New King James Version (NKJV)

Greeting

1 Paul,calledtobean apostle of Jesus Christthrough the will of God, andSosthenesourbrother,

2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those whoare sanctified in Christ Jesus,calledtobesaints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christour Lord,both theirs and ours:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Gifts at Corinth

4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,

5 that you were enriched in everything by Himin all utterance and all knowledge,

6 even asthe testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,

7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerlywaiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

8 who will also confirm you to the end,thatyoumaybeblameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 Godisfaithful, by whom you were called intothe fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sectarianism Is Sin

10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,that you all speak the same thing, andthatthere be no divisions among you, butthatyou be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’shousehold,that there are contentions among you.

12 Now I say this, thateach of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am ofApollos,” or “I am ofCephas,” or “I am of Christ.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptizednone of you exceptCrispus andGaius,

15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.

16 Yes, I also baptized the household ofStephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel,not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

18 For the message of the cross isfoolishness tothose who are perishing, but to uswho are being saved it is thepower of God.

19 For it is written:

# “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

20 Whereisthe wise? Whereisthe scribe? Whereisthe disputer of this age?Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For since, in thewisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

22 ForJews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;

23 but we preach Christ crucified,to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeksfoolishness,

24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christthe power of God andthe wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Glory Only in the Lord

26 For you see your calling, brethren,that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble,arecalled.

27 ButGod has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—andrighteousness and sanctification and redemption—

31 that, as it is written,“He who glories, let him glory in theLord.”

Christ Crucified

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know anything among youexcept Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

3 I was with youin weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preachingwerenot with persuasive words of human wisdom,but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in thepower of God.

Spiritual Wisdom

6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hiddenwisdomwhich God ordained before the ages for our glory,

8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; forhad they known, they would not havecrucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written:

# “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 ButGod has revealedthemto us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knows the things of a man except thespirit of the man which is in him?Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, butthe Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he knowthem,because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself isrightlyjudged by no one.

16 For“who has known the mind of theLordthat he may instruct Him?”But we have the mind of Christ.

Sectarianism Is Carnal

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritualpeoplebut as to carnal, as tobabes in Christ.

2 I fed you withmilk and not with solid food;for until now you were not abletoreceiveit,and even now you are still not able;

3 for you are still carnal. For wherethereareenvy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving likemeremen?

4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “Iamof Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Watering, Working, Warning

5 Who then is Paul, and whoisApollos, butministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

6 I planted,Apollos watered,but God gave the increase.

7 So thenneither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one,and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 Forwe are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field,youareGod’s building.

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laidthe foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay thanthat which is laid,which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundationwithgold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Daywill declare it, becauseit will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

14 If anyone’s work which he has built onitendures, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God andthatthe Spirit of God dwells in you?

17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, whichtempleyou are.

Avoid Worldly Wisdom

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,“He catches the wise in theirowncraftiness”;

20 and again,“TheLordknows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

21 Therefore let no one boast in men. Forall things are yours:

22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.

23 AndyouareChrist’s, and ChristisGod’s.

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

1 Let a man so consider us, asservants of Christand stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring tolight the hidden things of darkness andreveal the counsels of the hearts.Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Fools for Christ’s Sake

6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.

7 For who makes you differfromanother?Andwhat do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receiveit,why do you boast as if you had not receivedit?

8 You are already full!You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made aspectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

10 Wearefools for Christ’s sake, but youarewise in Christ!Weareweak, but youarestrong! Youaredistinguished, but wearedishonored!

11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.

12 And we labor, working with our own hands.Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

13 being defamed, we entreat.We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

Paul’s Paternal Care

14 I do not write these things to shame you, butas my beloved children I warnyou.

15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yetyoudonothavemany fathers; forin Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Therefore I urge you,imitate me.

17 For this reason I have sentTimothy to you,who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who willremind you of my ways in Christ, as Iteach everywherein every church.

