
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}From Paul, called 
to be an apostle of 
Christ Jesus by the will 
of God, and from 
Sosthenes, our brother, 
{I}2_{/}to God's Church 
which is in Corinth; to 
you whom God has 
sanctified in Christ 
Jesus and called to be 
holy, together with those 
who everywhere call upon 
the name of our Lord 
Christ Jesus, their Lord 
and ours. 
{I}3_{/}Receive grace and 
peace from God our 
Father, and Christ Jesus 
our Lord.
{I}4_{/}I give thanks 
constantly to my God for 
you and for the grace of 
God given to you in 
Christ Jesus. {I}5_{/}For 
you have been fully 
enriched in him with 
words as well as with 
knowledge, {I}6_{/}even 
as the testimony 
concerning Christ was 
confirmed in you. 
{I}7_{/}You do not lack 
any spiritual gift and 
only await the glorious 
coming of Christ Jesus, 
our Lord. {I}8_{/}He will 
keep you steadfast to the 
end, and you will be 
without reproach on the 
day of the coming of our 
Lord Jesus. {I}9_{/}The 
faithful God will not 
fail you after calling 
you to this fellowship 
with his Son, Christ 
Jesus, our Lord.
DIVISIONS AMONG THE 
FAITHFUL{/}

{I}10_{/}I beg of you, 
brothers, in the name of 
Christ Jesus, our Lord, 
to agree among yourselves 
and do away with 
divisions; please be 
perfectly united, with 
one mind and one 
judgment.
{I}11_{/}For I heard from 
people of Cloe's house 
about your rivalries. 
{I}12_{/}What I mean is 
this: some say, "I am for 
Paul," and others: "I am 
for Apollo," or "I am for 
Peter," or "I am for 
Christ." {I}13_{/}Is 
Christ divided or have I, 
Paul, been crucified for 
you? Have you been 
baptized in the name of 
Paul?
{I}14_{/}I thank God that 
I did not baptize any of 
you, except Crispus and 
Gaius, {I}15_{/}so that 
no one can say that he 
was baptized in my name. 
{I}16_{/}Well, I have 
also baptized the 
Stephanas family. Apart 
from these, I do not 
recall having baptized 
anyone else.
THE FOLLY OF THE CROSS{/}

{I}17_{/}For Christ did 
not send me to baptize, 
but to proclaim his 
Gospel. And not with 
beautiful words! That 
would be like getting rid 
of the cross of Christ. 
{I}18_{/}The language of 
the cross remains 
nonsense for those who 
are lost. Yet for us who 
are saved, it is the 
power of God, {I}19_{/}as 
Scripture says: I will 
destroy the wisdom of the 
wise and make fail the 
foresight of the 
foresighted. 
{I}20_{/}Masters of human 
wisdom, educated people, 
philosophers, you have no 
reply! And the wisdom of 
this world? God let it 
fail. 
{I}21_{/}At first God 
spoke the language of 
wisdom, and the world did 
not know God through 
wisdom. Then God thought 
of saving the believers 
through the foolishness 
that we preach.
{I}22_{/}The Jews ask for 
miracles and the Greeks 
for a higher knowledge, 
{I}23_{/}while we 
proclaim a crucified 
Messiah. For the Jews, 
what a great scandal! And 
for the Greeks, what 
nonsense! {I}24_{/}But he 
is Christ, the power of 
God and the wisdom of God 
for those called by God 
among both Jews and 
Greeks.
{I}25_{/}In reality, the 
"foolishness" of God is 
wiser than humans, and 
the "weakness" of God is 
stronger than humans.
{I}26_{/}Brothers and 
sisters, look and see 
whom God has called. Few 
among you can be said to 
be cultured or wealthy, 
and few belong to noble 
families. {I}27_{/}Yet 
God has chosen what the 
world considers foolish, 
to shame the wise; he has 
chosen what the world 
considers weak to shame 
the strong. {I}28_{/}God 
has chosen common and 
unimportant people, 
making use of what is 
nothing to nullify the 
things that are, 
{I}29_{/}so that no 
mortal may boast before 
God. {I}30_{/}But, by 
God's grace you are in 
Christ Jesus, who has 
become our wisdom from 
God, and who makes us 
just and holy and free. 
{I}31_{/}Scripture says: 
Let the one who boasts 
boast of the Lord. 
{I}__{/}

{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}When I came to 
reveal to you he mystery 
of God's plan I did not 
count on eloquence or on 
a show of learning. 
{I}2_{/}I was determined 
not to know anything 
among you but Jesus, the 
Messiah, and a crucified 
Messiah. {I}3_{/}I myself 
came weak, fearful and 
trembling; {I}4_{/}my 
words and 
preaching{I}_{/}were not 
brilliant or clever to 
win listeners. {I}5_{/}It 
was, rather, a 
demonstration of spirit 
and power, so that your 
faith might be a matter, 
not of human wisdom, but 
of God's power.
THE SPIRIT TEACHES US 
WISDOM{/}

