both of them; now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God has also raised up the Lord; and we too will be raised by his power.
15 Or do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Then should I take the parts of Christ, and make them the parts of a whore? Never!
16 Or do you not know that whoever should join oneself to a whore becomes one body? So now they—so he says—shall be two in one flesh. 17 But whoever shall join himself to the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee from fornication! Every sin which a person may do is outside the body; but the one who fornicates sins in and against his own body.
19 Or do you not know that your bodies are his temple, which is the holy spirit within you, which you have from God, and you are not judges over yourselves? 20 For you have been bought with a great price; so glorify and bear God in your body, and in your spirit, for they belong to God.
6 And this I speak according to my prerogative, but not as a commandment. 7 For I wish all men could be as I myself am, but each and every one of you has your own gift from God; some this, some that. 8 And to the unmarried and widowed I say, it is good to remain so, as I myself do, 9 but if they cannot contain themselves, they ought to marry, for it is better for them to marry, than to burn. 10 And to those who are joined together I say—or not I, but rather the Lord—a woman should not separate from her husband; 11 and if she should be separated, she should remain unmarried, or be reconciled to the husband; and the husband ought not to dismiss his wife.
12 For the rest of you, I, not the Lord, say: If a brother should have an unbelieving wife, and she shall consent to abide with him, he should not dismiss her; 13 and the woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he shall consent to abide with her, should not dismiss him, 14 for the unbelieving husband is made holy in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy in the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever should fall away, let him fall away; the brother or sister is not subject in this case. But God called us in peace. 16 For how do you know, woman, if you will preserve your husband? Or how do you know, man, if you will preserve your wife? 17 But as God has given to each of you, as the Lord has called every one, you should so walk; and thus in all communities I command.
18 Is anyone called being circumcised? He should not attempt to regain his uncircumcision. Is anyone called with uncircumcision? He should not be circumcised, 19 for circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but observation of the commandments of God.
20 Each should remain in the calling in which he was called. 21 Are you called as a servant? Do not make it a worry, but if you can become free somehow, use that to the greater advantage. 22 And if you are called in the Lord as a servant, you are free in the Lord; likewise also if you are called being free, you are a servant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a great price; do not be servants to men. 24 Each of you, brothers, should remain with God in his calling.
25 Now, regarding virgins: I do not have a commandment from the Lord, but I give advice, as one having received mercy from the Lord, to be faithful in this matter. 26 Therefore I suppose that this is good because of the present necessity, for a man thus to be. 27 Are you joined to a wife? Do not desire to be unjoined. Are you unjoined from a wife? Do not desire a wife. 28 But whoever shall take a wife is not sinning; and if a virgin shall marry, she does not sin; however, such a woman shall abide in the affliction of her flesh. I will spare you that, though.
29 But I will say this, brothers: The time is short; it remains that those who have wives should be as if they did not have them, 30 and those who weep as if they did not weep, and those who rejoice as if they did not rejoice, and those who buy as if they did not have, and those who use this world as if they did not use it. 31 For the manner of this world will go away.
32 But I want you to be without worry. The one who has no wife cares about those things which are of the Lord, how he may be pleasing to the Lord; 33 and the one who takes a wife is concerned about those things which are of the world, how he may be pleasing to his wife, and the two are divided. 34 An unmarried and virgin woman cares about those things which are of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit. On the other hand, the one who is married cares about those things which are of the world, how she may be pleasing to her husband.
35 And this I speak for your benefit, not to lay a snare before you, but that you may follow that which is honorable and right, and cling to the Lord without any distraction.
36 And if someone should seem dishonored about his virgin, if the age of her marriage shall have passed and so it must be, he should do what he feels right; it would not be a sin for him to marry her off. 37 But one who stands firm in heart, not having the need, but has power over his will, and determines in his heart to keep her a virgin, it would be better. 38 Therefore, also, the one who marries off his virgin does fine; but the one who does not marry her off does better.
