1Corinthiens (NAB) 1







FIRST LETTER TO CORINTHIANS


Salutation

1 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,5 that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge,6 as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.8 He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus (Christ).9 God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.


Divisions in the Church

10 I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by Chloe's people, that there are rivalries among you.12 I mean that each of you is saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Kephas," or "I belong to Christ."
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Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
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I give thanks (to God) that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,15 so that no one can say you were baptized in my name.16 (I baptized the household of Stephanas also; beyond that I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
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For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the 31 cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.


Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

18 The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside."20 Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?21 For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,24 but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.26 Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,28 and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something,29 so that no human being might boast before God. 30 It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,31 so that, as it is written, "Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."


Proclaiming Christ Crucified

2 1 When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.3 I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, 4 and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.


The True Wisdom of God

6 Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. 7 Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, 8 and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,"10 this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.11 Among human beings, who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God.12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.13 And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. 14 Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. 15 The spiritual person, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. 16 For "who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?" But we have the mind of Christ.


On Divisions in the Corinthian Church

3 1 Brothers, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now,3 for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving in an ordinary human way? 4 Whenever someone says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely human?
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What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth.7 Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth.8 The one who plants and the one who waters are equal, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor.9 For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building.10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
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for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.12 If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,13 the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work. 14 If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage.15 But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.
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Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
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Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool so as to become wise.19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: "He catches the wise in their own ruses,"20 and again: "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."
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So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you, 22 Paul or Apollos or Kephas, or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all belong to you,23 and you to Christ, and Christ to God.


The Ministry of the Apostles

4 1 Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.2 Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.3 It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself;4 I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord.5 Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.6 I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written, so that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over against another.
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Who confers distinction upon you? What do you possess that you have not received? But if you have received it, why are you boasting as if you did not receive it?8 You are already satisfied; you have already grown rich; you have become kings without us! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we also might become kings with you. 9 For as I see it, God has exhibited us apostles as the last of all, like people sentenced to death, since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and human beings alike. 10 We are fools on Christ's account, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in disrepute.11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless12 and we toil, working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;13 when slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the world's rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment.


Fatherly Admonition

14 I am writing you this not to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.16 Therefore, I urge you, be imitators of me.
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For this reason I am sending you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord; he will remind you of my ways in Christ (Jesus), just as I teach them everywhere in every church.18 Some have become inflated with pride, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I shall ascertain not the talk of these inflated people but their power.20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.21 Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a gentle spirit?


Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church

5 1 It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans-- a man living with his father's wife. 2 And you are inflated with pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful? The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst. 3 I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as if present, pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed,4 in the name of (our) Lord Jesus: when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus,5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not appropriate. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
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Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.


Sexual Immorality Must Be Judged

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people, 10 not at all referring to the immoral of this world or the greedy and robbers or idolaters; for you would then have to leave the world.11 But I now write to you not to associate with anyone named a brother, if he is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a robber, not even to eat with such a person.12 For why should I be judging outsiders? Is it not your business to judge those within?13 God will judge those outside. "Purge the evil person from your midst."


Lawsuits among Believers

6 1 How can any one of you with a case against another dare to bring it to the unjust for judgment instead of to the holy ones? 2 Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you unqualified for the lowest law courts?3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? Then why not everyday matters?4 If, therefore, you have courts for everyday matters, do you seat as judges people of no standing in the church?5 I say this to shame you. Can it be that there is not one among you wise enough to be able to settle a case between brothers?6 But rather brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers?7 Now indeed (then) it is, in any case, a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?8 Instead, you inflict injustice and cheat, and this to brothers.
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Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.11 That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.


Glorify God in Body and Spirit

12 "Everything is lawful for me," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is lawful for me," but I will not let myself be dominated by anything. 13 "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food," but God will do away with both the one and the other. The body, however, is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body;14 God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take Christ's members and make them the members of a prostitute? Of course not! 16 (Or) do you not know that anyone who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For "the two," it says, "will become one flesh."17 But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.18 Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.


Directions concerning Marriage

7 1 Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: "It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman," 2 but because of cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband.3 The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband.4 A wife does not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but rather his wife.5 Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control.6 This I say by way of concession, however, not as a command. 7 Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. 8 Now to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do, 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire.
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To the married, however, I give this instruction (not I, but the Lord): a wife should not separate from her husband 11 -- and if she does separate she must either remain single or become reconciled to her husband-- and a husband should not divorce his wife.12 To the rest I say (not the Lord): if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to go on living with him, he should not divorce her; 13 and if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to go on living with her, she should not divorce her husband.14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, whereas in fact they are holy.15 If the unbeliever separates, however, let him separate. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases; God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband; or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?


The Life That the Lord Has Assigned

17 Only, everyone should live as the Lord has assigned, just as God called each one. I give this order in all the churches. 18 Was someone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision. Was an uncircumcised person called? He should not be circumcised.19 Circumcision means nothing, and uncircumcision means nothing; what matters is keeping God's commandments.20 Everyone should remain in the state in which he was called.21 Were you a slave when you were called? Do not be concerned but, even if you can gain your freedom, make the most of it.22 For the slave called in the Lord is a freed person in the Lord, just as the free person who has been called is a slave of Christ.23 You have been purchased at a price. Do not become slaves to human beings.24 Brothers, everyone should continue before God in the state in which he was called.