{I}6_{/}In fact, we do 
speak of wisdom to the 
mature in faith, although 
it is not a wisdom of 
this world or of its 
rulers, who, by the way, 
come to nothing. 
{I}7_{/}We teach the 
mystery and secret plan 
of divine wisdom, which 
God destined from the 
beginning to bring us to 
Glory.
{I}8_{/}No ruler of this 
world ever knew this; 
otherwise they would not 
have crucified the Lord 
of Glory. {I}9_{/}But as 
Scripture says: Eye has 
not seen, ear has not 
heard, nor has it dawned 
on the mind what God has 
prepared for those who 
love him. {I}10_{/}God 
has revealed it to us, 
through his Spirit, 
because the Spirit probes 
everything, even the 
depth of God.
{I}11_{/}Who but his own 
spirit knows the secrets 
of a person? Similarly, 
no one but the Spirit of 
God knows the secrets of 
God. {I}12_{/}We have not 
received the spirit of 
the world, but the Spirit 
who comes from God and, 
through him, we 
understand what God in 
his goodness has given 
us.
{I}13_{/}So we speak of 
this, not in terms 
inspired by human wisdom, 
but in a language taught 
by the Spirit, explaining 
a spiritual wisdom to 
spiritual persons. 
{I}14_{/}The one who 
remains on the 
psychologic level does 
not understand the things 
of the Spirit. They are 
foolishness for him and 
he does not understand 
because they require a 
spiritual experience. 
{I}15_{/}On the other 
hand, the spiritual 
person judges everything 
but no one judges him. 
{I}16_{/}Who has known 
the mind of God so as to 
teach him? But we have 
the mind of Christ.
THERE ARE MANY WORKERS, 
THE BUILDING IS ONE{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}I could not, 
friends, speak to you as 
spiritual persons but as 
fleshly people, for you 
are still infants in 
Christ. {I}2_{/}I gave 
you milk and not solid 
food, for you were not 
ready for it and up to 
now you cannot receive it 
{I}3_{/}for you are still 
of the flesh. As long as 
there is jealousy and 
strife, what can I say 
but that you are at the 
level of the flesh and 
behave like ordinary 
people.
{I}4_{/}While one says: 
"I follow Paul," and the 
other: "I follow 
Apollos," what are you 
but people still at a 
human level?
{I}5_{/}For what is 
Apollos? What is Paul? 
They are ministers and 
through them you 
believed, as it was given 
by the Lord to each of 
them. {I}6_{/}I planted, 
Apollos watered the 
plant, but God made it 
grow. {I}7_{/}So neither 
the one who plants nor 
the one who waters is 
anything, but God who 
makes the plant grow.
{I}8_{/}The one who 
plants and the one who 
waters work to the same 
end, and the Lord will 
pay each according to 
their work. {I}9_{/}We 
are fellow-workers with 
God, but you are God's 
field and building.
{I}10_{/}I, as a good 
architect, according to 
the capacity given to me, 
I laid the foundation, 
and another is to build 
upon it. Each one must be 
careful how to build upon 
it. {I}11_{/}No one can 
lay a foundation other 
than the one which is 
already laid, which is 
Jesus Christ. 
{I}12_{/}Then if someone 
builds with gold upon 
this foundation, another 
with silver and precious 
stones, or with wood, 
bamboo or straw, 
{I}13_{/}the work of each 
one will be shown for 
what it is. The day of 
Judgment will reveal it, 
because the fire will 
make everything known. 
The fire will test the 
work of everyone. 
{I}14_{/}If your work 
withstands the fire, you 
will be rewarded; 
{I}15_{/}but if your work 
becomes ashes, you will 
pay for it. You will be 
saved, but it will be as 
if passing through fire.
{I}16_{/}Do you not know 
that you are God's 
temple, and that God's 
Spirit abides within you? 
{I}17_{/}If anyone 
destroys the temple of 
God, God will destroy 
him. God's temple is 
holy, and you are this 
temple.
DO NOT DIVIDE THE 
CHURCH{/}

{I}18_{/}Do not deceive 
yourselves. If anyone of 
you considers himself 
wise in the ways of the 
world, let him become a 
fool, so that he may 
become wise. {I}19_{/}For 
the wisdom of this world 
is foolishness in God's 
eyes. To this, Scripture 
says: God catches the 
wise in their own wisdom. 
{I}20_{/}It also says: 
The Lord knows the 
reasoning of the wise, 
that it is useless.
{I}21_{/}Because of this, 
let no one become an 
admirer of{I}_{/}humans, 
for everything belongs to 
you, {I}22_{/}Paul, 
Apollos, Cephas - life, 
death, the present and 
the future. Everything is 
yours, {I}23_{/}and you, 
you belong to Christ, and 
Christ is of God.
{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}Let everyone then 
see us  as the servants 
of Christ and stewards of 
the secret works of God. 
{I}2_{/}Being stewards, 
faithfulness shall be 
demanded of us; 
{I}3_{/}but I do not mind 
if you or any human court 
judges me. I do not even 
judge myself; {I}4_{/}my 
conscience indeed does 
not accuse me of 
anything, but that is not 
enough for me to be set 
right with God: the Lord 
is the one who judges me.
{I}5_{/}Therefore, do not 
judge before the time, 
until the coming of the 
Lord. He will bring to 
light whatever was hidden 
in darkness and will 
disclose the secret 
intentions of the hearts. 
Then each one will 
receive praise from God.
{I}6_{/}Brothers and 
sisters, you forced me to 
apply these comparisons 
to Apollos and to myself. 
Learn by this example not 
to{I}_{/}believe 
yourselves superior by 
siding with one against 
the other. {I}7_{/}How 
then are you more than 
the others? What have you 
that you have not 
received? And if you 
received it, why are you 
proud, as if you did not 
receive it?
COMFORTED CHRISTIANS AND 
HARASSED APOSTLES{/}

{I}8_{/}So, then, you are 
already rich and 
satisfied, and feel like 
kings without us! I wish 
you really were kings, so 
that we might enjoy the 
kingship with you! 
{I}9_{/}It seems to me 
that God has placed us, 
the apostles, in the last 
place, as if condemned to 
death, and as spectacles 
for the whole world, for 
the angels as well as for 
mortals.
{I}10_{/}We are fools for 
Christ, while you show 
forth the wisdom of 
Christ. We are weak, you 
are strong. You are 
honored, while we are 
despised. {I}11_{/}Until 
now we hunger and thirst, 
we are poorly clothed and 
badly treated, while 
moving from place to 
place. {I}12_{/}We labor, 
working with our hands. 
People insult us and we 
bless them, they 
persecute us and we 
endure everything; 
{I}13_{/}they speak evil 
against us, and ours are 
works of peace. We have 
become like the scum of 
the earth, like the 
garbage of humankind 
until now.
{I}14_{/}I do not write 
this to shame you, but to 
warn you as very dear 
children. 
{I}15_{/}Because even 
though you may have ten 
thousand guardians in the 
Christian life, you have 
only one father; and it 
was I who gave you life 
in Christ through the 
Gospel. 
{I}16_{/}Therefore I pray 
you to follow my example. 
{I}17_{/}With this 
purpose I send to you 
Timothy, my dear and 
trustworthy son in the 
service of the Lord. He 
will remind you of my way 
of Christian life, as I 
teach it in all churches 
everywhere. 
{I}18_{/}Some of you 
thought that I could not 
visit you and became very 
arrogant. {I}19_{/}But I 
will visit you soon, the 
Lord willing, and I will 
see, not what those 
arrogant people say, but 
what they can do. 
{I}20_{/}Because the 
kingdom of God is not a 
matter of words, but of 
power. {I}21{/}What do 
you prefer, for me to 
come with a stick or with 
love and gentleness?