39 And a woman joined in marriage is bound so long as her husband lives; but if he shall fall over, she shall be set free to marry whomever she wants; only, in the Lord. 40 But she shall be the more blessed if she so remains, according to my feelings, and I perceive myself also to have the spirit of God.
4 Therefore, about eating what will be sacrificed to idols: we know that an idol is nothing in this world, and that there can be no God but the One. 5 For even if there are those which are called “gods” either in heaven or on earth—for there are many of these “gods” and many “lords”— 6 but our God is one, who is that father, from whom all things are, and us in him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom all things are, and us for him. 7 But this knowledge is not in everyone. For someone indeed with conscience of idols to this time may eat it as what is sacrificed to idols, and his conscience, weak as it is, is corrupted.
8 Though food itself does not make us the more commendable to God; neither if we eat it are we any greater, nor if we do not eat it are we any less.
9 But see that through your power this thing may not become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For also if someone with knowledge should see you seated in the idol’s shrine, will not his conscience, which is weak, be built up to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 And your brother, who is weak, has perished in your knowledge, for whom Christ died. 12 And so you people, by sinning against your brothers and wounding those weak in conscience, sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if the food should be a stumbling block to my brother, I shall nevermore eat any manner of meat, lest my brother be led to stumble.
13 Or do you not know that those who work in the holy places live off the sacrifices, and those who attend at the altar take part as one with the altar? 14 Thus also the Lord commanded, that those who proclaim the gospel ought to live the gospel. 15 I myself have made use of none of these things, nor did I write these things that they may be so done in me, for it would be better for me to die than anyone should make my glorying empty. 16 For if I should evangelize, it is nothing for me to glory of, for a necessity lies upon me. And woe is me unless I evangelize! 17 For if I shall do this of my own will, I have a reward; if against my will, the dispensation is committed to me. 18 Therefore, what is a reward to me? That when I shall evangelize, I should effect the gospel of Christ free of charge, in this, not to abuse my power in the gospel. 19 For, being free to everyone, I made myself a servant of all, that I may gain all the more.
20 And with the Jews I made myself a Jew, to gain Jews; 21 to those who were under the law, as one who was under the law, as if being under the law could gain more of those who were under the law, to those who were without the law, as one without the law, not being without law of God, but in the law of Christ, that I may gain more of those who were without the law. 22 I became weak to those who were weak, to gain the weak. I became everything to everyone, so as to at least save some of all people. 23 And I did this because of the gospel, so that I may become a partaker of it.
24 Or do you not know that those who run in the stadium all run, but only one takes the prize? Run thus, that you may grasp it. 25 And all who strive for mastery are restrained from all things, to therefore receive a perishable crown; but as for us, an eternal one. 26 So I run in this manner, not to do so in uncertainty; in this manner I box, not as one punching the air, 27 but I subjugate my body, and place it in servitude, lest somehow, having proclaimed to others, I make myself reprobate.
12 Therefore, the one who would seem to himself to stand should watch that he not fall. 13 For temptation does not arise upon you except that which is human; but God is faithful, who does not let you be tempted beyond that which you can handle; but may make a situation to test you so far as you can bear.
14 Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from the worship of idols. 15 I am speaking to you as to people with some sense; you, judge what I say. 16 The cup of blessing, which we bless, is it not the communication of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the participation in the body of the Lord? 17 For we, being many, are one bread, one body; for all of us partake of the same bread.
18 Look at Israel according to the flesh; were not those who ate the sacrificial victims partakers of the altar?
19 What shall I say then? That an idol is anything, or that something sacrificed to an idol is anything? 20 No, but I do say that those things which the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not want you to be consorts with demons, 21 for you cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons, and you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
22 Or shall we provoke the Lord? Are we not better than that? 23 All things are lawful to me, but not all things are conducive. All things are lawful to me, but not all things are constructive. 24 No one should seek after that which is his, but after that which is another’s.
