Translation:1 Corinthians

Chapter 1
Paul, called an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother.

To the church of God which is in Corinth, those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours.

Blessing to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am always giving thanks to my God about you, because of the kindness of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus. For in everything you were enriched by him, in every word and all knowledge, as the testimony of Christ was established among you, so that you would not lack any gift while expecting the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also establish you until the end, to be without accusation on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is trustworthy. Through him you were called into the companionship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now I encourage you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may all say the same thing, and there may not be factions among you, but that you may be restored to him in mind and share the same opinion. For it has been explained to me about you, my brothers, by Chloe's people, that there are arguments between you. What I am saying is this, that each of you says, "I am with Paul", or "I am with Apollos", or "I am with Cephas", or "I am with Christ".

Has Christ become divided? Surely Paul was not crucified for you? Or were you baptised into the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptised none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one could say that you were baptised into my name. I did baptise the household of Stephanas, as for the rest, I don't know if I baptised anyone else. For Christ did not send me to baptise but to announce good news, not with wordy wisdom, so that the cross would not become meaningless. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are being destroyed, but to those being saved, to us, it is God's power. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; and the intelligence of the intelligent I will set aside . "

Where is the wise, where the literate man, where the critic of this age? Hasn't God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe. Thus also, Jews are asking for signs and Greeks seeking wisdom, but we proclaim a crucified Christ—an offense to Jews and foolishness to the nations, except for those who are called, both Jews and Greeks—a Christ who is God's power and God's wisdom, because the folly of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger than men.

For example, look at your calling, brothers, because not many are wise according to the flesh, not many powerful, not many well-born. But the follies of the world God chose to shame the wise, and the weaknesses of the world God chose to shame the strong; and the indignities of the world, and the despised things—God chose things that are not, so that he would nullify those that are, and then all flesh could not glory before God. But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom for us from God, also righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let him who glories, in the Lord have his glory. "

Chapter 2
Now when I came to you, brothers, I came not with superiority of word or wisdom, as I explained the mystery of God for you. For I had decided not to know anything while among you, unless it be Jesus Christ, and him crucified. So, in weakness and in fear and with much trembling I approached you, and my word and my proclamation were not with the persuasions of wisdom but with manifestation of the Spirit and of power, so that your trust would not be in men's wisdom but in God's power.

However, we are talking about wisdom with those who are mature, though not about a wisdom of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who have been nullified. Rather, we are speaking about God's wisdom as a mystery, something hidden away, that God predesignated before the ages for our glory, that none of the rulers of this age has known. For if they knew, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, just as it is written, "What eye saw not, and ear did not hear, and upon a man's heart never came; that God prepared for those who love him. "

So, it is for our sake God reveals through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

For who among men has understood the issues of the man, except the spirit of the man which is in him? Thus also, no one has known the issues of God, except the Spirit of God. However, we did not receive the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we could understand things given freely by God to us. These are the things that we are also talking about, not with teachings of human wisdom, but with spiritual teachings, applying spiritual things to spiritual men. Yet the thoughtful man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for it is foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand, because it is investigated spiritually; but he who is spiritual investigates everything, while himself being investigated by no one. For, "Who knew the Lord's mind; who will teach him? "

But we have the mind of Christ.

Chapter 3
Now, brothers, I was not enabled to speak to you as spiritual men but as worldly ones, as babies in Christ. Milk I fed you, not meat, for you were not yet able. But, indeed, neither even now are you able, since you are still worldly. For wherever among you is envy and argument, aren't you worldly and living like any man? For whenever someone says, "I am with Paul", and the other, "I'm with Apollos", are you not just men?

So what is Apollos? Or what is Paul? Servants, through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was giving growth. And so neither is the planter anything, nor the waterer, rather it is the grower—God. In fact, the planter and the waterer are one, though each will receive his own reward according to his own labour. For together with God we are co-workers—you are God's field, God's building. According to the kindness of God that was given to me, like a wise architect I placed a foundation, then another builds. But let him watch how he builds! For no one is able to lay another foundation alongside what has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Now if anyone builds on the foundation—gold, silver, precious stones, timber, a courtyard, thatching— each one's work will become apparent, since the Day will make it plain, because it is revealed by fire; and the work of each, what it is like, that fire will test. If the work that someone built remains, he will receive a reward. If someone's work is burned down, it will be lost; but he himself will be saved, though as if it were through fire. Don't you know that you are God's shrine and the Spirit of God lives among you? If anyone ruins the shrine of God, God will ruin him. For the shrine of God is holy, which is what you yourselves are.

