1 Corinthians 9:4-14:14

English Standard Version

^4 (A)Do we not have the right to eat and drink? ^5 (B)Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife,^[a] as do the other apostles and ^(C)the brothers of the Lord and ^(D)Cephas? ⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? ^7 (E)Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? ^(F)Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

⁸ Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses, ^(G)“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? ¹⁰ Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written ^(H)for our sake, because ^(I)the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. ^11 (J)If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? ¹² If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?

Nevertheless, ^(K)we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything ^(L)rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do you not know that ^(M)those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord commanded that ^(N)those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

¹⁵ But ^(O)I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone ^(P)deprive me of my ground for boasting. ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For ^(Q)necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with ^(R)a stewardship. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? That in my preaching ^(S)I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

¹⁹ For ^(T)though I am free from all, ^(U)I have made myself a servant to all, that I might ^(V)win more of them. ^20 (W)To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹ To ^(X)those outside the law I became ^(Y)as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but ^(Z)under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ^22 (AA)To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. ^(AB)I have become all things to all people, that ^(AC)by all means I might save some. ²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, ^(AD)that I may share with them in its blessings.

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives ^(AE)the prize? So ^(AF)run that you may obtain it. ²⁵ Every ^(AG)athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we ^(AH)an imperishable. ²⁶ So I do not run aimlessly; I ^(AI)do not box as one ^(AJ)beating the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and ^(AK)keep it under control,^[b] lest after preaching to others ^(AL)I myself should be ^(AM)disqualified.

Warning Against Idolatry

10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[c] that our fathers were all under ^(AN)the cloud, and all ^(AO)passed through the sea, ² and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ and ^(AP)all ate the same ^(AQ)spiritual food, ⁴ and ^(AR)all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for ^(AS)they were overthrown^[d] in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as ^(AT)they did. ^7 (AU)Do not be idolaters ^(AV)as some of them were; as it is written, ^(AW)“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” ^8 (AX)We must not indulge in sexual immorality ^(AY)as some of them did, and ^(AZ)twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. ⁹ We must not put Christ^[e] to the test, ^(BA)as some of them did and ^(BB)were destroyed by serpents, ¹⁰ nor grumble, ^(BC)as some of them did and ^(BD)were destroyed by ^(BE)the Destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an example, but ^(BF)they were written down for our instruction, ^(BG)on whom the end of the ages has come. ¹² Therefore ^(BH)let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. ^(BI)God is faithful, and ^(BJ)he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, ^(BK)flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak ^(BL)as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ^16 (BM)The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? ^(BN)The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are ^(BO)one body, for we all partake of the one bread. ¹⁸ Consider ^(BP)the people of Israel:^{[f] (BQ)}are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that ^(BR)an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice ^(BS)they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. ^21 (BT)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and ^(BU)the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and ^(BV)the table of demons. ^22 (BW)Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? ^(BX)Are we stronger than he?

Do All to the Glory of God

^23 (BY)“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. ^24 (BZ)Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. ^25 (CA)Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. ²⁶ For ^(CB)“the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” ²⁷ If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, ^(CC)eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— ²⁹ I do not mean ^(CD)your conscience, but his. For ^(CE)why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that ^(CF)for which I give thanks?

³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or ^(CG)whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ^32 (CH)Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to ^(CI)the church of God, ³³ just as ^(CJ)I try to please everyone in everything I do, ^(CK)not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

11 ^(CL)Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Head Coverings

² Now I commend you ^(CM)because you remember me in everything and ^(CN)maintain the traditions ^(CO)even as I delivered them to you. ³ But I want you to understand that ^(CP)the head of every man is Christ, ^(CQ)the head of a wife^[g] is her husband,^[h] and ^(CR)the head of Christ is God. ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, ⁵ but every wife^[i] who prays or ^(CS)prophesies ^(CT)with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same ^(CU)as if her head were shaven. ⁶ For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. ⁷ For a man ought not to cover his head, since ^(CV)he is the image and glory of God, but ^(CW)woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For ^(CX)man was not made from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Neither was man created for woman, but ^(CY)woman for man. ¹⁰ That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.^{[j] 11} Nevertheless, ^(CZ)in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; ¹² for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And ^(DA)all things are from God. ¹³ Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. ^16 (DB)If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do ^(DC)the churches of God.