25 All things that are sold at the butcher, eat, asking nothing for the sake of conscience, 26 for The Lord’s is the earth and its fulness. 27 But if anyone who is an unbeliever shall call you, and you desire to go, eat all that shall be put in front of you, asking nothing for the sake of conscience. 28 But if anyone should say to you, “This was sacrificed to idols,” do not eat, because of the one who informed you, and for the sake of your conscience; for The Lord’s is the earth and its fulness. 29 But, I say, not your conscience, but the other person’s. For why shall my freedom be judged by the conscience of a stranger? 30 But if I myself partake with thanksgiving, why am I, having given thanks for it, cursed?
31 Therefore, whether you eat, whether you drink, whether you do anything, do all things in the glory of God. 32 And so be, that no one may find you a stumbling block, not Jews, not Greeks, not the communities of God; 33 as I myself please all people in all matters, not seeking any advantage of it to myself, but to many, so that they may be saved. 34 Be imitators of me, as I myself am of Christ.
3 Every man, praying or prophesying, having something on his head, brings shame upon his head. 4 And every woman, praying or prophesying with bare head, dishonors her head, 5 for it might as well be as if she had clean-shaven her head. 6 So if a woman shall not cover her head, she should be shaven; but if it should be a shame for the woman to be shorn or shaven to baldness, then she shall cover her head.
7 However, a man should not veil his head, for he is the image and the glory of God; and the woman is the glory of the man. 8 For man is not of woman, but woman of man. 9 For the man was not formed because of the woman, but the woman because of the man. 10 Therefore, the woman ought to place a power upon her head because of the angels.
11 Regardless, there is not man apart from woman, nor woman apart from man, in the Lord. 12 For just as the woman is of the man, so also is the man of the woman, and they are all of God.
13 Judge among yourselves; is it proper for a woman unveiled to pray to God? 14 Or does not nature herself teach you people this, that a man, if he should be long-haired, brings shame upon himself, 15 while at the same time, if a woman should be long-haired, it is a glory to her, for her hair has been given to her like a veil? 16 Now if this would seem something to argue about, there is no other custom among us or any of God’s communities.
17 And in this matter, I do not praise you, for you come together not for the betterment, but for worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together in the community, I hear of infighting among you, and I somewhat believe it. 19 For there must be divisions among you which, being tested, reveal themselves in your midst.
20 Therefore, when you come together in one place, you cannot be eating the supper of the Lord, 21 for each of you is busy eating his own meal, and this one goes hungry, and this one is thirsty. 22 Do you not have homes of your own to eat and drink in? And you contempt the community of God, and shame those who do not have? What am I going to say to you? That I praise you? I do not praise you for this!
23 For I have received from the Lord the very same as I have handed down to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the very night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is my body, which is to be broken for you; do this in my commemoration.”
25 Likewise the cup, after they had taken dinner, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood; do this in my commemoration, as often as you shall drink it.” 26 For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he shall come.
27 Therefore whoever shall eat this bread or drink the cup of the Lord unworthily is liable to the body and blood of the Lord. 28 And let a person try oneself, and thus eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. 29 For whoever shall eat or drink unworthily eats and drinks judgment upon himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. 30 This is why among you many are ill and weak, and some have fallen over. 31 For if we should discern among ourselves, we would not then be judged. 32 But when we will be judged, we are chastised by the Lord, so that we will not be condemned along with this world.
33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 And if any should be hungry, he should eat first at home, so that you people do not come together into judgment. As for the rest, I shall set it straight when I come.
4 Now there are various categories of gifts, but one and the same spirit; 5 and different categories of service, but one and the same Lord; 6 and different categories of working, but it is the same God working all things in all people.
