Beginning

Disciplining for Sexual Immorality

5 It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, and of a kind that is not found even among the gentiles. A man is actually living with his father’s wife! ² And you are being arrogant instead of being filled with grief and seeing to it that the man who did this is removed from among you. ³ Even though I am away from you physically, I am with you in spirit. I have already passed judgment on the man who did this, as though I were present with you. ⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are gathered together (and I am there in spirit), and the power of our Lord Jesus is there, too, ⁵ turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of his body,^[a] so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.^[b]

⁶ Your boasting is not good. You know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough, don’t you? ⁷ Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you are to be free from yeast. For the Messiah,^[c] our Passover, has been sacrificed. ⁸ So let’s keep celebrating the festival, neither with old yeast nor with yeast that is evil and wicked, but with yeast-free bread that is both sincere and true.

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter to stop associating with people who are sexually immoral— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, greedy, robbers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you to stop associating with any so-called brother if he is sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunk, or a robber. You must even stop eating with someone like that. ¹² After all, is it my business to judge outsiders? You are to judge those who are in the community, aren’t you? ¹³ God will judge outsiders. “Expel that wicked man.”^[d]

Morality in Legal Matters

6 When one of you has a complaint against another, does he dare to take the matter before those who are unrighteous and not before the saints? ² You know that the saints will rule the world, don’t you? And if the world is going to be ruled by you, can’t you handle insignificant cases? ³ You know that we will rule angels, not to mention things in this life, don’t you? ⁴ So if you have cases dealing with this life, why do you appoint as judges people who have no standing in the church? ⁵ I say this to make you feel ashamed. Has it come to this, that there is not one person among you who is wise enough to settle disagreements between brothers?^{[e] 6} Instead, one brother goes to court against another brother, and before unbelieving judges,^[f] at that! ⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves is already a defeat for you. Why not rather just accept the wrong? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ Instead, you yourselves practice doing wrong and cheating others, and brothers at that!

⁹ You know that wicked people will not inherit the kingdom of God, don’t you? Stop deceiving yourselves! Sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, ¹⁰ thieves, greedy people, drunks, slanderers, and robbers will not inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ That is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah^[g] and by the Spirit of our God.

Morality in Sexual Matters

¹² Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not allow anything to control me. ¹³ Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food, but God will make them both unnecessary. The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ God raised the Lord, and by his power he will also raise us.

¹⁵ You know that your bodies belong to the Messiah,^[h] don’t you? Should I take what belongs to the Messiah^[i] and unite them with a prostitute? Certainly not! ¹⁶ You know that the person who unites himself with a prostitute becomes one body with her, don’t you? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”^{[j] 17} But the person who unites himself with the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

¹⁸ Keep on running away from sexual immorality. Any other^[k] sin that a person commits is outside his body, but the person who sins sexually sins against his own body. ¹⁹ You know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God, don’t you? You do not belong to yourselves, ²⁰ because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies.

Concerning Marriage

7 Now about what you asked: “Is it advisable for a man not to touch a woman inappropriately?”^{[l] 2} Yes, and yet^[m] because sexual immorality is so rampant,^[n] every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband.

³ A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should do the same for her husband. ⁴ A wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but his wife does. ⁵ Do not withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so just for a set time, in order to devote yourselves to prayer.^[o] Then you should come together again so that Satan does not tempt you through your lack of self-control. ⁶ But I say this as a concession, not as a command. ⁷ I would like everyone to be unmarried,^[p] like I am. However, each person has a special gift from God, one this and another that.

⁸ I say to those who are unmarried, especially to widows: It is good for them to remain like me. ⁹ However, if they cannot control themselves, they should get married, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.^{[q] 10} To married people I give this command (not really I, but the Lord): A wife must not leave her husband. ¹¹ But if she does leave him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. Likewise, a husband must not abandon^[r] his wife.

¹² I (not the Lord) say to the rest of you: If a brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to live with him, he must not abandon^[s] her. ¹³ And if a woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he is willing to live with her, she must not abandon^[t] him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified because of her husband.^[u] Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving partner^[v] leaves, let him go. In such cases the brother or sister is not under obligation. God has called you^[w] to live in peace. ¹⁶ Wife, you might be able to save your husband. Husband, you might be able to save your wife.

Live according to God’s Call

¹⁷ Nevertheless, everyone should live the life that the Lord gave him and to which God called him. This is my rule in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone circumcised when he was called? He should not try to change that. Was anyone uncircumcised when he was called? He should not get circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying God’s commandments is everything.^{[x] 20} Everyone should stay in the same condition^[y] in which he was called. ²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that bother you. Of course, if you have a chance to become free, take advantage of the opportunity. ²² For the slave who has been called to belong to the Lord is the Lord’s free person. In the same way, the free person who has been called is the Messiah’s^[z] slave. ²³ You were bought for a price. Stop becoming slaves of people. ²⁴ Brothers, everyone should stay in the same condition^[aa] in which he was called by God.

Concerning Virgins

²⁵ Now concerning virgins, although I do not have any command from the Lord, I will give you my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. ²⁶ In view of the present crisis, I think it is prudent for a man to stay as he is. ²⁷ Have you become committed^[ab] to a wife? Stop trying to get released from your commitment.^[ac] Have you been freed from your commitment to^[ad] a wife? Stop looking for one.^{[ae] 28} But if you do get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will experience trouble in this life,^[af] and I want to spare you from that.

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers: The time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, ³⁰ and those who mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing, ³¹ and those who use the things in the world as though they were not dependent on them. For the world in its present form is passing away.

³² I want you to be free from concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, that is, about how he can please the Lord. ³³ But a married man is concerned about things of this world, that is, about how he can please his wife, ³⁴ and so his attention is divided.

An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, that is, about how she can please her husband. ³⁵ I’m saying this for your benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ If a man thinks he is not behaving properly toward his virgin,^[ag] and if his passion is so strong that he feels he ought to marry her, let him do what he wants; he isn’t sinning. Let them get married. ³⁷ However, if a man stands firm in his resolve, feels no necessity, and has made up his mind to keep her a virgin, he will be acting appropriately. ³⁸ So then the man who marries the virgin acts appropriately, but the man who refrains from marriage does even better.

³⁹ A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ However, in my opinion she will be happier^[ah] if she stays as she is. And in saying this,^[ai] I think that I, too, have God’s Spirit.

Concerning Food Offered to Idols

8 Now concerning food offered to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ² If anyone thinks he really^[aj] knows something, he has not yet learned it as he ought to know it. ³ But anyone who loves God is known by him.^[ak]

⁴ Now concerning eating food offered to idols: We know that no idol is real in this world and that there is only one God. ⁵ For even if there are “gods” in heaven and on earth (as indeed there are many so-called “gods” and “lords”), ⁶ yet for us

⁷ But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are so accustomed to idolatry that when they eat food that has been offered to an idol, their conscience becomes contaminated because it is weak. ⁸ However, food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat food that has been offered to an idol,^[am] and no better off if we do.

⁹ But you must see to it that this right of yours does not become a stumbling block for those who are weak. ¹⁰ For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you, who know better, eating in an idol’s temple, he will be encouraged to eat what has been offered to idols, won’t he? ¹¹ In that case, the weak brother for whom the Messiah^[an] died is ruined by your knowledge. ¹² When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak consciences, you are sinning against the Messiah.^{[ao] 13} Therefore, if food that I eat^[ap] causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, in order to keep my brother from stumbling.