Let no one deceive himself; if anyone considers himself to be wise among you in this age, let him become foolish, so that he might become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness alongside God; for it has been written, "He catches the wise in their trickery. "

And again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are empty. "

And so no one should be glorying in men, for everything is yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or what is already here or what is still to come, everything is yours. But you are Christ's and Christ is God's.

Chapter 4
Thus let people consider us—as officers and managers of God's mysteries. Here it remains to be said that it is sought among these managers, so that a faithful one can be found. But to me this is least—that I am being judged by you or by people of today. Indeed, I do not even judge myself, for I have not become aware of anything against myself—though it is not by this that I have been justified. He who judges me is the Lord. So you too, do not make judgements ahead of an appropriate time—until whenever the Lord comes—who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the intentions of hearts, and then praise will come to each from God.

But these things, brothers, I have applied to myself and Apollos for your sake, so that you would learn this from us—"Not beyond what has been written!" Then there would be no one above one other according to the rest, puffing yourselves up. For who decides between you? What do you have that you didn't receive? And if you received, why boast as though not having been receivers? Already you have become bloated! Already you had become rich. Without us you ruled! And I wish you did rule, so that we too could rule with you. For I think God displayed us, his emissaries, last—like men set to die—because we became a spectacle for the world and for angels and for men. We are fools through Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are glorious, but we are dishonourable. Up to the current hour we are hungry and thirsty and naked and beaten and homeless and exhausted and working with our own hands. While abused we bless; while persecuted we endure; while slandered we invite. We became the world's filth, the scum of all, even until now.

It is not to shame you I am writing these things but, as my beloved children, to instruct you. For many teachers in Christ you may well have, but not many fathers. So I invite you to become imitators of me. That's why I sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved child, and trustworthy in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways which are in Christ Jesus, just as I am teaching everywhere to every congregation. Since while I have not been coming to you, some became puffed up, I will now come quickly to you, if the Lord should will. I will come to know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but their power. For the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? With a rod should I come to you, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

Chapter 5
It is heard everywhere that there is sexual immorality among you, such immorality as is nowhere among the nations, since some man has his father's wife. And you are filled with pride! But isn't it better you grieved? So that he would have been cast from your midst, he who did this deed. For although being absent in the body, I am still present in the spirit. I have already decided, as though present, about him who caused this situation. In the name of our Lord Jesus, gather yourselves and my spirit together in the power of our Lord Jesus, to hand this kind of man to Satan for destruction of the flesh, so the spirit can be saved on the Day of the Lord.

It's not good, this boasting of yours. Don't you know that a little yeast causes the whole lump of dough to rise? Clean out the old yeast, so that you can be a new lump of dough, as you really are—without yeast. For Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed. So let us also celebrate the festival, not with old yeast nor with yeast of wickedness and evil, but with unleavened bread of purity and truth.

I wrote to you in the letter not to mix with sexually immoral men— not all the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and grasping, or idol worshippers, since then you would have to go out from the world. But now I write to you not to mix with someone if, having been called brother, he is sexually immoral or greedy or idolatrous or slanderous or a drunkard or grasping. With such a man, do not even eat. Why would it be up to me to judge those outside? Don't you judge those inside? Those outside, though, God will judge. "Cast out the evil man from among yourselves. "

Chapter 6
Does any of you dare, having a case against another, to have this judged by the unrighteous, and not by the holy? Or don't you know that the holy will judge the world? And if it is by you the world has been judged, are you unworthy of the most trivial judgements? Don't you know that we will judge angels, not only issues of this life? Therefore, if you were to have a judgement on life-issues, is it the nobodies in this church that you are enthroning? So, if you do have disputes about things of this life, do you set those in charge who are looked down in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you who could judge between brothers, that a brother takes the other to court? And this before unbelievers!