7 And he shall give each person a display of spirit as it is expedient to each; 8 for example, to one shall be given, by the spirit, the word of wisdom; and to another, the words of knowledge according to the same spirit; 9 and to another, faith, in the same spirit; and to another, the gift of healing in the same spirit; 10 and to another the effectiveness of powers, and to another prophecy, and to another discretion of spirits, and to another various languages, and to another, translation of languages; 11 but all these things are worked by that one and the same spirit, dividing it particularly to one and another as it deems fit.
12 Just as the body is one, and has many members, but all members of one body, many as they are, are one body, thus is Christ. 13 For in one spirit we all have been baptized into a single body, whether Jew or Greek, whether slave or free; and all have drunk in one spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot were to say, “I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” does that make it any less part of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “I am not the eye, I am not of the body”, does that make it any less part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If it were all hearing, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But now God has placed the members, each and every single one, around the body as he pleased. 19 For if it were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed the many members have become one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need your help,” or again the head to the foot, “I do not need your help,” 22 but rather, the members of the body which would seem the weakest are all the most necessary; 23 and those which we perceive to be the least honorable in the body, we should give all the more honor to; and the dishonorable ones have more abundant honor.
24 But our other parts, which are honorable, do not need it; but God has likewise tempered the body, giving more honor to that which lacked it, 25 that there may be no dissent in the body, but that the members might concern themselves together one for another. 26 And if one member should be in pain, the other members feel the pain along with it; if one member should glory, the other members rejoice along with it.
27 And you people are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has placed certain others in the community, firstly apostles, second prophets, thirdly teachers, then authorities, then the gifts of healing, assistance, governance, various languages. 29 Are you all apostles? Are you all prophets? Are you all teachers? Are you all authorities? Do you all have gifts of healing? Do you all speak other languages? Do you all translate? 30 But desire the greater gifts.
5 Love is patient and gentle. Love does not envy, is not a braggart, is not puffed up, is not vain, does not seek what is its own, 6 is not easily angered, does not think on evil things, rejoices not in unrighteousness but together with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes in all things, hopes in all things, endures all things.
8 Love will never fall away; whether prophecies may fall away, whether tongues may fall away, whether knowledge may fall away. 9 But we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which has been perfected shall come, then what is partial shall fall away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I felt like a child, I thought like a child; but when I became a man, I did away with such childish things. 12 For now we perceive ourselves through a mirror, mysteriously; but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know in the same way I am known. 13 And now these three things remain—faith, hope, love—but the greatest of them all is love.
5 I would like everyone to speak in some sort of other language, but more importantly to prophesy, for the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks languages, unless they would be translated for the community to receive a building-up. 6 And now, brothers, if I should come to you speaking some other language, how would I profit you, unless I were to speak to you either in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching? 7 Even inanimate objects that have voices, such as flutes or lyres, unless there is some distinction in their sound, how would it be known that the flute is singing, or the lyre? 8 Furthermore, if the trumpet gave an uncertain voice, who would prepare for war? 9 And unless you gave words in ordinary language, how would what you have said be understood? For you might as well be talking to air.
10 And there are indeed many different kinds of voice in the world, and none is silenced. 11 Therefore if I shall not know the power of the voice, I shall be a babbler to the one I am speaking to, and the one who speaks to me shall be a babbler to me. 12 Therefore, you also, so much as you are discerners of spirits, seek to excel toward the building-up of the community. 13 And therefore, may the one who speaks in some language pray that he may translate. 14 For if I shall pray in some language, my spirit is praying, but my mind becomes fruitless.
15 So what is it? I shall pray with the spirit, but I shall also pray with the mind; I shall chant with the spirit, but I shall also chant with the mind. 16 Otherwise, if you give blessing, how will the one in the position of the unlearned know to say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you indeed give thanks well; but it is not constructive to the other person.
18 I give thanks to my God that, more than all of you, I am speaking in strange languages. 19 But in the community I would rather speak all of five words by my mind, so as to instruct others, than ten thousand words in another language.