EXPEL THE IMMORAL 
BROTHER!{/}

{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}You have become 
news  with a case of 
immorality, and such a 
case that is not even 
found among pagans. Yes, 
one of you has taken as 
wife his own stepmother. 
{I}2_{/}And you feel 
proud! Should you not be 
in mourning instead and 
expel the one who did 
such a thing. {I}3_{/}For 
my part, although I am 
physically absent, my 
spirit is with you and, 
as if present, I have 
already passed sentence 
on the man who committed 
such a sin. {I}4_{/}Let 
us meet together, you and 
my spirit, and in the 
name of our Lord Jesus 
and with his power, 
{I}5_{/}you shall deliver 
him to Satan, so that he 
may lose everything and 
his life, but his spirit 
be saved in the day of 
Judgment.
{I}6_{/}This is not the 
time to praise 
yourselves. Do you not 
know that a little yeast 
makes the whole mass of 
dough rise? {I}7_{/}Throw 
out, then, the old yeast 
and be new dough. If 
Christ became our 
Passover, you should be 
unleavened bread. 
{I}8_{/}Let us celebrate, 
therefore, the Passover, 
no longer with old yeast, 
which is sin and 
perversity; let us have 
unleavened bread, that is 
purity and sincerity.
{I}9_{/}In my last letter 
I instructed you not to 
associate with immoral 
people. {I}10_{/}I did 
not mean, of course, 
those who do not belong 
to the church and who are 
immoral, exploiters, 
embezzlers or worshipers 
of idols. Otherwise you 
would have to leave this 
world. {I}11_{/}What I 
really meant was to avoid 
and not to mingle with 
anyone who, bearing the 
name of brother or 
sister, becomes immoral, 
exploiter, gossip, 
drunkard, embezzler. In 
which case you should not 
even eat with them.
{I}12_{/}Why should I 
judge outsiders? But you, 
are you not to judge 
those who are inside? 
{I}13_{/}Let God judge 
those outside, but as for 
you, drive out the wicked 
person from among you.
DO NOT BRING ANOTHER 
CHRISTIAN TO COURT{/}

{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}When you have a 
complaint against a 
brother, how dare you 
bring it before pagan 
judges instead of 
bringing it before God's 
people? {I}2_{/}Do you 
not know that you shall 
one day judge the world? 
And if you are to judge 
the world, are you 
incapable of judging such 
simple problems?
{I}3_{/}Do you not know 
that we will even judge 
the angels? And could you 
not decide every day 
affairs? {I}4_{/}You 
should ask those who are 
the last in the Church to 
decide such matters. 
{I}5_{/}Shame on you! Is 
there not even one among 
you wise enough to be the 
arbiter among believers?
{I}6_{/}But no. One of 
you brings a suit against 
another one, and files 
that suit before 
unbelievers. {I}7_{/}It 
is already a failure that 
you have suits against 
each other. Why do you 
not rather suffer wrong 
and receive some damage? 
{I}8_{/}But no. You wrong 
and injure others, and 
those are your brothers 
and sisters. {I}9_{/}Do 
you not know that the 
wicked will not inherit 
the Kingdom of God?
Make no mistake about it: 
those who lead immoral 
lives, or worship idols, 
or who are adulterers, 
homosexuals of any kind, 
{I}10_{/}or thieves, 
exploiters, drunkards, 
gossips or embezzlers 
will not inherit the 
kingdom of heaven. 
{I}11_{/}Some of you were 
like that, but you have 
been cleansed and 
consecrated to God and 
have been set right with 
God by the Name of the 
Lord Jesus and the Spirit 
of our God.
SEXUAL IMMORALITY{/}

{I}12_{/}Everything is 
lawful for me, but not 
everything is to my 
profit. Everything is 
lawful for me, but I will 
not become a slave of 
anything. {I}13_{/}Food 
is for the stomach, as 
the stomach is for food, 
and God will destroy them 
both. Yet the body is not 
for sex, but for the 
Lord; and the Lord is for 
the body. {I}14_{/}And 
God who raised the Lord, 
will also raise us with 
his power.
{I}15_{/}Do you not know 
that your bodies are 
members of Christ? And 
you would make that part 
of his body become a part 
of a prostitute? Never! 
{I}16_{/}But you well 
know that when you join 
yourselves to a 
prostitute, you become 
one with her. For 
Scripture says: The two 
will become one flesh. 
{I}17_{/}On the contrary, 
anyone united to the Lord 
becomes one spirit with 
him.
{I}18_{/}Avoid unlawful 
sex entirely. Any other 
sin a person commits is 
outside the body but 
those who commit sexual 
immorality sin against 
their own body.
{I}19_{/}Do you not know 
that your body is a 
temple of the Holy Spirit 
within you, given by God? 
You belong no longer to 
yourselves. 
{I}20_{/}Remember at what 
price you have been 
bought and make your body 
serve the glory of God.
MARRIAGE AND 
ABSTINENCE{/}

