1 Corinthians 5-11

Christian Standard Bible

Immoral Church Members

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality^(A) among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated^[a] among the Gentiles^(B)—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.^{(C) 2} And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief^(D) and remove from your congregation the one who did this? ³ Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit.^(E) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,^(F) so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.^(G)

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven^[b](H) leavens the whole batch of dough?^{(I) 7} Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb^(J) has been sacrificed.^{[c] 8} Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil,^(K) but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Church Discipline

⁹ I wrote to you in a letter not to associate^(L) with sexually immoral people.^{(M) 10} I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy^(N) and swindlers^(O) or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.^{(P) 11} But actually, I wrote^[d] you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^(Q) and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard^(R) or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. ¹² For what business is it of mine to judge^(S) outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? ¹³ God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.^[e](T)

Lawsuits among Believers

6 If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court^(U) before the unrighteous,^[f] and not before the saints? ² Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? ³ Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life? ⁴ So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing^(V) in the church? ⁵ I say this to your shame!^(W) Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers?^{(X) 6} Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers!^(Y)

⁷ As it is, to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you.^(Z) Why not rather be wronged?^(AA) Why not rather be cheated?^{(AB) 8} Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat—and you do this to brothers and sisters! ⁹ Don’t you know that the unrighteous^(AC) will not inherit God’s kingdom?^(AD) Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters,^(AE) adulterers,^(AF) or males who have sex with males,^{[g](AG) 10} no thieves,^(AH) greedy^(AI) people, drunkards, verbally abusive people,^(AJ) or swindlers^(AK) will inherit God’s kingdom. ¹¹ And some of you used to be like this.^(AL) But you were washed, you were sanctified,^(AM) you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Glorifying God in Body and Spirit

¹² “Everything is permissible^(AN) for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ “Food^(AO) is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality^(AP) but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.^{(AQ) 15} Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body?^(AR) So should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh.^{[h](AS) 17} But anyone joined^(AT) to the Lord is one spirit^(AU) with him.

¹⁸ Flee^(AV) sexual immorality! Every other sin^[i] a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral^(AW) sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple^(AX) of the Holy Spirit^(AY) who is in you,^(AZ) whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought^(BA) at a price. So glorify God with your body.^[j]

Principles of Marriage

7 Now in response to the matters you wrote^[k] about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”^{[l] 2} But because sexual immorality is so common,^[m](BB) each man should have sexual relations with his own wife,^(BC) and each woman should have sexual relations with her own husband. ³ A husband should fulfill his marital duty^(BD) to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. ⁴ A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive^(BE) one another—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to^[n] prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ I say this as a concession, not as a command. ⁷ I wish that all people were as I am. But each has his own gift^(BF) from God, one person has this gift, another has that.

A Word to the Unmarried

⁸ I say to the unmarried^[o] and to widows:^(BG) It is good for them if they remain as I am. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control,^(BH) they should marry, since it is better to marry^(BI) than to burn with desire.

About Married People

¹⁰ To the married I give this command^(BJ)—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave^[p] her husband. ¹¹ But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to divorce his wife.^{(BK) 12} But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: If any brother^(BL) has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce her husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is made holy^(BM) by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband.^[q] Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you^[r] to live in peace. ¹⁶ Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.^[s]

Various Situations of Life

¹⁷ Let each one live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called^(BN) him.^[t] This is what I command in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God’s commands is what matters. ²⁰ Let each of you remain in the situation^[u] in which he was called. ²¹ Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.^{[v] 22} For he who is called by the Lord as a slave^(BO) is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave. ²³ You were bought^(BP) at a price; do not become slaves of people. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, each person is to remain with God in the situation in which he was called.

About the Unmarried and Widows

²⁵ Now about virgins:^[w] I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy^(BQ) is faithful.^{(BR) 26} Because of the present distress, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ However, if you do get married,^(BS) you have not sinned, and if a virgin^[x] marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life,^[y] and I am trying to spare you.

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time is limited,^(BT) so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, ³⁰ those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice^(BU) as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they didn’t own anything, ³¹ and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.^(BV)

³² I want you to be without concerns. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord—how he may please^(BW) the Lord. ³³ But the married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife— ³⁴ and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord,^(BX) so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. ³⁵ I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

³⁶ If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage, and he feels he should marry—he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. ³⁷ But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will^(BY)) and has decided in his heart to keep her as his fiancée, will do well. ³⁸ So, then, he who marries his fiancée does well, but he who does not marry will do better.^[z]

³⁹ A wife is bound^[aa] as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Food Offered to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:^(BZ) We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up,^(CA) but love^(CB) builds up. ² If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.^{(CC) 3} But if anyone loves God,^(CD) he is known^(CE) by him.