20 Brothers, do not be children in sense; rather be children in evil but perfected in sense. 21 It is written in the law,
With various tongues22 Therefore languages are for a sign not to believers but to the disbelievers; as opposed to prophecies which are not to the disbelievers but to the believers.
and various lips
I speak to this people,
and for all that
they still will not listen to me—says the Lord.
23 Therefore if the whole community shall come together in the same place and all of them are speaking in other languages, and unlearned or unfaithful shall enter, will they not say that you have lost your minds? 24 But if all shall prophesy, and the unlearned or unfaithful shall enter, they shall be convinced by all, judged by all; 25 and thus the hidden things of their hearts shall be made known; and so, they will fall prostrate and worship God, proclaiming that God is truly in your midst.
26 So how is it then, brothers? When you come together, each and every one of you will have a psalm, have a teaching, have a tongue, have a revelation; may all things be done constructively. 27 Whether anyone shall speak in a strange language, may it be in twos, or at most threes, one after another; and one to translate. 28 And if there is no one to translate, may they remain silent in the community, for he shall be speaking to himself, and to God. 29 And prophets, they should speak by twos or threes, and the others judge. 30 But if there shall be something revealed to another who is seated, he should first remain silent. 31 For you are all able to prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and receive consolation, 32 and the spirit of the prophets may be subjected to the prophets. 33 For God is not a God of chaos, but peace; so also in all the communities of the holy people.
34 Your women should remain silent in the communities; for it is not commanded to them that they should speak, but that they should be subject. 35 As the law also says, if they should want to learn something, they may question their husbands at home, for it is a shame to women to speak in the community.
36 Or did the word of God come out from you? Or did it come to you alone? 37 If one should seem to be a prophet, or spiritual, he should know about these things that I am writing to you, that they are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But anyone who does not know these things should not be known.
39 Therefore, brothers, be zealous that you may prophesy; and do not forbid the speaking of strange languages, 40 but do all things honestly and in an orderly manner.
3 For I handed down to you that which, first of all, I have also received—that Christ had died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he would be buried, and that he would rise again on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he had been sighted by Cephas and then by the rest of the Twelve; 6 after which he had been sighted by more than four hundred of the brothers at once, of whom many still remain until this day though some have fallen over. 7 After this he was sighted by James, after all the apostles.
8 And last of all, as one born at the wrong time, he was sighted by me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, one who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I had been persecuting the community of God. 10 But through the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which has worked in me has not been empty, but I have labored more abundantly than all of them; though not I, but the grace of God which is in me; 11 therefore whether me or anyone else, this is what we preach, and this is what you have believed.
12 And if Christ having been raised from the dead shall be preached, how can any of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ himself could not have been raised from the dead, 14 and if Christ were not raised from death, our preaching is futile, and your faith too is futile, 15 and we shall be found to be false witnesses of God, for we are witnesses of God, who raised Christ up, which he could not have done if the dead do not rise up.
16 Furthermore, if the dead do not rise up, Christ himself could not be raised, 17 and were Christ not raised, your faith is vain beyond vain, and you remain in your sins even now, 18 and therefore also, those who fall over in Christ are lost. 19 If that is all the hope we can have in Christ in this life, we are more miserable than all people.
20 And now Christ has risen from the dead, the first of those who have been sleeping. 21 For since death was from a person, also from a person is the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all shall die, so also in Christ all shall be given life, 23 but each and every one in their own order: first Christ, then those who are of Christ, when he has come. 24 Then the end; when he shall have handed over the kingdom to our God and father, when he shall have abolished all princedoms, and all authority and power. 25 For it is necessary for him to reign until he shall have placed all enemies under his feet. 26 The last of all enemies which shall be done away with is death, for all things shall be thrown under his feet.
27 And where he says that all things must be tossed below or subjected, certainly he to whom all things are subjected is exempt! 28 And when all things shall be subjected to him, then also the son shall be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things in all people.