{1}7{/}

{I}1_{/}Now I will answer 
the questions in your 
letter. It is good for a 
man not to have sex with 
a woman. {I}2_{/}But the 
appeal of sex is there. 
Let each man have his own 
wife and each woman her 
own husband. {I}3_{/}Let 
the husband fulfill his 
duty of husband and 
likewise the wife. 
{I}4_{/}The wife is not 
the owner of her own 
body: the husband is. 
Similarly, the husband is 
not the owner of his own 
body: the wife is.
{I}5_{/}Do not refuse 
each other, except by 
mutual consent and only 
for a time in order to 
dedicate yourselves to 
prayer, and then come 
together again, lest you 
fall into Satan's trap by 
lack of self-control. 
{I}6_{/}I approve of this 
abstention, but I do not 
order it. {I}7_{/}I would 
like everyone to be like 
me, but each has from God 
a particular gift, some 
in one way, others 
differently.
{I}8_{/}To the unmarried 
and the widows I say that 
it would be good for them 
to remain as I am, 
{I}9_{/}but if they 
cannot control 
themselves, let them 
marry, for it is better 
to marry than to burn 
with passion.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE{/}

{I}10_{/}I command 
married couples - not I 
but the Lord - that the 
wife should not separate 
from her husband. 
{I}11_{/}If she separates 
from him, let her not 
marry again, or let her 
make peace with her 
husband. Similarly the 
husband should not 
divorce his wife.
{I}12_{/}To the others I 
say - from me and not 
from the Lord - if a 
brother has a wife who is 
not a believer but she 
agrees to live with him, 
let him not separate from 
her. {I}13_{/}In the same 
manner, if a woman has a 
husband who is not a 
believer but he agrees to 
live with her, let her 
not separate from her 
husband. {I}14_{/}Because 
the unbelieving husband 
is sanctified by the 
wife, and the unbelieving 
wife is sanctified by the 
husband who believes. 
Otherwise, your children 
also would be apart from 
God; but as it is, they 
are consecrated to God.
{I}15_{/}Now, if the 
unbelieving husband or 
wife wants to separate, 
let them do so. In this 
case, the Christian 
partner is not bound, for 
the Lord has called us to 
peace. {I}16_{/}Besides, 
are you sure, wife, that 
you could save your 
husband, and you, 
husband, that you could 
save your wife?
{I}17_{/}Except for this, 
let each one continue 
living as he was when God 
called him, as was his 
lot set by the Lord. This 
is what I order in all 
churches. {I}18_{/}Let 
the circumcised Jew not 
remove the marks of the 
circumcision when he is 
called by God, and let 
the non-Jew not be 
circumcised when he is 
called. {I}19_{/}For the 
important thing is not to 
be circumcised or not, 
but to keep the 
commandments of God.
{I}20_{/}Let each of you, 
therefore, remain in the 
state in which you were 
called by God. 
{I}21_{/}If you were a 
slave when called, do not 
worry, yet if you can 
gain your freedom, take 
the opportunity. 
{I}22_{/}The slave called 
to believe in the Lord is 
a freed person belonging 
to the Lord just as 
whoever who has been 
called while free, 
becomes a slave of 
Christ. {I}23_{/}You have 
been bought at a very 
great price; do not 
become slaves of a human 
being.
{I}24_{/}So then, 
brothers and sisters, 
continue living in the 
state you were before God 
at the time of his call.
MARRIAGE AND VIRGINITY{/}

{I}25_{/}With regard to 
those who remain virgins, 
I have no special 
commandment from the 
Lord, but I give some 
advice, hoping that I am 
worthy of trust by the 
mercy of the Lord.
{I}26_{/}I think this is 
good in these hard times 
in which we live. It is 
good for someone to 
remain as he is. 
{I}27_{/}If you are 
married, do not try to 
divorce your wife; if you 
are not married, do not 
marry. {I}28_{/}He who 
marries does not sin, nor 
does the young girl sin 
who marries. Yet they 
will face disturbing 
experiences, and I would 
like to spare you.
{I}29_{/}I say this, 
brothers and sisters: 
time is running out, and 
those who are married 
must live as if not 
married; {I}30_{/}those 
who weep as if not 
weeping; those who are 
happy as if they were not 
happy; those buying 
something as if they had 
not bought it, and those 
enjoying the present life 
as if they were not 
enjoying it. {I}31_{/}For 
the order of this world 
is vanishing.
{I}32_{/}I would like you 
to be free from 
anxieties. He who is not 
married is concerned 
about the things of the 
Lord and how to please 
the Lord. {I}33_{/}While 
he who is married is 
taken up with the things 
of the world and how to 
please his wife, and he 
is divided in his 
interests.
{I}34_{/}Likewise, the 
unmarried woman and the 
virgin are concerned with 
the service of the Lord, 
to be holy in body and 
spirit. The married 
woman, instead, worries 
about the things of the 
world and how to please 
her husband.
{I}35_{/}I say this for 
your own good. I do not 
wish to lay traps for you 
but to lead you to a 
beautiful life, entirely 
united with the Lord.
{I}36_{/}If anyone is not 
sure whether he is 
behaving correctly with 
his fiancee because of 
the ardor of his passion, 
and considers it is 
better to get married, 
let him do so; he commits 
no sin. {I}37_{/}But if 
another, of firmer heart, 
thinks that he can 
control his passion and 
decides not to marry so 
that his fiancee may 
remain a virgin, he does 
better. {I}38_{/}So then, 
he who marries does well, 
and he who does not marry 
does better.
{I}39_{/}The wife is 
bound as long as her 
husband lives. If he 
dies, she is free to be 
married to whomsoever she 
wishes, provided that she 
does so in the Christian 
way. {I}40_{/}However, 
she will be happier if, 
following my advice, she 
remains as she is, and I 
believe that I also have 
the Spirit of God.
CAN WE SHARE IN PAGAN 
CUSTOMS?{/}

