PRINCIPLES OF MARRIAGE

7 Now in response to the matters you wroteE about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”F 2 But because sexual immorality is so common,G,ar each man should have sexual relations with his own wife,as and each woman should have sexual relations with her own husband. 3 A husband should fulfill his marital dutyat to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. 4 A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. 5 Do not depriveau one another—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves toH prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all people were as I am. But each has his own giftav from God, one person has this gift, another has that.

A WORD TO THE UNMARRIED

8 I say to the unmarriedI and to widows:aw It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control,a they should marry, since it is better to marryb than to burn with desire.

ABOUT MARRIED PEOPLE

10 To the married I give this commandc—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leaveA her husband. 11 But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to divorce his wife.d 12 But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: If any brothere has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holyf by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband.B Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called youC to live in peace. 16 Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.D

VARIOUS SITUATIONS OF LIFE

17 Let each one live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God calledg him.E This is what I command in all the churches. 18 Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. 19 Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God’s commands is what matters. 20 Let each of you remain in the situationF in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.G 22 For he who is called by the Lord as a slaveh is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave. 23 You were boughti at a price; do not become slaves of people. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person is to remain with God in the situation in which he was called.

ABOUT THE UNMARRIED AND WIDOWS

25 Now about virgins:H I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercyj is faithful.k 26 Because of the present distress, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 However, if you do get married,l you have not sinned, and if a virginI marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life,J and I am trying to spare you.

29 This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time is limited,m so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoicen as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they didn’t own anything, 31 and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.o

32 I want you to be without concerns. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord—how he may pleasep the Lord. 33 But the married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife—34 and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord,q so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

36 If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage, and he feels he should marry—he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. 37 But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own willr) and has decided in his heart to keep her as his fiancée, will do well. 38 So, then, he who marries his fiancée does well, but he who does not marry will do better. A

39 A wife is boundB as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

FOOD OFFERED TO IDOLS

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:a We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up,b but lovec builds up. 2 If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.d 3 But if anyone loves God,e he is knownf by him.

4 About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,”C and that “there is no God but one.”g 5 For even if there are so-called gods,h whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”—6 yet for us there is one God, the Father.i All things are from him,j and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.k

7 However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not bring us close to God.D We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.l 9 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling blockm to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouragedE to eat food offered to idols? 11 So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died,n is ruinedA,o by your knowledge.p 12 Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat,q so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.

PAUL’S EXAMPLE AS AN APOSTLE

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, because you are the sealr of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?s 5 Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a believing wifeB like the other apostles,t the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?u 6 Or do only Barnabasv and I have no right to refrain from working? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?w Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?

8 Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an oxx while it treads out grain.C,y Is God really concerned about oxen? 10 Isn’t he really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake,z because he who plows ought to plow in hope,aa and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop.ab 11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? 12 If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right; instead, we endure everythingac so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altarad share in the offerings of the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.ae

15 For my part I have used none of these rights, nor have I written these things that they may be applied in my case. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preachD—and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrustedaf with a commission. 18 What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my rights in the gospel.ag

19 Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to winah more people. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the lawE—to win those under the law.ai 21 To those who are without the law,aj like one without the law—though I am not without God’s law but under the law of Christ—to win those without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.a 23 Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings.

24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race,b but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.c 25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-controld in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown,e but we an imperishable crown. 26 So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. 27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.f

WARNINGS FROM ISRAEL’S PAST

10 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestorsg were all under the cloud,h all passed through the sea,i 2 and all were baptizedj into Mosesk in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food,l 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rockm that followed them, and that rock was Christ.n 5 Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.o

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desirep evil things as they did.A,q 7 Don’t become idolatersr as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.B,C,s 8 Let us not commit sexual immoralityt as some of them did,D and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died.u 9 Let us not test Christ as some of them didE and were destroyed by snakes.v 10 And don’t grumblew as some of them did,F,x and were killed by the destroyer.G,y 11 These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction,z on whom the ends of the agesH,aa have come.ab 12 So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.ac 13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful;ad he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way outae so that you may be able to bear it.

