1 Corinthians 1:1-7:17

New International Version

1 Paul, called to be an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) and our brother Sosthenes,^(C)

² To the church of God^(D) in Corinth,^(E) to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called^(F) to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name^(G) of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(H)

Thanksgiving

⁴ I always thank my God for you^(I) because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. ⁵ For in him you have been enriched^(J) in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge^(K)— ⁶ God thus confirming our testimony^(L) about Christ among you. ⁷ Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift^(M) as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.^{(N) 8} He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless^(O) on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(P) 9} God is faithful,^(Q) who has called you^(R) into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.^(S)

A Church Divided Over Leaders

¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a](T) in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you,^(U) but that you be perfectly united^(V) in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household^(W) have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”;^(X) another, “I follow Apollos”;^(Y) another, “I follow Cephas^[b]”;^(Z) still another, “I follow Christ.”

¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?^{(AA) 14} I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus^(AB) and Gaius,^{(AC) 15} so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (Yes, I also baptized the household^(AD) of Stephanas;^(AE) beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize,^(AF) but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom^(AG) and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness^(AH) to those who are perishing,^(AI) but to us who are being saved^(AJ) it is the power of God.^{(AK) 19} For it is written:

²⁰ Where is the wise person?^(AM) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?^(AN) Has not God made foolish^(AO) the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world^(AP) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save^(AQ) those who believe.^{(AR) 22} Jews demand signs^(AS) and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified:^(AT) a stumbling block^(AU) to Jews and foolishness^(AV) to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called,^(AW) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God^(AX) and the wisdom of God.^{(AY) 25} For the foolishness^(AZ) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(BA) of God is stronger than human strength.

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.^(BB) Not many of you were wise^(BC) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose^(BD) the foolish^(BE) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(BF)—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.^{(BG) 30} It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,^(BH) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,^(BI) holiness^(BJ) and redemption.^{(BK) 31} Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[d](BL)

2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom^(BM) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.^{[e] 2} For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.^{(BN) 3} I came to you^(BO) in weakness^(BP) with great fear and trembling.^{(BQ) 4} My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,^(BR) but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,^{(BS) 5} so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.^(BT)

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,^(BU) but not the wisdom of this age^(BV) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.^{(BW) 7} No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery^(BX) that has been hidden^(BY) and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age^(BZ) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^{(CA) 9} However, as it is written:

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed^(CC) to us by his Spirit.^(CD)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts^(CE) except their own spirit^(CF) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit^(CG) of the world,^(CH) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom^(CI) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^{[g] 14} The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God^(CJ) but considers them foolishness,^(CK) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit^(CL) makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for,

But we have the mind of Christ.^(CN)

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(CO) but as people who are still worldly^(CP)—mere infants^(CQ) in Christ. ² I gave you milk, not solid food,^(CR) for you were not yet ready for it.^(CS) Indeed, you are still not ready. ³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(CT) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”^(CU) are you not mere human beings?

⁵ What, after all, is Apollos?^(CV) And what is Paul? Only servants,^(CW) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed,^(CX) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^{(CY) 9} For we are co-workers in God’s service;^(CZ) you are God’s field,^(DA) God’s building.^(DB)

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me,^(DC) I laid a foundation^(DD) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^{(DE) 12} If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is,^(DF) because the Day^(DG) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.^{(DH) 14} If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.^{(DI) 15} If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.^(DJ)

¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple^(DK) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?^{(DL) 17} If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise^(DM) by the standards of this age,^(DN) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(DO) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[i];^{(DP) 20} and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”^{[j](DQ) 21} So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(DR) All things are yours,^{(DS) 22} whether Paul or Apollos^(DT) or Cephas^[k](DU) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(DV)—all are yours, ²³ and you are of Christ,^(DW) and Christ is of God.