{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}Regarding meat 
from the offerings to 
idols, we know that all 
of us have knowledge but 
knowledge puffs up, while 
love builds. {I}2_{/}If 
anyone thinks that he has 
knowledge, he does not 
yet know as he should 
know, {I}3_{/}but if 
someone loves (God), he 
has been known (by God).
{I}4_{/}Can we, then, eat 
meat from offerings to 
the idols? We know that 
an idol is without 
existence and that there 
is no God but one. 
{I}5_{/}People speak 
indeed of other gods in 
heaven and on earth and, 
in this sense, there are 
many gods and lords. 
{I}6_{/}Yet for us, there 
is but one God, the 
Father, from whom 
everything comes, and to 
whom we go. And there is 
one Lord, Christ Jesus, 
through whom everything 
exists and through him we 
exist.
{I}7_{/}Not everyone, 
however, has that 
knowledge. For some 
persons, who until 
recently took the idols 
seriously, that food 
remains linked to the 
idol and eating of it 
stains their conscience 
which is unformed.
{I}8_{/}It is not food 
that brings us closer to 
God. If we eat, we gain 
nothing, and if we do not 
eat, we do not lose 
anything. {I}9_{/}We are 
free, of course, but let 
not your freedom cause 
others, who are less 
prepared, to fall. 
{I}10_{/}What if others 
with an unformed 
conscience see you, a 
person of knowledge, 
sitting at the table in 
the temple of idols? Will 
not their weak 
conscience, because of 
your example, move them 
to eat also? 
{I}11_{/}Then with your 
knowledge you would have 
caused your weak brother 
or sister to perish, the 
one for whom Christ died. 
{I}12_{/}When you disturb 
the weak conscience of 
your brother or sister 
and sin against them, you 
sin against Christ 
himself. 
{I}13_{/}Therefore, if 
any food will bring my 
brother to sin,{I}_{/}I 
shall never eat this food 
lest my brother or sister 
fall.
RENOUNCING ONE'S OWN 
RIGHTS: THE EXAMPLE OF 
PAUL{/}

{1}9{/}

{I}1_{/}As for me, am I 
not free?  I am an 
apostle and I have seen 
Jesus, the Lord, and you 
are my work in the Lord. 
{I}2{/}Although I may not 
be an apostle for others, 
at least I am one for 
you. You are, in the 
Lord, evidence of my 
apostleship.
{I}3_{/}Now this is what 
I answer to those who 
criticize me: 
{I}4_{/}Have we not the 
right to be fed? 
{I}5_{/}Have we not the 
right to bring along with 
us a sister as do the 
other apostles and the 
brothers of the Lord, and 
Cephas? {I}6_{/}Am I the 
only one, with Barnabas, 
bound to work?
What soldier goes to war 
at his own expense? 
{I}7_{/}What farmer does 
not eat from the vineyard 
he planted? Who tends a 
flock and does not drink 
from its milk? 
{I}8_{/}Are these rights 
only accepted human 
practice? No. The Law 
says the same. In the law 
of Moses it is written: 
Do not muzzle the ox 
which threshes grain. 
{I}9_{/}Does this mean 
that God is concerned 
with oxen, {I}10_{/}or 
rather with us? Of course 
it applies to us. For our 
sake it was written that 
no one plows without 
expecting a reward for 
plowing, and no one 
threshes without hoping 
for a share of the crop. 
{I}11_{/}Then, if we have 
sown spiritual riches 
among you, would it be 
too much for us to reap 
some material reward? 
{I}12_{/}If others have 
had a share among you, we 
could have it all the 
more.
Yet we made no use of 
this right and we prefer 
to endure everything 
rather than put any 
obstacle to the Gospel of 
Christ. {I}13_{/}Do you 
not know that those 
working in the sacred 
service eat from what is 
offered for the temple? 
And those serving at the 
altar receive their part 
from the altar. 
{I}14_{/}The Lord 
ordered, likewise, that 
those announcing the 
Gospel live from the 
Gospel. {I}15_{/}Yet I 
have not made use of my 
rights, and now I do not 
write to claim them: I 
would rather die! No one 
will deprive me of this 
glory of mine. 
{I}16_{/}Because I cannot 
boast of announcing the 
Gospel: I am bound to do 
it. Woe to me if I do not 
preach the Gospel! 
{I}17_{/}If I preached 
voluntarily, I could 
expect my reward, but I 
have been trusted this 
office against my will. 
{I}18_{/}How can I, then, 
deserve a reward? In 
announcing the Gospel, I 
will do it freely without 
making use of the rights 
given to me by the 
Gospel.
{I}19_{/}So, feeling free 
with everybody, I have 
become everybody's slave 
in order to gain a 
greater number. 
{I}20_{/}To save the Jews 
I became a Jew with the 
Jews, and because they 
are under the Law, I 
myself submitted to the 
Law, although I am free 
from it. {I}21_{/}With 
the pagans, not subject 
to the Law, I became one 
of them, although I am 
not without a law of God, 
since Christ is my Law. 
Yet I wanted to gain 
those strangers to the 
Law. {I}22_{/}With people 
of unformed conscience I 
acted as if I were 
sharing their scruples in 
order to gain those who 
are still weak. 
{I}23_{/}So I made myself 
all things to all people 
in order to save, by all 
possible means, some of 
them. This I do for the 
Gospel, so that I too 
have a share of it.
FAITH DEMANDS 
SACRIFICE{/}

{I}24_{/}Have you not 
learned anything from the 
stadium? Many run, but 
only one gets the prize. 
Run, therefore, intending 
to win it, {I}25_{/}as 
athletes who impose upon 
themselves a rigorous 
discipline. Yet for them 
the wreath is of laurels 
which wither, while for 
us, it does not wither. 
{I}26_{/}So, then, I run 
knowing where I go. I box 
but not aimlessly in the 
air. {I}27_{/}I punish my 
body and control it, lest 
after preaching to 
others, I myself should 
be rejected.
{1}10{/}