WARNING AGAINST IDOLATRY

14 So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. 16 The cupaf of blessingag that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The breadah that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are oneai body, since all of us share the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel.I Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?aj 19 What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I do say that what theyJ sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons! 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?ak

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

23 “Everything is permissible,”A but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,”A but not everything builds up. 24 No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.al

25 Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, without raising questions for the sake of conscience, 26 since the earth is the Lord’s,am and all that is in it.B,an 27 If any of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions for the sake of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it,ao out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.C 29 I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judgedap by another person’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thanksgiving,aq why am I criticized because of something for which I give thanks?

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.ar 32 Give no offenseas to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many,a so that they may be saved. 11 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.b

INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEAD COVERINGS

2 Now I praise youD because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditionsc just as I deliveredd them to you. 3 But I want you to know that Christ is the heade of every man, and the man is the head of the woman,E,f and God is the head of Christ.g 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonorsh his head. 5 Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved.i 6 For if a woman doesn’t cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her head be covered.

7 A man should not cover his head, because he is the imagej and glory of God.k So too, woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.l 9 Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. 10 This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. 12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God.m

13 Judgen for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teacho you that if a man has long hair it is a disgracep to him, 15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?q For her hair is given to herA as a covering. 16 If anyone wants to argue about this, we have no otherB custom, nor do the churches of God.

THE LORD’S SUPPER

17 Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 Indeed, it is necessary that there be factionsr among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.s 21 For at the meal, each one eats his own supper.C So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! 22 Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:t On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said,D “This is my body, which isE for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”u

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenantv in my blood.w Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s deathx until he comes.y

SELF-EXAMINATION

27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the bodyF and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,G eats and drinks judgmentz on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.aa 31 If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judgedab by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemnedac with the world.

33 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.H 34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.ad

DIVERSITY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts:I brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mutea idols.b 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are different gifts,c but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. 7 A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each persond for the common good: 8 to onee is given a message of wisdomf through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healingg by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles,h to another, prophecy,i to another, distinguishing between spirits,j to another, different kinds of tongues,A to another, interpretation of tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.

UNITY YET DIVERSITY IN THE BODY

12 For just as the body is onek and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.l 13 For we were all baptized byB one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.m 14 Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.n 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable,o we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no divisionp in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ,q and individual members of it. 28 And God has appointed these in the church:r first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,s next miracles,t then gifts of healing,u helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.* 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?v 31 But desirew the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

LOVE: THE SUPERIOR WAY

13 If I speak human or angelic tongues* but do not have love,x I am a noisy gongy or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecyz and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountainsaa but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boastA but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient,ab love is kind. Love does not envy,ac is not boastful, is not arrogant,ad 5 is not rude, is not self-seeking,ae is not irritable,af and does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.ag 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, enduresah all things.

8 Love never ends.ai But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 For now we see only a reflectionB as in a mirror, but then face to face.aj Now I know in part, but then I will know fully,ak as I am fully known.al 13 Now these three remain: faith, hope,am and love—but the greatest of these is love.

PROPHECY: A SUPERIOR GIFT

14 Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. 2 For the person who speaks in a tongue* a is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.D 3 On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,E encouragement, and consolation. 4 The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 I wish all of you spoke in tongues,* but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.

6 So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelationb or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds—whether flute or harpc—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? 8 In fact, if the bugle makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle?d 9 In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, none is without meaning. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreignerG to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12 So also you—since you are zealouse for spiritual gifts,H,f seek to excel in building up the church.

13 Therefore the person who speaks in a tongue should pray that he can interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spiritg prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.h 15 What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit,A how will the outsiderB say “Amen”i at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thankj God that I speak in tongues more than all of you; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five wordsk with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.l 21 It is written in the law,

I will speak to this people

by people of other tongues

and by the lips of foreigners,

and even then, they will not listen to me,C,m

says the Lord. 22 Speaking in tongues, then, is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in tongues and people who are outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and is called to account by all. 25 The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.”n

ORDER IN CHURCH MEETINGS

26 What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each oneD has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.o Everything is to be done for building up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, there are to be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, that person is to keep silent in the church and speak to himself and God. 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate.p 30 But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged.q 32 And the prophets’ spirits are subject to the prophets, 33 since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints,r 34 the womenE should be silent in the churches,s for they are not permitted to speak, but are to submit themselves, as the law also says. 35 If they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbandsa at home, since it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36 Or did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?

37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should recognize that what I write to you is the Lord’s command. 38 If anyone ignores this, he will be ignored.A 39 So then, my brothers and sisters, be eagerb to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything is to be done decentlyc and in order.