Take Care with Your Liberty

8 Now concerning ^(A)food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have ^(B)knowledge. Knowledge ^[a](C)makes one conceited, but love ^(D)edifies people. ^2 (E)If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet ^(F)known as he ought to know; ³ but if anyone loves God, he ^(G)is known by Him.

⁴ Therefore, concerning the eating of ^(H)food sacrificed to idols, we know that an ^(I)idol is ^[b]nothing at all in the world, and that ^(J)there is no God but one. ⁵ For even if ^(K)there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, ⁶ yet for us ^(L)there is only one God, ^(M)the Father, ^(N)from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and ^(O)one Lord, Jesus Christ, ^(P)by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

⁷ However, not all people ^(Q)have this knowledge; but ^(R)some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ Now ^(S)food will not bring us ^[c]close to God; we are neither ^[d]the worse if we do not eat, nor ^[e]the better if we do eat. ⁹ But ^(T)take care that this ^[f]freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the ^(U)weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees you, the one who has ^(V)knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, if he is weak, not be strengthened to eat ^(W)things sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ For through ^(X)your knowledge the one who is weak ^(Y)is ruined, the brother or sister for whose sake Christ died. ^12 (Z)And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin ^(AA)against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, ^(AB)if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.

Paul’s Use of Freedom

9 Am I not ^(AC)free? Am I not an ^(AD)apostle? Have I not ^(AE)seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not ^(AF)my work in the Lord? ² If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the ^(AG)seal of my ^(AH)apostleship in the Lord.

³ My defense to those who examine me is this: ^4 [g](AI)Do we not have a right to eat and drink? ^5 [h](AJ)Do we not have a right to take along a ^[i]believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the ^(AK)brothers of the Lord, and ^[j](AL)Cephas? ⁶ Or do only ^[k](AM)Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from ^[l]working? ⁷ Who at any time serves ^(AN)as a soldier at his own expense? Who ^(AO)plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not ^[m]consume some of the milk of the flock?

⁸ I am not just asserting these things ^(AP)according to human judgment, am I? Or does the Law not say these things as well? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “^(AQ)You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.” God is not concerned about ^(AR)oxen, is He? ¹⁰ Or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written ^(AS)for our sake, because ^(AT)the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing in the crops. ^11 (AU)If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? ¹² If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we ^(AV)did not use this right, but we endure all things ^(AW)so that we will cause no hindrance to the ^(AX)gospel of Christ. ^13 (AY)Do you not know that those who ^(AZ)perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share ^[n]from the altar? ¹⁴ So also ^(BA)the Lord directed those who proclaim the ^(BB)gospel to ^(BC)get their living from the gospel.

¹⁵ But I have ^(BD)used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make ^(BE)my boast an empty one! ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for ^(BF)I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach ^(BG)the gospel. ¹⁷ For if I do this voluntarily, I have a ^(BH)reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a ^(BI)commission nonetheless. ¹⁸ What, then, is my ^(BJ)reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel ^(BK)without charge, so as ^(BL)not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

¹⁹ For though I am ^(BM)free from all people, I have made myself ^(BN)a slave to all, so that I may ^(BO)gain more. ^20 (BP)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though ^(BQ)not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law; ²¹ to those who are ^(BR)without the Law, I became ^(BS)as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but ^(BT)under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law. ²² To the ^(BU)weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become ^(BV)all things to all people, ^(BW)so that I may by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

^24 (BX)Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives ^(BY)the prize? ^(BZ)Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who ^(CA)competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable ^(CB)wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I ^(CC)run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as ^[o]to avoid ^(CD)hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline ^(CE)my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Avoid Israel’s Mistakes

10 For ^(CF)I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all ^(CG)under the cloud and they all ^(CH)passed through the sea; ² and they all were ^(CI)baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ and they all ^(CJ)ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all ^(CK)drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was ^[p]Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for their dead bodies were ^(CL)spread out in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things happened as ^(CM)examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as ^(CN)they indeed craved them. ⁷ Do not be ^(CO)idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “^(CP)The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to ^(CQ)play.” ⁸ Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as ^(CR)some of them ^[q]did, and ^(CS)twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as ^(CT)some of them ^[r]did, and were killed by the snakes. ¹⁰ Nor ^(CU)grumble, as some of them ^[s]did, and ^(CV)were killed by the ^(CW)destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an ^(CX)example, and ^(CY)they were written for our instruction, upon whom ^(CZ)the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let the one who ^(DA)thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and ^(DB)God is faithful, ^[t]so He will not allow you to be ^(DC)tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

¹⁴ Therefore, my ^(DD)beloved, flee from ^(DE)idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. ¹⁶ Is the ^(DF)cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the ^(DG)bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Since there is one loaf, we ^(DH)who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. ¹⁸ Look at ^[u]the people of ^(DI)Israel; are those who ^(DJ)eat the sacrifices not partners in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I mean then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or ^(DK)that an idol is ^[v]anything? ²⁰ No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they ^(DL)sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. ^21 (DM)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and ^(DN)the table of demons. ²² Or do we ^(DO)provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not ^(DP)stronger than He, are we?

