From Paul, who has been called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, And from Sosthenes, our Brother.

I give praise to my God for you at all times, because of the grace of God which has been given to you in Christ Jesus;

Even as the witness of the Christ has been made certain among you:

for he, who has called you to the communication of his son Jesus Christ our Lord, will make good his promise.

Because it has come to my knowledge, through those of the house of Chloe, that there are divisions among you, my brothers.

By 'quarrelling' I mean that each of you has his party-cry, "I belong to Paul," "And I to Apollos," "And I to Cephas," "And I to Christ."

Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

For Christ has not sent me to baptise, but to preach glad tidings; not in wisdom of word, that the cross of the Christ may not be made vain.

For it has been written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nought the understanding of the intelligent.

Where is the wise? where is he who has knowledge of the law? where is the man of this world who has a love of discussion? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom has not known God, God has been pleased by the foolishness of the preaching to save those that believe.

while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified--to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness,

but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks alike, the Christ who is God's power and God's wisdom.

[This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].

For you see God's design for you, my brothers, that he has not taken a great number of the wise after the flesh, not the strong, not the noble:

Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something,

But God has given you a place in Christ Jesus, through whom God has given us wisdom and righteousness and salvation, and made us holy:

So that, as it is said in the holy Writings, Whoever has a desire for glory, let his glory be in the Lord.

And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do];

But we [apostles] speak God's secret wisdom, which has been hidden [through the ages], which God predetermined for our honor before time began.

the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

But as it says in the holy Writings, Things which the eye saw not, and which had not come to the ears or into the heart of man, such things as God has made ready for those who have love for him.

But God has given us the revelation of these things through his Spirit, for the Spirit makes search into all things, even the deep things of God.

For who has knowledge of the things of a man but the spirit of the man which is in him? in the same way, no one has knowledge of the things of God but the Spirit of God.

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God.

But he who has the Spirit, though judging all things, is himself judged by no one.

For who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord, so as to be his teacher? But we have the mind of Christ.

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.

I have planted; Apollos watered; but God has given the increase.

Still, though planter and waterer are on the same level, each will get his own wage for the special work that he has done.

According to the grace of God which has been given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation, but another builds upon it. But let each see how he builds upon it.

For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ.

each builder's work will be plainly seen, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire will test what kind of work each has done.

If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward.

If a man's work is burned up, he must stand the loss, though he himself will be saved, but as one who has passed through the fire.

Do you not see that you are God's holy house, and that the Spirit of God has his place in you?

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it has been written. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

And again, The Lord has knowledge of the reasonings of the wise, that they are nothing.

So do not criticize at all; the hour of reckoning has still to come, when the Lord will come to bring dark secrets to the light and to reveal life's inner aims and motives. Then each of us will get his meed of praise from God.

And these things, brethren, I transformed to myself and to Apollos for you; that ye might learn in us not to think above what has been written, lest ye be puffed up one above one against the other.

For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?

Every one of you already has all that heart can desire; already you have grown rich; without waiting for us, you have ascended your thrones! Yes indeed, would to God that you had ascended your thrones, that we also might reign with you!

For it seems to me that God has put us the Apostles last of all, as men whose fate is death: for we are put on view to the world, and to angels, and to men.

When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers: we are made as the unclean things of the world, as that for which no one has any use, even till now.

It is said, in fact, that there is among you a sin of the flesh, such as is not seen even among the Gentiles, that one of you has his father's wife.

And in place of feeling sorrow, you are pleased with yourselves, so that he who has done this thing has not been sent away from among you.

For I myself, being present in spirit though not in body, have come to a decision about him who has done this thing;

to deliver, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (ye and my spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ), him that has so wrought this:

Take away, then, the old leaven, so that you may be a new mass, even as you are without leaven. For Christ has been put to death as our Passover.

How is it, that if any one of you has a cause at law against another, he takes it before a Gentile judge and not before the saints?