⁴ About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,”^[ab] and that “there is no God but one.”^{(CF) 5} For even if there are so-called gods,^(CG) whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— ⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father.^(CH) All things are from him,^(CI) and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.^(CJ)

⁷ However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ Food will not bring us close to God.^[ac] We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.^{(CK) 9} But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block^(CL) to the weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged^[ad] to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died,^(CM) is ruined^[ae](CN) by your knowledge.^{(CO) 12} Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat,^(CP) so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.

Paul’s Example as an Apostle

9 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 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, because you are the seal^(CQ) of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ My defense to those who examine me is this: ⁴ Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?^{(CR) 5} Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife^[af] like the other apostles,^(CS) the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?^{(CT) 6} Or do only Barnabas^(CU) and I have no right to refrain from working? ⁷ Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?^(CV) Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?

⁸ Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox^(CW) while it treads out grain.^[ag](CX) Is God really concerned about oxen? ¹⁰ Isn’t he really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake,^(CY) because he who plows ought to plow in hope,^(CZ) and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop.^{(DA) 11} If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? ¹² If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right; instead, we endure everything^(DB) so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

¹³ Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar^(DC) share in the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.^(DD)

¹⁵ For my part I have used none of these rights, nor have I written these things that they may be applied in my case. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach^[ah]—and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted^(DE) with a commission. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my rights in the gospel.^(DF)

¹⁹ Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win^(DG) more people. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law^[ai]—to win those under the law.^{(DH) 21} To those who are without the law,^(DI) like one without the law—though I am not without God’s law but under the law of Christ—to win those without the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.^{(DJ) 23} Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings.

²⁴ Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race,^(DK) but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.^{(DL) 25} Now everyone who competes exercises self-control^(DM) in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown,^(DN) but we an imperishable crown. ²⁶ So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.^(DO)

Warnings from Israel’s Past

10 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors^(DP) were all under the cloud,^(DQ) all passed through the sea,^{(DR) 2} and all were baptized^(DS) into Moses^(DT) in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food,^{(DU) 4} and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock^(DV) that followed them, and that rock was Christ.^{(DW) 5} Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.^(DX)

⁶ Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire^(DY) evil things as they did.^{[aj](DZ) 7} Don’t become idolaters^(EA) as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.^{[ak][al](EB) 8} Let us not commit sexual immorality^(EC) as some of them did,^[am] and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died.^{(ED) 9} Let us not test Christ as some of them did^[an] and were destroyed by snakes.^{(EE) 10} And don’t grumble^(EF) as some of them did,^[ao](EG) and were killed by the destroyer.^{[ap](EH) 11} These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction,^(EI) on whom the ends of the ages^[aq](EJ) have come.^{(EK) 12} So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.^{(EL) 13} No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful;^(EM) he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out^(EN) so that you may be able to bear it.

Warning against Idolatry

¹⁴ So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. ¹⁶ The cup^(EO) of blessing^(EP) that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread^(EQ) that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one^(ER) body, since all of us share the one bread. ¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel.^[ar] Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?^{(ES) 19} What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but I do say that what they^[as] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons! ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. ²² Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?^(ET)

Christian Liberty

²³ “Everything is permissible,”^[at] but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,”^[au] but not everything builds up. ²⁴ No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.^(EU)

²⁵ Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, without raising questions for the sake of conscience, ²⁶ since the earth is the Lord’s,^(EV) and all that is in it.^{[av](EW) 27} If any of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it,^(EX) out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.^{[aw] 29} I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged^(EY) by another person’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thanksgiving,^(EZ) why am I criticized because of something for which I give thanks?

³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.^{(FA) 32} Give no offense^(FB) to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, ³³ just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many,^(FC) so that they may be saved.

11 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.^(FD)

Instructions about Head Coverings

² Now I praise you^[ax] because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions^(FE) just as I delivered^(FF) them to you. ³ But I want you to know that Christ is the head^(FG) of every man, and the man is the head of the woman,^[ay](FH) and God is the head of Christ.^{(FI) 4} Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors^(FJ) his head. ⁵ Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved.^{(FK) 6} For if a woman doesn’t cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her head be covered.

⁷ A man should not cover his head, because he is the image^(FL) and glory of God.^(FM) So too, woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.^{(FN) 9} Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. ¹⁰ This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. ¹² For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God.^(FO)

¹³ Judge^(FP) for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach^(FQ) you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace^(FR) to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?^(FS) For her hair is given to her^[az] as a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other^[ba] custom, nor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions^(FT) among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. ²⁰ When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.^{(FU) 21} For at the meal, each one eats his own supper.^[bb] So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! ²² Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:^(FV) On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said,^[bc] “This is my body, which is^[bd] for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”^(FW)

²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant^(FX) in my blood.^(FY) 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^(FZ) until he comes.^(GA)

Self-Examination

²⁷ So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body^[be] and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,^[bf] eats and drinks judgment^(GB) on himself. ³⁰ This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.^{(GC) 31} If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, ³² but when we are judged^(GD) by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned^(GE) with the world.

³³ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.^{[bg] 34} If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.^(GF)