So already you are completely defeated, that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? But you do wrong and defraud, and these things to your brothers and sisters! Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor cowards, nor homosexuals , Nor thieves, nor coveters, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And some of you were such: but you were washed, and you were sanctified, and you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

"All things are lawful to me!" But not all things are beneficial. "All things are lawful to me!" But I will not be mastered by anything. "Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food." But God will destroy both; the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God has both raised up the Lord

Chapter 7
Now, about what you wrote, it is good for a woman’s man not to touch her, but because of sexual immoralities let each man have a woman for himself, and let each woman have her own man. Let the man give away what he owes to the woman; but, likewise, also the woman to the man. The woman does not have authority over her own body, but the man; likewise, however, the man also does not have authority over his own body, but the woman. Stop robbing one another! Surely this is not impossible? After agreeing to an occasion so you can spend time in prayer, can’t you also be there for it again? So Satan cannot tempt you because of your lack of self-control. However, I am saying this as a concession, not as an order. Rather, I want every man to be even like myself, but each has his own gift from God—one like this, the other like that. I am saying to the unmarried men and the widows, it is good for them if they can remain like I am also; but if they are not being self-controlled, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be burning.

Now I am wanting you to be unworried. The unmarried man worries about the things of the Lord, how he can please the Lord; but the married man worries about the things of the world, how he can please his wife— and he has become divided within himself. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, also worries about the things of the Lord, so she can be holy and in the Spirit; but the married woman worries about the things of the world, how she can please her husband. I am saying this is for your own benefit, not so that I might throw a noose over you, but for the sake of respectability and undistracted devotion to the Lord. If, though, someone seems to be being indecent with his virgin, he might be very passionate and so owe for it to happen, let him do what wants, he is not sinning, let them marry. He who, however, has set his heart firmly, not having difficulty, but having authority over his own will, and having judged this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, does well. So he who marries his own virgin is doing well; and he who doesn’t marry will be doing better. A woman gives herself for however much time her husband lives; but if the husband should fall asleep, she is free to marry whom she wants—only in the Lord. She is happier, however, if she can maintain herself thus, in my opinion, but I think I also have God’s Spirit.

Chapter 8
1 Corinthians 8

Food Sacrificed to Idols

8 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.[a]

4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us,

There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.

9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer[b] for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers[c] by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

Chapter 12
Now about the spiritual matters, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that, while pagans, you were captives to the mute idols, as if you were being led. Consequently, I am informing you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Cursed be Jesus"; and no one is able to say, "Lord Jesus", except by the Holy Spirit.

Yet, there are different gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are different services, and the same Lord; and there are different workings, but the same God, who is working all things in all ways. So, to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to the one a word of wisdom is given by the Spirit, but to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, a different one faith by the same Spirit, yet another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, still another works of power, another prophecy, another discerning spirits, a different one types of tongues, yet another interpretation of tongues; but all these things work according to one and the same Spirit, distributing to each his own just as He wills.

For just as the body is one and has many parts—all the parts of the body, though being many, are one body—so too is Christ. For by one Spirit we were also baptised into one body, whether Jews whether Greeks whether slaves whether freedmen, and all have drunk one Spirit. Since, again, the body is not one part but many.

If the foot were to say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not from this body", it doesn't follow that it really is not from the body; and were the ear to say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not from this body", it doesn't follow that it really is not from the body. If the whole body were an eye, where is hearing? If the whole were hearing, where is sight? But as it is, God has set the parts, each one of them, in the body just as he willed. Now if they were all one part, where would the body be? Though there are many parts, there's but one body.

So the eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you"; or again, the head to the feet, "I don't need you". Rather, the parts of the body appearing to be weaker are much more necessary; and those which we consider to be dishonourable parts of the body, these we surround with greater honour; and our unpresentable parts have better presentation, yet our presentable parts have no such need. Rather, God co-ordinated the body, having given greater honour to the lesser parts, so that there would be no division within the body, but the parts would care the same for one another. And if it is suffering in a part, all the parts suffer together; if glorified in a part, all the parts rejoice together.

Chapter 13
If I could speak in the languages of both men and angels, but lacked love, I would have become nothing but a loud instrument. And if I could prophesy, understand all mysteries and knowledge, and have so much faith that mountains moved, but lacked love, I would be nothing. And if I donated all my possessions and gave up my body so that I would be transfigured, but lacked love, I would be useless.

Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous of others. Love is not boastful, proud, nor indecent. Love does not desire itself. It is not provoked, nor keeps count of the bad. It does not gloat over injustice, but congratulates sincerely. It overlooks all, trusts all, hopes all, sustains all. Love never ever fails.