{I}1_{/}Let me remind 
you, brothers and 
sisters, about our 
ancestors. All of them 
were under the cloud and 
all crossed the sea. 
{I}2_{/}All underwent the 
baptism of the land and 
of the sea to join Moses 
{I}3_{/}and all of them 
ate from the same 
spiritual manna 
{I}4_{/}and all of them 
drank from the same 
spiritual drink. For you 
know that they drank from 
a spiritual rock 
following them, and the 
rock was Christ. 
{I}5_{/}However, most of 
them did not please God, 
and the desert was strewn 
with their bodies.
{I}6_{/}All of this 
happened as an example 
for us, so that we might 
not become people of evil 
desires, as they did.
{I}7_{/}Do not follow 
idols, as some of them 
did, and Scripture says: 
The people sat down to 
eat and drink and stood 
up for orgy. {I}8_{/}Let 
us not fall into sexual 
immorality as some of 
them did, and in one day 
twenty-three thousand of 
them fell dead. 
{I}9_{/}And let us not 
tempt the Lord as some of 
them did, and were killed 
by serpents; {I}10_{/}nor 
grumble as some of them 
did and were cut down by 
the destroying angel.
{I}11_{/}These things 
happened to them as an 
example, and they were 
written as a warning for 
us, as the last times 
come upon us. 
{I}12_{/}Therefore, if 
you think you stand, 
beware, lest you fall. 
{I}13_{/}No trial greater 
than human endurance has 
overcome you. God is 
faithful and will not let 
you be tempted beyond 
your strength. He will 
give you, together with 
the temptation, the 
strength to escape and to 
resist.
{I}14_{/}Therefore,{I}_{/
}dear{I}_{/}friends,{I}_{
/}shun the cult of idols.
{I}15_{/}I address you as 
intelligent persons; 
judge what I say. 
{I}16_{/}The cup of 
blessing that we bless, 
is it not a communion 
with the blood of Christ? 
And the bread that we 
break, is it not a 
communion with the body 
of Christ? {I}17_{/}The 
bread is one, and so we, 
though many, form one 
body, sharing the one 
bread.
{I}18_{/}Consider the 
Israelites. For them, to 
eat of the victim is to 
come into communion with 
its altar.
{I}19_{/}What does all 
that mean? That the meat 
is really consecrated to 
the idol, or that the 
idol is a being. 
{I}20_{/}However, when 
the pagans offer a 
sacrifice, the sacrifice 
goes to the demons, not 
to God. I do not want you 
to come into fellowship 
with demons. {I}21_{/}You 
cannot drink at the same 
time from the cup of the 
Lord and from the cup of 
demons. You cannot share 
in the table of the Lord 
and in the table of the 
demons. {I}22_{/}Do we 
want, perhaps, to provoke 
the jealousy of the Lord? 
Could we be stronger than 
he?
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS{/}

{I}23_{/}Everything is 
lawful for me, but not 
everything is to my 
profit. Everything is 
lawful for me, but not 
everything builds up: 
{I}24_{/}let no one 
pursue his own interests, 
but the interests of the 
other.
{I}25_{/}Eat, then, 
whatever is sold at the 
market, and do not raise 
questions of conscience 
about it. 
{I}26_{/}Because: the 
earth and whatever is on 
it belongs to the Lord. 
{I}27_{/}If someone who 
does not share your faith 
invites you, go and eat 
of anything served to you 
without problems of 
conscience. 
{I}28_{/}However, if 
somebody tells you that 
the meat is from the 
offerings to idols, then 
do not eat out of 
consideration for those 
warning you and for the 
sake of their conscience.
{I}29_{/}I say: "In 
consideration of their 
conscience," not of 
yours, for is it 
convenient that my rights 
be misinterpreted by them 
and their conscience? 
{I}30_{/}Is it good that 
I bring on me critics for 
some good thing I am 
sharing and for which I 
will give thanks?
{I}31_{/}Then, whether 
you eat, or drink, or 
whatever you do, do it 
for the glory of God. 
{I}32_{/}Give no offense 
to the Jews, or to the 
Greeks, or to the Church 
of God, {I}33_{/}just as 
I try to please everyone 
in everything. I do not 
seek my own interest, but 
that of many, this is: 
that they be saved.
WOMEN'S DRESS AND 
MEDITERRANEAN CUSTOMS{/}

{1}11{/}

{I}1_{/}Follow my example 
as I  follow the example 
of Christ. {I}2_{/}I 
praise you because you 
remember me in 
everything, and you keep 
the traditions that I 
have given you. 
{I}3_{/}However I wish to 
remind you that every man 
has Christ as his head, 
while the wife has her 
husband as her head; and 
God is the head of 
Christ. {I}4_{/}If a man 
prays or prophesies with 
his head covered, he 
dishonors his head. 
{I}5_{/}On the contrary, 
the woman who prays or 
prophesies with her head 
uncovered, does not 
respect her head. She 
might as well cut her 
hair. {I}6_{/}If a woman 
does not use a veil, let 
her cut her hair; and if 
it is a shame for a woman 
to have her hair cut or 
shaved, then let her use 
a veil.
{I}7_{/}Men do not need 
to cover their head, for 
they are the image of God 
and reflect his glory, 
while a woman reflects 
the glory of man. 
{I}8_{/}Man was not 
formed from woman, but 
woman from man. 
{I}9_{/}Nor did God 
create man for woman, but 
woman for man. 
{I}10{/}Therefore, a 
woman must respect the 
angels and have on her 
head the sign of her 
dependence.
{I}11_{/}Anyway, the 
Christian attitude does 
not separate man from 
woman, and woman from 
man, {I}12_{/}and if God 
has created woman from 
man, man is born from 
woman and both come from 
God.
{I}13_{/}Judge for 
yourselves: is it proper 
for a woman to pray 
without a veil? 
{I}14_{/}Common sense 
teaches us that it is 
shameful for a man to 
wear long hair, 
{I}15_{/}while long hair 
is the pride of a woman, 
and it has been given to 
her precisely as a veil.
{I}16_{/}If some of you 
want to argue, let it be 
known that it is not our 
custom nor the custom in 
the churches of God.
THE LORD'S SUPPER{/}