^23 (DQ)All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things ^[w](DR)build people up. ²⁴ No one is to ^(DS)seek his own advantage, but rather that of his ^[x]neighbor. ^25 (DT)Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions, for the sake of conscience; ^26 (DU)for the earth is the Lord’s, and ^[y]all it contains. ²⁷ If ^(DV)one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, ^(DW)eat anything that is set before you without asking questions, for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But ^(DX)if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and for the sake of conscience; ²⁹ Now by “conscience” I do not mean your own, but the other person’s; for ^(DY)why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, ^(DZ)why am I slandered about that for which I ^(EA)give thanks?

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or ^(EB)whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. ^32 (EC)Do not offend Jews or Greeks, or ^(ED)the church of God; ³³ just as I also ^(EE)please everyone in all things, ^(EF)not seeking my own benefit but the benefit of the many, ^(EG)so that they may be saved.

Christian Order

11 ^(EH)Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

² Now ^(EI)I praise you because you ^(EJ)remember me in everything and ^(EK)hold firmly to the traditions, just as I handed them down to you. ³ But I want you to understand that Christ is the ^(EL)head of every man, and ^[z](EM)the man is the head of a woman, and God is the ^(EN)head of Christ. ⁴ Every man who has something on his head while praying or ^(EO)prophesying disgraces his head. ⁵ But every ^(EP)woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman ^[aa]whose head is ^(EQ)shaved. ⁶ For if a woman does not cover ^[ab]her head, have her also ^[ac]cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to ^[ad]have her hair cut off or ^[ae]her head shaved, have her cover ^[af]her head. ⁷ For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the ^(ER)image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For ^(ES)man ^[ag]does not originate from woman, but woman from man; ⁹ for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but ^(ET)woman for the man’s sake. ¹⁰ Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ However, in the Lord, neither is woman ^[ah]independent of man, nor is man ^[ai]independent of woman. ¹² For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and ^(EU)all things originate ^(EV)from God. ^13 (EW)Judge ^[aj]for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, ^(EX)we have no ^[ak]such practice, nor have ^(EY)the churches of God.

¹⁷ Now in giving this next instruction ^(EZ)I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁸ For, in the first place, when you come together ^[al]as a church, I hear that ^[am](FA)divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ For there also ^(FB)have to be factions among you, ^(FC)so that those who are approved may become ^[an]evident among you. ²⁰ Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, ²¹ for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while ^(FD)another gets drunk. ²² What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the ^(FE)church of God and ^(FF)shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall ^(FG)I praise you? In this I do not praise you.

The Lord’s Supper

²³ For ^(FH)I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that ^(FI)the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread; ²⁴ and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁵ In the same way He also took ^(FJ)the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the ^(FK)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 Lord’s death ^(FL)until He comes.

²⁷ Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be ^(FM)guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But a person must ^(FN)examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the ^[ao]body. ³⁰ For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number ^[ap](FO)are asleep. ³¹ But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. ³² But when we are judged, we are ^(FP)disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with ^(FQ)the world.

³³ So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is ^(FR)hungry, have him eat ^(FS)at home, so that you do not come together for judgment. As to the remaining matters, I will ^(FT)give instructions ^(FU)when I come.

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning ^(FV)spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, ^(FW)I do not want you to be unaware. ^2 (FX)You know that when you were ^[aq]pagans, you were ^(FY)led ^[ar]astray to the ^(FZ)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking ^[as](GA)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is ^[at](GB)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is ^(GC)Lord,” except ^[au](GD)by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are ^(GE)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(GF)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(GG)for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of ^(GH)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of ^(GI)knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another ^(GJ)faith ^[av]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(GK)gifts of ^[aw]healing ^[ax]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[ay]effecting of ^[az](GL)miracles, and to another ^(GM)prophecy, and to another the ^[ba](GN)distinguishing of spirits, to another various ^(GO)kinds of tongues, and to another the ^(GP)interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(GQ)distributing to each one individually just as He ^[bb]wills.

