Sister Phoebe Commended

16 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in ^(A)Cenchrea, ^2 (B)that you may receive her in the Lord ^(C)in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

Greeting Roman Saints

³ Greet ^(D)Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵ Likewise greet ^(E)the church that is in their house.

Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is ^(F)the firstfruits of ^[a]Achaia to Christ. ⁶ Greet Mary, who labored much for us. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the ^(G)apostles, who also ^(H)were in Christ before me.

⁸ Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. ¹⁰ Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. ¹¹ Greet Herodion, my ^[b]countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

¹² Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. ¹³ Greet Rufus, ^(I)chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. ¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

^16 (J)Greet one another with a holy kiss. ^[c]The churches of Christ greet you.

Avoid Divisive Persons

¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, note those ^(K)who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and ^(L)avoid them. ¹⁸ For those who are such do not serve our Lord ^[d]Jesus Christ, but ^(M)their own belly, and ^(N)by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. ¹⁹ For ^(O)your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be ^(P)wise in what is good, and ^[e]simple concerning evil. ²⁰ And ^(Q)the God of peace ^(R)will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

^(S)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Greetings from Paul’s Friends

^21 (T)Timothy, my fellow worker, and ^(U)Lucius, ^(V)Jason, and ^(W)Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.

²² I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.

^23 (X)Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. ^(Y)Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. ^24 (Z)The^[f] grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Benediction

^25 [g]Now ^(AA)to Him who is able to establish you ^(AB)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, ^(AC)according to the revelation of the mystery ^(AD)kept secret since the world began ²⁶ but ^(AE)now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for ^(AF)obedience to the faith— ²⁷ to ^(AG)God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

Greeting

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

² To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who ^(D)are ^[a]sanctified in Christ Jesus, ^(E)called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ ^(F)our Lord, ^(G)both theirs and ours:

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

Spiritual Gifts at Corinth

^4 (I)I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, ⁵ that you were enriched in everything by Him ^(J)in all ^[b]utterance and all knowledge, ⁶ even as ^(K)the testimony of Christ was confirmed ^[c]in you, ⁷ so that you come short in no gift, eagerly ^(L)waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^8 (M)who will also confirm you to the end, ^(N)that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^9 (O)God is faithful, by whom you were called into ^(P)the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sectarianism Is Sin

¹⁰ Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(Q)that you all ^[d]speak the same thing, and that there be no ^[e]divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are ^[f]contentions among you. ¹² Now I say this, that ^(R)each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of ^(S)Apollos,” or “I am of ^(T)Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” ^13 (U)Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized ^(V)none of you except ^(W)Crispus and ^(X)Gaius, ¹⁵ lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. ¹⁶ Yes, I also baptized the household of ^(Y)Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, ^(Z)not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God^(AA)

¹⁸ For the ^[g]message of the cross is ^(AB)foolishness to ^(AC)those who are perishing, but to us ^(AD)who are being saved it is the ^(AE)power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

^20 (AG)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the ^[h]disputer of this age? ^(AH)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the ^(AI)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For ^(AJ)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, ^(AK)to the Jews a ^[i]stumbling block and to the ^[j]Greeks ^(AL)foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(AM)the power of God and ^(AN)the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Glory Only in the Lord

²⁶ For ^[k]you see your calling, brethren, ^(AO)that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many ^[l]noble, are called. ²⁷ But ^(AP)God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the ^[m]base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and ^(AQ)righteousness and sanctification and redemption— ³¹ that, as it is written, ^(AR)“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

Christ Crucified

2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the ^[n]testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you ^(AS)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ^3 (AT)I was with you ^(AU)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching ^(AV)were not with persuasive words of ^[o]human wisdom, ^(AW)but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the ^(AX)power of God.

Spiritual Wisdom

⁶ However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ^[p]ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for ^(AY)had they known, they would not have ^(AZ)crucified the Lord of glory.

⁹ But as it is written:

¹⁰ But ^(BB)God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man except the ^(BC)spirit of the man which is in him? ^(BD)Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but ^(BE)the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the ^[q]Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ^14 (BF)But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. ¹⁶ For ^(BG)“who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” ^(BH)But we have the mind of Christ.

Sectarianism Is Carnal

3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to ^(BI)babes in Christ. ² I fed you with ^(BJ)milk and not with solid food; ^(BK)for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; ³ for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and ^[r]behaving like mere men? ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Watering, Working, Warning

⁵ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ^(BL)ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? ^6 (BM)I planted, ^(BN)Apollos watered, ^(BO)but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then ^(BP)neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one, ^(BQ)and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

⁹ For ^(BR)we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are ^(BS)God’s building. ^10 (BT)According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid ^(BU)the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than ^(BV)that which is laid, ^(BW)which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day ^(BX)will declare it, because ^(BY)it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

^16 (BZ)Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷ If anyone ^[s]defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Avoid Worldly Wisdom

^18 (CA)Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ^(CB)“He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; ²⁰ and again, ^(CC)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” ²¹ Therefore let no one boast in men. For ^(CD)all things are yours: ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. ²³ And ^(CE)you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

4 Let a man so consider us, as ^(CF)servants of Christ ^(CG)and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. ³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human ^[t]court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. ^5 (CH)Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to ^(CI)light the hidden things of darkness and ^(CJ)reveal the ^[u]counsels of the hearts. ^(CK)Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Fools for Christ’s Sake

⁶ Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be ^[v]puffed up on behalf of one against the other. ⁷ For who ^[w]makes you differ from another? And ^(CL)what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

⁸ You are already full! ^(CM)You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! ⁹ For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a ^(CN)spectacle ^[x]to the world, both to angels and to men. ¹⁰ We are ^(CO)fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! ^(CP)We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! ¹¹ To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. ^12 (CQ)And we labor, working with our own hands. ^(CR)Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; ¹³ being defamed, we ^[y]entreat. ^(CS)We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

Paul’s Paternal Care

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but ^(CT)as my beloved children I warn you. ¹⁵ For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for ^(CU)in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. ¹⁶ Therefore I urge you, ^(CV)imitate me. ¹⁷ For this reason I have sent ^(CW)Timothy to you, ^(CX)who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will ^(CY)remind you of my ways in Christ, as I ^(CZ)teach everywhere ^(DA)in every church.

^18 (DB)Now some are ^[z]puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. ^19 (DC)But I will come to you shortly, ^(DD)if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. ²⁰ For ^(DE)the kingdom of God is not in word but in ^(DF)power. ²¹ What do you want? ^(DG)Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

Immorality Defiles the Church

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even ^[aa]named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s ^(DH)wife! ^2 (DI)And you are ^[ab]puffed up, and have not rather ^(DJ)mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. ^3 (DK)For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. ⁴ In the ^(DL)name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, ^(DM)with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^5 (DN)deliver such a one to ^(DO)Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord ^[ac]Jesus.

^6 (DP)Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that ^(DQ)a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Therefore ^[ad]purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed ^(DR)Christ, our ^(DS)Passover, was sacrificed ^[ae]for us. ⁸ Therefore ^(DT)let us keep the feast, ^(DU)not with old leaven, nor ^(DV)with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Immorality Must Be Judged

⁹ I wrote to you in my epistle ^(DW)not to ^[af]keep company with sexually immoral people. ¹⁰ Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go ^(DX)out of the world. ¹¹ But now I have written to you not to keep company ^(DY)with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—^(DZ)not even to eat with such a person.

¹² For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? ¹³ But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ^(EA)“put away from yourselves the evil person.”