{I}17_{/}To continue with 
my advice, I cannot 
praise you, for your 
gatherings are not for 
the better but for the 
worse.
{I}18_{/}First, as I have 
heard, when you gather 
together, there are 
divisions among you and I 
partly believe it. 
{I}19_{/}There may have 
to be different groups 
among you, so that it 
plainly appears who are 
approved among you.
{I}20_{/}Your gatherings 
are no longer the Supper 
of the Lord, {I}21_{/}for 
each one eats at once his 
own food and while one is 
hungry, the other is 
getting drunk. 
{I}22_{/}Do you not have 
houses in which to eat 
and drink? Or perhaps you 
despise the Church of God 
and desire to humiliate 
those who have nothing? 
What shall I say? Shall I 
praise you? For this I 
cannot praise you.
{I}23_{/}This is the 
tradition of the Lord 
that I received and that 
in my turn I have handed 
on to you; the Lord 
Jesus, on the night that 
he was delivered up, took 
bread and, {I}24_{/}after 
giving thanks, broke it, 
saying, "This is my body 
which is broken for you; 
do this in memory of me." 
{I}25_{/}In the same 
manner, taking the cup 
after the supper, he 
said, "This cup is the 
new Covenant in my blood. 
Whenever you drink it, do 
it in memory of me." 
{I}26_{/}So, then, 
whenever you eat of this 
bread and drink from this 
cup, you are proclaiming 
the death of the Lord 
until he comes.
{I}27_{/}Therefore, if 
anyone eats of the bread 
or drinks from the cup of 
the Lord unworthily, he 
sins against the body and 
blood of the Lord.
{I}28_{/}Let each one, 
then, examine himself 
before eating of the 
bread and drinking from 
the cup. 
{I}29_{/}Otherwise, he 
eats and drinks his own 
condemnation in not 
recognizing the Body.
{I}30_{/}This is the 
reason why so many among 
you are sick and weak and 
several have died. 
{I}31_{/}If we examined 
and corrected ourselves, 
the Lord would not have 
to exercise judgment 
against us.{I}32_{/}The 
Lord's strokes are to 
correct us, so that we 
may not be condemned with 
this world. 
{I}33_{/}So then, 
brothers, when you gather 
for a meal, wait for one 
another {I}34_{/}and, if 
someone is hungry, let 
him eat in his own house. 
In this way you will not 
gather for your common 
condemnation. The other 
instructions I shall give 
when I go there.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND 
HARMONY{/}

{1}12{/}

{I}1_{/}With respect to 
spiritual  gifts, 
I{I}_{/}will remind you 
of the following. 
{I}2_{/}When you were 
still pagans, you went to 
your dumb idols as people 
possessed. {I}3_{/}I tell 
you that nobody inspired 
by the Spirit of God may 
say, "A curse on Jesus," 
as no one can say, "Jesus 
is the Lord," except by 
the Holy Spirit. 
{I}4_{/}There is 
diversity of gifts, but 
the Spirit is the same. 
{I}5_{/}There is 
diversity of ministries, 
but the Lord is the same. 
{I}6_{/}There is 
diversity of works, but 
the same God works in 
all.
{I}7_{/}The Spirit 
reveals his presence in 
each one with a gift 
which is also a{I} 
{/}service. {I}8_{/}One 
is to speak with wisdom, 
through the Spirit. 
Another teaches according 
to the same Spirit. 
{I}9_{/}To another is 
given faith, in which the 
Spirit acts; to another 
the gift of healing, and 
it is the same Spirit. 
{I}10_{/}Another works 
miracles, another is a 
prophet, another 
recognizes what comes 
from the good or evil 
spirit; another speaks in 
tongues, and still 
another interprets what 
has been said in tongues. 
{I}11_{/}And all of this 
is the work of the one 
and only Spirit, who 
gives to each one as he 
so desires.
COMPARISON WITH THE 
BODY{/}

{I}12_{/}As the body is 
one, having many members, 
and all the members, 
while being many, form 
one body, so it is with 
Christ. {I}13_{/}All of 
us, whether Jews or 
Greeks, slaves or free, 
have been baptized in one 
Spirit to form one body 
and all of us have been 
given to drink from the 
one Spirit.
{I}14_{/}The body has not 
just one member, but 
many. {I}15_{/}If the 
foot should say, "I do 
not belong to the body 
for I am not a hand," it 
would be wrong: it is 
part of the body! 
{I}16_{/}Even though the 
ear says, "I do not 
belong to the body for I 
am not an eye," it is 
part of the body. 
{I}17_{/}If all the body 
were eye, how would we 
hear? And if all the body 
were ear, how would we 
smell?
{I}18_{/}God has arranged 
all the members, placing 
each part of the body as 
he pleased. {I}19_{/}If 
all were the same part 
where would the body be? 
{I}20_{/}But there are 
many members and one 
body. {I}21_{/}The eye 
cannot tell the hand, "I 
do not need you," nor the 
head tell the feet, "I do 
not need you."
{I}22_{/}Still more, the 
parts of our body that we 
most need are those that 
seem to be the weakest; 
{I}23_{/}the parts that 
we consider lower are 
treated with much care, 
{I}24_{/}and we cover 
them with more modesty 
because they are less 
presentable, whereas the 
others do not need such 
attention. {I}25_{/}God 
himself arranged the body 
in this way, giving more 
honor to those parts that 
need it, so that the body 
may not be divided, but 
rather each member may 
care for the others. 
{I}26_{/}When one 
suffers, all of them 
suffer, and when one 
receives honor, all 
rejoice together.
{I}27_{/}Now, you are the 
body of Christ and each 
of you individually is a 
member of it. {I}28_{/}So 
God has appointed us in 
the Church. First 
apostles, second 
prophets, third teachers. 
Then come miracles, then 
the gift of healing, 
material help, 
administration in the 
Church and the gift of 
tongues.
{I}29_{/}Are all 
apostles? Are all 
prophets? Are all 
teachers? Can all perform 
miracles, {I}30_{/}or 
cure the sick, or speak 
in tongues, or explain 
what was said in tongues? 
{I}31_{/}Be that as it 
may, set your hearts on 
the most precious gifts, 
and I will show you a 
much better way.
NO GIFT HIGHER THAN 
LOVE{/}