The Lord's Supper

¹⁷ But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, ^(DD)I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,^{[k] 19} for ^(DE)there must be factions among you in order ^(DF)that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. ²⁰ When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. ²¹ For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, ^(DG)another gets drunk. ²² What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise ^(DH)the church of God and ^(DI)humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

²³ For ^(DJ)I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that ^(DK)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^[l] you. Do this in remembrance of me.”^{[m] 25} In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the 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 ^(DL)until he comes.

^27 (DM)Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord ^(DN)in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning ^(DO)the body and blood of the Lord. ^28 (DP)Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. ³⁰ That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some ^(DQ)have died.^{[n] 31 (DR)}But if we judged^[o] ourselves truly, we would not be judged. ³² But when we are judged by the Lord, ^(DS)we are disciplined^[p] so that we may not be ^(DT)condemned along with the world.

³³ So then, my brothers,^[q] when you come together to eat, wait for^[r] one another— ^34 (DU)if anyone is hungry, ^(DV)let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things ^(DW)I will give directions ^(DX)when I come.

Spiritual Gifts

12 Now ^(DY)concerning^[s] spiritual gifts,^[t] brothers,^[u] I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that ^(DZ)when you were pagans ^(EA)you were led astray to ^(EB)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I want you to understand that ^(EC)no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is ^(ED)accursed!” and ^(EE)no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now ^(EF)there are varieties of gifts, but ^(EG)the same Spirit; ⁵ and ^(EH)there are varieties of service, but ^(EI)the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is ^(EJ)the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ^7 (EK)To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of ^(EL)wisdom, and to another the utterance of ^(EM)knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another ^(EN)faith by the same Spirit, to another ^(EO)gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another ^(EP)the working of miracles, to another ^(EQ)prophecy, to another ^(ER)the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another ^(ES)various kinds of tongues, to another ^(ET)the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, ^(EU)who apportions to each one individually ^(EV)as he wills.

One Body with Many Members

¹² For just as ^(EW)the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, ^(EX)so it is with Christ. ¹³ For ^(EY)in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—^(EZ)Jews or Greeks, slaves^[v] or free—and ^(FA)all were made to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, ^(FB)God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, ^(FC)as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts,^[w] yet one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴ which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ²⁵ that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, ^(FD)all rejoice together.

²⁷ Now ^(FE)you are the body of Christ and individually ^(FF)members of it. ²⁸ And ^(FG)God has appointed in the church first ^(FH)apostles, second ^(FI)prophets, third teachers, then ^(FJ)miracles, then ^(FK)gifts of healing, ^(FL)helping, ^(FM)administrating, and ^(FN)various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But ^(FO)earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

The Way of Love

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have ^(FP)prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, ^(FQ)so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ^3 (FR)If I give away all I have, and ^(FS)if I deliver up my body to be burned,^[x] but have not love, I gain nothing.

^4 (FT)Love is patient and ^(FU)kind; love ^(FV)does not envy or boast; it ^(FW)is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It ^(FX)does not insist on its own way; it ^(FY)is not irritable or resentful;^{[y] 6} it ^(FZ)does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but ^(GA)rejoices with the truth. ^7 (GB)Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, ^(GC)endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For ^(GD)we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but ^(GE)when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For ^(GF)now we see in a mirror dimly, but ^(GG)then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as ^(GH)I have been fully known.

¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Prophecy and Tongues

14 ^(GI)Pursue love, and ^(GJ)earnestly desire the ^(GK)spiritual gifts, especially that you may ^(GL)prophesy. ² For ^(GM)one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. ³ On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ⁴ The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but ^(GN)even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

⁶ Now, brothers,^[z] if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some ^(GO)revelation or knowledge or prophecy or ^(GP)teaching? ⁷ If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? ⁸ And ^(GQ)if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be ^(GR)speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, ¹¹ but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be ^(GS)a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. ¹² So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

¹³ Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.