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.^{(A) 2} And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning^(B) and have put out of your fellowship^(C) the man who has been doing this? ³ For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit.^(D) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus^(E) 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^(F) to Satan^(G) for the destruction of the flesh,^[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.^(H)

⁶ Your boasting is not good.^(I) Don’t you know that a little yeast^(J) leavens the whole batch of dough?^{(K) 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.^{(L) 8} Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread^(M) of sincerity and truth.

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate^(N) with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the people of this world^(O) 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^[c](P) but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater^(Q) or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.^(R)

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

Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:^(A) We know that “We all possess knowledge.”^(B) But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. ² Those who think they know something^(C) do not yet know as they ought to know.^{(D) 3} But whoever loves God is known by God.^[a](E)

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:^(F) We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”^(G) and that “There is no God but one.”^{(H) 5} For even if there are so-called gods,^(I) whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), ⁶ yet for us there is but one God,^(J) the Father,^(K) from whom all things came^(L) and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord,^(M) Jesus Christ, through whom all things came^(N) and through whom we live.

⁷ But not everyone possesses this knowledge.^(O) Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak,^(P) it is defiled. ⁸ But food does not bring us near to God;^(Q) we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block^(R) to the weak.^{(S) 10} For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?^{(T) 11} So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed^(U) by your knowledge. ¹² When you sin against them^(V) in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.^{(W) 13} Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.^(X)

11 ¹ Follow my example,^(A) as I follow the example of Christ.^(B)

On Covering the Head in Worship

² I praise you^(C) for remembering me in everything^(D) and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.^{(E) 3} But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ,^(F) and the head of the woman is man,^[a](G) and the head of Christ is God.^{(H) 4} Every man who prays or prophesies^(I) with his head covered dishonors his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies^(J) with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.^{(K) 6} For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

⁷ A man ought not to cover his head,^[b] since he is the image^(L) and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;^{(M) 9} neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.^{(N) 10} It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own^[c] head, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹² For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.^(O)

¹³ Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.^(P)

Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper^(Q)

¹⁷ In the following directives I have no praise for you,^(R) for your meetings do more harm than good. ¹⁸ In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions^(S) among you, and to some extent I believe it. ¹⁹ No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.^{(T) 20} So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, ²¹ for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.^(U) As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. ²² Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God^(V) by humiliating those who have nothing?^(W) What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?^(X) Certainly not in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord^(Y) what I also passed on to you:^(Z) The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body,^(AA) which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant^(AB) in my blood;^(AC) do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.^(AD)

²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.^{(AE) 28} Everyone ought to examine themselves^(AF) before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.^{(AG) 31} But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.^{(AH) 32} Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined^(AI) so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.^(AJ)

³³ So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. ³⁴ Anyone who is hungry^(AK) should eat something at home,^(AL) so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

And when I come^(AM) I will give further directions.