The Unmarried and the Widows

25 Now in regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26 So this is what I think best because of the present distress: that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation. Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife.28 If you marry, however, you do not sin, nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries; but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life, and I would like to spare you that.29 I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, 30 those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning,31 those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.32 I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord.33 But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,34 and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.35 I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.
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If anyone thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, and if a critical moment has come and so it has to be, let him do as he wishes. He is committing no sin; let them get married. 37 The one who stands firm in his resolve, however, who is not under compulsion but has power over his own will, and has made up his mind to keep his virgin, will be doing well.38 So then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better.
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A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whomever she wishes, provided that it be in the Lord. 40 She is more blessed, though, in my opinion, if she remains as she is, and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.


Food Offered to Idols

8 1 Now in regard to meat sacrificed to idols: we realize that "all of us have knowledge"; knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. 2 If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.3 But if one loves God, one is known by him.
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So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols: we know that "there is no idol in the world," and that "there is no God but one."5 Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth (there are, to be sure, many "gods" and many "lords"),6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and through whom we exist.
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But not all have this knowledge. There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.8 Now food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better off if we do. 9 But make sure that this liberty of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak.10 If someone sees you, with your knowledge, reclining at table in the temple of an idol, may not his conscience too, weak as it is, be "built up" to eat the meat sacrificed to idols?11 Thus through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died.12 When you sin in this way against your brothers and wound their consciences, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ.13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin.


The Rights of an Apostle

9 1 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 Although I may not be an apostle for others, certainly I am for you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
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My defense against those who would pass judgment on me is this. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a Christian wife, as do the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Kephas?6 Or is it only myself and Barnabas who do not have the right not to work?7 Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its produce? Or who shepherds a flock without using some of the milk from the flock?8 Am I saying this on human authority, or does not the law also speak of these things?9 It is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is God concerned about oxen,10 or is he not really speaking for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher in hope of receiving a share.11 If we have sown spiritual seed for you, is it a great thing that we reap a material harvest from you?12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more? Yet we have not used this right. On the contrary, we endure everything so as not to place an obstacle to the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who perform the temple services eat (what) belongs to the temple, and those who minister at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.
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I have not used any of these rights, however, nor do I write this that it be done so in my case. I would rather die. Certainly no one is going to nullify my boast. 16 If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!17 If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.18 What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
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Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became like one under the law-- though I myself am not under the law-- to win over those under the law.21 To those outside the law I became like one outside the law-- though I am not outside God's law but within the law of Christ-- to win over those outside the law.22 To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some.23 All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.
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Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. 25 Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.26 Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing.27 No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.


Warnings from Israel's History

10 1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2 and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.3 All ate the same spiritual food,4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert.
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These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. 7 And do not become idolaters, as some of them did, as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel."8 Let us not indulge in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell within a single day.9 Let us not test Christ as some of them did, and suffered death by serpents. 10 Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer.11 These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall. 13 No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.14 Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry.
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I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying.16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.18 Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?19 So what am I saying? That meat sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is anything?20 No, I mean that what they sacrifice, (they sacrifice) to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger? Are we stronger than he?


Do All to the Glory of God

23 "Everything is lawful," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is lawful," but not everything builds up. 24 No one should seek his own advantage, but that of his neighbor.25 Eat anything sold in the market, without raising questions on grounds of conscience, 26 for "the earth and its fullness are the Lord's."27 If an unbeliever invites you and you want to go, eat whatever is placed before you, without raising questions on grounds of conscience.28 But if someone says to you, "This was offered in sacrifice," do not eat it on account of the one who called attention to it and on account of conscience;29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other's. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else's conscience?30 If I partake thankfully, why am I reviled for that over which I give thanks?
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So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.32 Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved.


11 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.


Head Coverings

2 I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you. 3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and a husband the head of his wife, and God the head of Christ. 4 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame upon his head. 5 But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved.6 For if a woman does not have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil.7 A man, on the other hand, should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;9 nor was man created for woman, but woman for man;10 for this reason a woman should have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Woman is not independent of man or man of woman in the Lord. 12 For just as woman came from man, so man is born of woman; but all things are from God.13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears his hair long it is a disgrace to him,15 whereas if a woman has long hair it is her glory, because long hair has been given (her) for a covering?16 But if anyone is inclined to be argumentative, we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God.


Abuses at the Lord's Supper

17 In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact that your meetings are doing more harm than good. 18 First of all, I hear that when you meet as a church there are divisions among you, and to a degree I believe it;19 there have to be factions among you in order that (also) those who are approved among you may become known. 20 When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord's supper,21 for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.22 Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I do not praise you.


The Institution of the Lord's Supper

23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. 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 death of the Lord until he comes.


Partaking of the Supper Unworthily

27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying.31 If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment;32 but since we are judged by (the) Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that your meetings may not result in judgment. The other matters I shall set in order when I come.



1Corinthiens (NAB) 1