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

19 But I will come to you shortly,if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

20 Forthe kingdom of Godisnot in word but inpower.

21 What do you want?Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

Immorality Defiles the Church

1 It is actually reportedthatthereissexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’swife!

2 And you are puffed up, and have not rathermourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.

4 In thename of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit,with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 deliver such a one toSatan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your gloryingisnot good. Do you not know thata little leaven leavens the whole lump?

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeedChrist, ourPassover, was sacrificed for us.

8 Thereforelet us keep the feast,not with old leaven, norwith the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavenedbreadof sincerity and truth.

Immorality Must Be Judged

9 I wrote to you in my epistlenot to keep company with sexually immoral people.

10 YetIcertainlydidnotmeanwith the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to goout of the world.

11 But now I have written to you not to keep companywith anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

12 For whathaveItodowith judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?

13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore“put away from yourselves the evil person.”

Do Not Sue the Brethren

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before thesaints?

2 Do you not know thatthe saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Do you not know that we shalljudge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?

5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?

6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!

7 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another.Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not ratherletyourselvesbe cheated?

8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, andyoudothese thingstoyourbrethren!

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such weresome of you.But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Glorify God in Body and Spirit

12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the bodyisnot forsexual immorality butfor the Lord,and the Lord for the body.

14 AndGod both raised up the Lord and will also raise us upby His power.

15 Do you not know thatyour bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and makethemmembers of a harlot? Certainly not!

16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one bodywithher?For“the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”

17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spiritwithHim.

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sinsagainst his own body.

19 Ordo you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spiritwhoisin you, whom you have from God,and you are not your own?

20 Foryou were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Principles of Marriage

1 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:

# Itisgood for a man not to touch a woman.

2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husbanddoes.And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wifedoes.

5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so thatSatan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 But I say this as a concession,not as a commandment.

7 ForI wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.

8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows:It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

9 butif they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burnwithpassion.

Keep Your Marriage Vows

10 Now to the married I command,yetnot I but theLord:A wife is not to depart fromherhusband.

11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled toherhusband. And a husband is not to divorcehiswife.

12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwiseyour children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15 But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in suchcases.But God has called usto peace.

16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you willsaveyourhusband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will saveyourwife?

Live as You Are Called

17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. Andso I ordain in all the churches.

18 Was anyone called while circumcised?Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, butkeeping the commandments of Godiswhatmatters.

20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.

21 Were you calledwhilea slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather useit.

22 For he who is called in the Lordwhilea slave isthe Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is calledwhilefree isChrist’s slave.

23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

24 Brethren, let each one remain withGod in thatstatein which he was called.

To the Unmarried and Widows

25 Now concerning virgins:I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as onewhom the Lord in His mercy has madetrustworthy.

26 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—thatitisgood for a man to remain as he is:

27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.

29 Butthis I say, brethren, the timeisshort, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,

30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,

31 and those who use this world as notmisusingit.Forthe form of this world is passing away.

32 But I want you to be without care.He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord.

33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may pleasehiswife.

34 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried womancares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may pleaseherhusband.

35 And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.

37 Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.

38 So then he who givesherin marriage does well, but he who does not giveherin marriage does better.

39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes,only in the Lord.

40 But she is happier if she remains as she is,according to my judgment—andI think I also have the Spirit of God.

Be Sensitive to Conscience

1 Nowconcerning things offered to idols: We know that we all haveknowledge.Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

2 Andif anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know thatan idolisnothing in the world,and thatthereisno other God but one.

5 For even if there areso-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),

6 yetfor usthereisone God, the Father,of whomareall things, and we for Him; andone Lord Jesus Christ,through whomareall things, andthrough whom welive.

7 However,thereisnot in everyone that knowledge; for some,with consciousness of the idol, until now eatitas a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, isdefiled.

8 Butfood does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

9 Butbeware lest somehow this liberty of yours becomea stumbling block to those who are weak.

10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will notthe conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?

11 Andbecause of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

12 Butwhen you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

13 Therefore,if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.