¹² For just ^(GR)as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(GS)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[bc](GT)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(GU)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(GV)drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For ^(GW)the body is not one part, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[bd]any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[be]any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(GX)arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, ^(GY)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(GZ)there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[bf]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those parts of the body which we ^[bg]consider less honorable, ^[bh]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[bi]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is ^[bj]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(HA)Christ’s body, and ^(HB)individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[bk](HC)appointed in ^(HD)the church, first ^(HE)apostles, second ^(HF)prophets, third ^(HG)teachers, then ^[bl](HH)miracles, then ^(HI)gifts of healings, helps, ^(HJ)administrations, and various ^(HK)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[bm]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(HL)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(HM)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.

The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the ^(HN)tongues of mankind and of ^(HO)angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a ^(HP)clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of ^(HQ)prophecy and know all ^(HR)mysteries and all ^(HS)knowledge, and if I have ^(HT)all faith so as to ^(HU)remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I ^(HV)give away all my possessions to charity, and if I ^(HW)surrender my body so that I may ^[bn]glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

⁴ Love ^(HX)is patient, love is kind, it ^(HY)is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not ^(HZ)arrogant. ⁵ It does not act disgracefully, it ^(IA)does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, ^(IB)does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, ^6 (IC)it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but ^(ID)rejoices with the truth; ⁷ it ^[bo](IE)keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of ^[bp](IF)prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are ^(IG)tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. ⁹ For we ^(IH)know in part and prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I ^[bq]became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now we ^(II)see in a mirror ^[br]dimly, but then ^(IJ)face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also ^(IK)have been fully known. ¹³ But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the ^[bs]greatest of these is ^(IL)love.

Prophecy a Superior Gift

14 ^(IM)Pursue love, yet earnestly ^(IN)desire ^(IO)spiritual gifts, but especially that you may ^(IP)prophesy. ² For the one who ^(IQ)speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no one ^[bt]understands, but ^[bu]in his spirit he speaks ^(IR)mysteries. ³ But the one who prophesies speaks to people for ^(IS)edification, ^[bv](IT)exhortation, and consolation. ⁴ The one who ^(IU)speaks in a tongue ^(IV)edifies himself; but the one who ^(IW)prophesies ^(IX)edifies the church. ⁵ Now I wish that you all ^(IY)spoke in tongues, but ^(IZ)rather that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than the one who ^(JA)speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive ^(JB)edification.

⁶ But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^(JC)revelation, or of ^(JD)knowledge, or of ^(JE)prophecy, or of ^(JF)teaching? ⁷ Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸ For if ^(JG)the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be ^(JH)talking to the air. ¹⁰ There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of ^[bw]languages in the world, and none is incapable of meaning. ¹¹ So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be ^(JI)unintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible ^[bx]to me. ¹² So you too, since you are eager to possess ^[by]spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the ^(JJ)edification of the church.

¹³ Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue is to pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. ^15 (JK)What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will ^(JL)sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶ For otherwise, if you bless God ^[bz]in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the ^[ca]outsider know to say ^(JM)the “Amen” at your ^(JN)giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^(JO)edified. ¹⁸ I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹ nevertheless, in church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Instruction for the Church

^20 (JP)Brothers and sisters, ^(JQ)do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil ^(JR)be infants, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹ In ^(JS)the ^[cb]Law it is written: “^(JT)By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. ²² So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but ^(JU)prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe. ²³ Therefore if the whole church gathers together and all the people speak in tongues, and ^[cc]outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that ^(JV)you are insane? ²⁴ But if all ^(JW)prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ^[cd]outsider enters, he is ^(JX)convicted by all, he is called to account by all; ^25 (JY)the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will ^(JZ)fall on his face and worship God, ^(KA)declaring that God is certainly among you.

^26 (KB)What is the outcome then, ^(KC)brothers and sisters? When you assemble, ^(KD)each one has a ^(KE)psalm, has a ^(KF)teaching, has a ^(KG)revelation, has a ^(KH)tongue, has an ^(KI)interpretation. ^(KJ)All things are to be done for edification. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a ^(KK)tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to ^(KL)interpret; ²⁸ but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Have two or three ^(KM)prophets speak, and have the others ^(KN)pass judgment. ³⁰ But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be ^[ce]exhorted; ³² and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; ³³ for God is not a God of ^(KO)confusion, but of peace.

As in ^(KP)all the churches of the ^[cf](KQ)saints, ³⁴ the women are to ^(KR)keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but ^(KS)are to subject themselves, just as ^(KT)the Law also says. ³⁵ If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is ^[cg]improper for a woman to speak in church. ³⁶ Or was it from you that the word of God first went out? Or has it come to you only?

^37 (KU)If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or ^(KV)spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you ^(KW)are the Lord’s commandment. ³⁸ But if anyone does not recognize this, ^[ch]he is not recognized.

³⁹ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, ^(KX)earnestly desire to ^(KY)prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But ^(KZ)all things must be done properly and in an orderly way.