Still, if there are prophecies, they will be completed. If there are tongues, they will stop. If there is knowledge, it will be completed. For about a part do I know, and about a part do I prophesy; but when fullness comes, the partial is completed. We were once a child, speaking as a child, thinking as a child, reasoning as a child; but now I have become a man, and have completed that childhood. For just now we see with a mirror indirectly; but then it will be face to face. Just now I know in part; but then I will understand, even as I am also understood.

So now this remains—trust, hope, love—these three things, but the greatest of these is love.

Chapter 15
1Now I am reminding you, brothers, the gospel which I declared to you, which also you received, in which also you have stood, 2through which also you are being saved—if you are holding fast to the word which we declared to you, unless you believed vainly. 3For I entrusted to you among first things what I also received: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures 4 and that he was buried and that he rose on the third day according to the Scriptures 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, 6 then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, many of whom are still alive, although some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” 8Now last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me. 9For I myself am the least of the apostles, and the one who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10Now by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which is toward me was not vain, but I toiled harder than all of them. Now it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. 11Whether then I or those [apostles] labored more, thus we are preaching and thus you believed.

12Now if Christ is proclaimed that he has risen from the dead ones, how are some among you saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13Now if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has risen; 14now if Christ is not risen, our preaching is also in vain; your faith is also in vain. 15Now we are also found to bear false witness against (misrepresenting) God, because we testified concerning God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if the dead ones are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has risen. 17Now if Christ has not risen, your faith is in vain, you are still in your sins. 18Then also the ones who fell asleep in Christ perished. 19If in Christ we have hope only in this life, we are most pitied of all people.

20But now Christ has risen from among the dead ones, as firstfruits of the ones who have fallen asleep. 21For because through a man came death, so through a man came the resurrection of the dead ones. 22For just as in Adam all men are dying, so also in Christ all men will be made alive. 23Now each in its own order: Christ the firstfruits, then the ones who belong to Christ when he comes. 24Then the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God and Father, when he annihilates every ruler and every authority and power. 25For he must reign until God puts all enemies under Christ’s feet. 26Death is the last enemy being destroyed. 27For God subjected all things under his feet. Now when it says that “all things have been subjected,” it is plain that the one who subjected all things to him is excluded. 28Now when he subjects all things to him, then the Son will also subject himself to the one who subjects all things to him, in order that God may be all in all.

29Since otherwise, why will the ones being baptized in behalf of the dead ones [do this]? If the dead ones do not rise at all, why are people even baptized in their behalf? 30Why are we also in danger for the duration of every hour? 31I am dying every day, by your boasting, brothers, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If I fought wild animals in Ephesus according to man, what gain is it to me? If the dead are not risen, “Let us eat and let us drink, for tomorrow we are going to die.” 33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34Sober up and do not sin, for some have ignorance of God. I am speaking to your shame.

35But someone will say, “How are the dead ones going to rise? And with what kind of bodies are they going to come?” 36Fool, what you are sowing is not coming alive unless it dies. 37And as for what you are sowing, you are not sowing the body which will be but a naked seed, as the case may be of wheat or of some other grain. 38Now God is giving to it a body as he chose, and to each kind of the seeds its own body. 39Not all flesh is the same flesh but one of men, and another the flesh of animals, and another the flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one kind, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star is differing from star in glory. 42So too is the resurrection of the dead ones: sown in corruption, risen in incorruption; 43sown in dishonor, risen in glory; sown in weakness, risen in strength; 44sown in a natural body, risen in a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45Thus it is also written, “The first man Adam became a living being,” the final Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46But the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. 47The first man was from earth-dust; the second man was from heaven. 48As is the man of dust, so too also are the men of dust; and as is the man of heaven, so too also are the men of heaven; 49and just as we bore the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

50Now I am saying this, brothers: that flesh and blood is not able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor is the perishable inheriting the imperishable. 51Behold! I am telling you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we all shall change, 52in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead ones will rise imperishable, and we will change. 53For it is necessary this perishable body to put on the imperishable, and this mortal body to put on the immortal. 54Now whenever this perishable body puts on the imperishable and this mortal body puts on the immortal, then the word which has been written will come to be: “Death is swallowed up into victory. 55Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?” 56Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57Now thanks be to God, who is giving victory to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.