The Nature of True Apostleship

4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants^(DX) of Christ and as those entrusted^(DY) with the mysteries^(DZ) God has revealed. ² Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³ I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ My conscience^(EA) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.^(EB) It is the Lord who judges me.^{(EC) 5} Therefore judge nothing^(ED) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.^(EE) He will bring to light^(EF) what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.^(EG)

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”^(EH) Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.^{(EI) 7} For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?^(EJ) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

⁸ Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!^(EK) You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! ⁹ For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die^(EL) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle^(EM) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ,^(EN) but you are so wise in Christ!^(EO) We are weak, but you are strong!^(EP) You are honored, we are dishonored! ¹¹ To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.^{(EQ) 12} We work hard with our own hands.^(ER) When we are cursed, we bless;^(ES) when we are persecuted,^(ET) we endure it; ¹³ when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage^(EU) of the world—right up to this moment.

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you^(EV) but to warn you as my dear children.^{(EW) 15} Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father^(EX) through the gospel.^{(EY) 16} Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^{(EZ) 17} For this reason I have sent to you^(FA) Timothy,^(FB) my son^(FC) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.^(FD)

¹⁸ Some of you have become arrogant,^(FE) as if I were not coming to you.^{(FF) 19} But I will come to you very soon,^(FG) if the Lord is willing,^(FH) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of^(FI) talk but of power.^{(FJ) 21} What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,^(FK) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

Dealing With a Case of Incest

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.^{(FL) 2} And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning^(FM) and have put out of your fellowship^(FN) the man who has been doing this? ³ For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit.^(FO) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus^(FP) on the one who has been doing this. ⁴ So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, ⁵ hand this man over^(FQ) to Satan^(FR) for the destruction of the flesh,^[l][m] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.^(FS)

⁶ Your boasting is not good.^(FT) Don’t you know that a little yeast^(FU) leavens the whole batch of dough?^{(FV) 7} Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.^{(FW) 8} Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread^(FX) of sincerity and truth.

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate^(FY) with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the people of this world^(FZ) who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^[n](GA) but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater^(GB) or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.^(GC)

¹² What business is it of mine to judge those outside^(GD) the church? Are you not to judge those inside?^{(GE) 13} God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”^[o](GF)

Lawsuits Among Believers

6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?^{(GG) 2} Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?^(GH) And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! ⁴ Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? ⁵ I say this to shame you.^(GI) Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?^{(GJ) 6} But instead, one brother^(GK) takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!^(GL)

⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?^{(GM) 8} Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.^{(GN) 9} Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?^(GO) Do not be deceived:^(GP) Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers^(GQ) nor men who have sex with men^{[p](GR) 10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers^(GS) will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were.^(GT) But you were washed,^(GU) you were sanctified,^(GV) you were justified^(GW) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sexual Immorality

¹² “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.^(GX) “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.”^(GY) The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord,^(GZ) and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ By his power God raised the Lord from the dead,^(HA) and he will raise us also.^{(HB) 15} Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?^(HC) Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! ¹⁶ Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”^{[q](HD) 17} But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.^[r](HE)

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality.^(HF) All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.^{(HG) 19} Do you not know that your bodies are temples^(HH) of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;^{(HI) 20} you were bought at a price.^(HJ) Therefore honor God with your bodies.^(HK)

Concerning Married Life

7 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”^{(HL) 2} But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. ³ The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,^(HM) and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. ⁵ Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time,^(HN) so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan^(HO) will not tempt you^(HP) because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ I say this as a concession, not as a command.^{(HQ) 7} I wish that all of you were as I am.^(HR) But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.^(HS)

⁸ Now to the unmarried^[s] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.^{(HT) 9} But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,^(HU) for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

¹⁰ To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.^{(HV) 11} But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.^(HW) And a husband must not divorce his wife.

¹² To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord):^(HX) If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.^(HY)

¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.^{(HZ) 16} How do you know, wife, whether you will save^(IA) your husband?^(IB) Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status

¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.^(IC) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.^(ID)