God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.

Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.

you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

(but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.

But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,

and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.

If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.

But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.

So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?

Paul Surrenders His Rights

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?

Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,

For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.

For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.

the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Final Instructions

Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.