29 Otherwise why are there those who baptize for the dead if none of the dead rise again? Why would they baptize for them? 30 And why are we standing in danger all the time? 31 I die every day, by our glorying, which I have in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 32 If according to men I have fought creatures of Ephesus, what use is it to me if the dead do not rise again?
We shall eat,
and we shall drink;
for tomorrow,
we are going to die.
33 Do not let yourselves be deceived; as it is said, “good mores are corrupted by evil speakings.” 34 Keep an eye out righteously, and do not sin; for there are those who are still unaware of God. I speak this to your shame.
35 But some will say: “How do the dead rise again, and in what manner will their bodies come?” 36 Fool! Will what you plant receive life unless it shall die? 37 And that which you plant, it is not the body that shall be born which you seed but a naked grain, as of wheat or some other sort. 38 But God gives it a body as he wishes, and to each and every seed its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh; but this one is human flesh, this one is mammal flesh, this one is bird flesh, and this one fish flesh.
40 And there are heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but these have heavenly glory, and these have earthly. 41 This has the glory of the sun, this the glory of the moon, and this the glory of the stars. 42 And one star differs from another in glory; such is the resurrection of the dead.
43 What is planted in corruption rises again in incorruptibility; what is planted in ignominy rises again in glory; what is planted in weakness rises again in strength; what is planted as a physical body rises again as a spirit body. 44 There is a physical body and a spirit body. As it is written: 45 The first person Adam, was made into a living soul; the final Adam in a life-giving spirit. 46 And it does not begin with what is spirit, but with what is physical; and then what is spirit. 47 First is the person of the earth, earthly; then the person of the heaven, heavenly. 48 As is the earthly, so are the earthly; and as is the heavenly, so are the heavenly. 49 And as we have born the image of the earthly, we ought to so bear the image of the heavenly.
50 And I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor will corruption receive the inheritance of incorruptibility.
51 Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall over, but we shall all be transformed, 52 in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last horn, for the horn shall blow, and the dead shall rise again incorrupt; and we shall be transformed. 53 For this corruptible must don incorruptibility and this mortal must don immortality. 54 And when this corruptible shall don incorruptibility and this mortal shall don immortality, then shall the word be as it is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 Where, death, is your sting?
Where, hell, is your victory?
56 But the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be firm and unmoving, ever abundant in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work is not devoid of effect in the Lord.
5 And I will be coming to you as I pass through Macedonia, since I am already going to Macedonia. 6 And I intend to stay with you for a while, or at least spend the winter, so that you may send me out to wherever I will be traveling. 7 For I do not want to see you as I, right now, am en route; but I hope to remain for some time myself with you, if the Lord will allow it.
8 But I will pause at Ephesus until the day of Pentecost, 9 for a door is open to me in plain sight, and my foes are many. 10 When Timothy shall come to you, see that he be with you without fear; for he works the work of the Lord, as I myself do, 11 so do not revile him; but follow him in peace, so that he may come to me, for I await him with the brothers. 12 And as for brother Apollo, I have entreated him much that he may go to you with the brothers; but it was not at all his will to depart now. But he shall come, when the opportunity presents itself.
13 Be watchful; stand in the faith, be the more manly, and remain strong. 14 Do all things in love.
15 And I beseech you, brothers; you know the family of Stephanas to be the firstfruits of Achaia, and they have given themselves to the ministry to the holy ones, 16 that you also may be subject to each and all who work and toil with us. 17 And I indeed rejoice at the presence of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for that which was lacking to you, they have supplied, 18 for they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Recognize, therefore, that they are such.
19 The communities of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, as well as the community which meets in their house. 20 All the brothers greet you. Greet each other with a holy kiss.
21 This is the greeting by my own—Paul’s—hand.
22 If anyone does not love our Lord Jesus Christ, a curse upon him, for the Lord is coming!
23 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love is with all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.