I ask this to make you blush with shame. Has it come to this, that there is not a single wise man among you who could settle a grievance of one brother against another,

But a brother who has a cause at law against another takes it before Gentile judges.

"meat is design'd for the belly, and the belly for meat:" true, yet God has design'd both for destruction. now the body is not design'd for licentiousness, but for the glory of the Lord; since the Lord died for the glorification of the body:

And God has both raised up the Lord, and will raise us up from among the dead by his power.

Or do you not see that he who is joined to a loose woman is one body with her? for God has said, The two of them will become one flesh.

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit [with Him]. [Note: Just as the person who has sex with someone enters a close physical union with that person, so the person who becomes a Christian enters a close spiritual union with Christ].

Or are you not conscious that your body is a house for the Holy Spirit which is in you, and which has been given to you by God? and you are not the owners of yourselves;

For a payment has been made for you: let God be honoured in your body.

The wife has not power over her body, but the husband; and in the same way the husband has not power over his body, but the wife.

It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that.

For married people these are my instructions (and they are the Lord's, not mine). A wife is not to separate from her husband ??11 if she has separated, she must either remain single or be reconciled to him ??and a husband must not put away his wife.

but if she has separated herself, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her.

And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband.

For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy.

But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another.

for what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?

Only, as the Lord has given to a man, and as is the purpose of God for him, so let him go on living. And these are my orders for all the churches.

If any man who is a Christian has had circumcision, let him keep so; and if any man who is a Christian has not had circumcision, let him make no change.

Being circumcised or not being circumcised has no value, but keeping God's commands is important.

Let every man keep the position in which he has been placed by God.

Hast thou been called being a bondman, let it not concern thee; but and if thou canst become free, use it rather.

For the slave who has been called to union with the Lord is the Lord's freedman; in the same way the freeman who has been called is a slave of Christ.

It is the Lord who has made payment for you: be not servants of men.

Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him.

I think, then, that, in view of the time of suffering that has now come upon us, what I have already said is best-that a man should remain as he is.

Hast thou become bound to a wife? do not seek to be loosed; hast thou become loosed from a wife? do not seek a wife.

If, however, thou shouldst even marry, thou hast not sinned; and, if one who is virgin should marry, that one hath not sinned; - but, tribulation of the flesh, shall, such, have: - howbeit, I, spare you.

I mean this, brothers. The time has been cut short. For the future, men who have wives should live as though they had none,

but he that has married cares for the things of the world, how he shall please his wife.

There is a difference between the wife and the virgin. The unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but she that has married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please her husband.

But if any man thinks he is [being tempted to] behave improperly toward his virgin [fiancee], and she is past prime [marriageable] age, and feels the need [to get married] [Note: The Greek says "and so it has to be"], he should do what he wants; they should get married --- that man has not sinned.

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.

A wife has been given so long a time as her husband may live; but if her husband may die, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Now about the foods that have been sacrificed to idols: We know that every one of us has some knowledge of the matter. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

If anyone seems to himself to have knowledge, so far he has not the right sort of knowledge about anything;

But if anyone has love for God, God has knowledge of him.

Now as to eating food that has been offered to idols, we know well that an idol has no real existence in the universe, and that there is no God but One.

Still, all men have not that knowledge: but some, being used till now to the image, are conscious that they are taking food which has been offered to the image; and because they are not strong in the faith, their minds are troubled.

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.

For, if anyone should see theewho hast knowledge, in an idol-temple, reclining, will not, his conscience, being, weak, be built up for the eating of the idol-sacrifices?

For in the law of Moses it has been written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that plows. Is there a care to God for oxen,

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.

In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for this obligation has been entrusted to me. How terrible it would be for me if I didn't preach the gospel!

And if I preach willingly, I receive my wages; but if against my will, a stewardship has nevertheless been entrusted to me.

To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law- -not that I am free from God's Law; no, for I am under Christ's Law-to win those who have no law.

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.

Neither be ye idolaters, as some of them were; as has been written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and arose up to play.