{1}13{/}

{I}1_{/}If I could speak 
all the  human and 
angelic tongues, but had 
no love, I would only be 
sounding brass or a 
clanging cymbal. 
{I}2_{/}If I had 
prophecy, knowing secret 
things with all kinds of 
knowledge, and had faith 
great enough to remove 
mountains, but had no 
love, I would be nothing. 
{I}3_{/}If I gave 
everything I had to the 
poor, and even gave up my 
own body, but only to 
receive praise and not 
through love, it would be 
of no value to me.
{I}4_{/}Love is patient, 
kind, without envy. It is 
not boastful or arrogant. 
It is not ill-mannered 
nor does it seek its own 
interest. {I}5_{/}Love 
overcomes anger and 
forgets offenses. 
{I}6_{/}It does not take 
delight in wrong, but 
rejoices in truth. 
{I}7_{/}Love excuses 
everything, believes all 
things, hopes all things, 
endures all things.
{I}8_{/}Love will never 
end. Prophecies may 
cease, tongues be silent 
and knowledge disappear. 
{I}9_{/}For knowledge 
grasps something of the 
truth and prophecy as 
well. {I}10_{/}And when 
what is perfect comes, 
everything imperfect will 
pass away. {I}11_{/}When 
I was a child I thought 
and reasoned like a 
child, but when I grew 
up, I gave up childish 
ways. {I}12_{/}Likewise, 
at present we see dimly 
as in a faulty mirror, 
but then it shall be face 
to face. Now we know in 
part, but then I will 
know as I am known. 
{I}13_{/}Now we have 
faith, hope and love, 
these three, but the 
greatest of these is 
love.
GIFTS OF PROPHECY AND 
TONGUES{/}

{1}14{/}

{I}1_{/}Strive, then, for 
love and set your hearts 
on spiritual gifts, 
especially that you may 
prophesy. {I}2_{/}The one 
who speaks in tongues 
does not speak to people, 
but to God, for no one 
understands him; the 
spirit makes him say 
things that are not 
understandable. 
{I}3_{/}The prophet, 
instead, addresses all 
people to give them 
strength, encouragement 
and consolation. 
{I}4_{/}He who speaks in 
tongues strengthens 
himself, but the prophet 
builds the Church.
{I}5_{/}Would that all of 
you spoke in tongues! But 
better still if you were 
all prophets. The prophet 
has an advantage over the 
one speaking in tongues, 
unless someone explains 
what was spoken, so that 
the community may profit. 
{I}6_{/}Suppose, brothers 
and sisters, I go to you 
and I speak in tongues, 
of what use will it be to 
you if I do not bring you 
some revelation, 
knowledge, prophecy or 
teaching?
{I}7_{/}When someone 
plays the flute, or harp, 
or any musical 
instrument, if there are 
not tones and notes, who 
will recognize the tune? 
{I}8_{/}And if the bugle 
call is not clear, who 
will get ready for 
battle? {I}9_{/}The same 
with you. If your words 
are not understood, who 
will know what is said? 
You will be talking to 
the moon. {I}10_{/}There 
are many languages in the 
world, and each of them 
has meaning, {I}11_{/}but 
if I cannot find any 
meaning in what is said, 
I become a foreigner to 
the speaker, and the 
speaker to me.
{I}12_{/}As you set your 
heart on spiritual gifts, 
be eager to build the 
Church and you will 
receive abundantly. 
{I}13_{/}Because of this, 
those who speak in 
tongues should ask God 
for the ability to 
explain what they say.
{I}14_{/}When I am 
praying in tongues, my 
spirit prays, but my mind 
remains idle. 
{I}15_{/}What shall I do, 
then? I will pray with 
the spirit and I will 
pray with my mind. I will 
sing with the spirit and 
I will sing with the 
mind. {I}16_{/}If you 
praise God only with your 
spirit, how will the 
ordinary person add the 
"Amen" to your 
thanksgiving, since the 
outsider has not 
understood what you said? 
{I}17_{/}Your 
thanksgiving was indeed 
beautiful, but it was 
useless for others.
{I}18_{/}I give thanks to 
God because I speak in 
tongues more than all of 
you, {I}19_{/}but when I 
am in the assembly, I 
prefer to say five words 
from my mind, which may 
teach others, than ten 
thousand words in 
tongues.
{I}20_{/}Brothers and 
sisters, do not remain as 
children in your 
thinking. Be like infants 
in doing evil, but mature 
in your thinking. 
{I}21_{/}God says in the 
Law: I will speak to this 
people through those 
talking other tongues and 
through lips of 
foreigners, but even so 
they will not listen to 
me. {I}22_{/}So, speaking 
in tongues is significant 
for those who refuse to 
believe, not for those 
who believe, while 
prophecy is a sign for 
those who believe, not 
for those who refuse to 
believe.
{I}23_{/}Yet imagine that 
the whole Church is 
gathered together and all 
speak in tongues when 
unbelievers and 
uninformed people enter. 
What will they think? 
That you are crazy. 
{I}24_{/}Instead, suppose 
that each of you speaks 
as a prophet; as soon as 
an unbeliever or an 
uninformed person enters, 
all of you call him to 
account and disclose his 
most secret thinking. 
{I}25_{/}Then, falling on 
his face, he would be 
urged to worship God and 
declare that God is truly 
among you.
{I}26_{/}What then shall 
we conclude, brothers? 
When you gather, each of 
you can take part with a 
song, a teaching, or a 
revelation, by speaking 
in tongues or 
interpreting what has 
been said in tongues. But 
let all this build up the 
Church.
{I}27_{/}Are you going to 
speak in tongues? Let two 
or three, at most, speak, 
each in turn, and let one 
interpret what has been 
said. {I}28_{/}If there 
is no interpreter, hold 
your tongue in the 
assembly and speak to God 
by yourself.
{I}29_{/}As for the 
prophets, let two or 
three speak, with the 
others commenting on what 
has been said. 
{I}30_{/}If a revelation 
comes to one of those 
sitting by, let the first 
be silent. {I}31_{/}Even 
all of you could 
prophesy, one by one, for 
the instruction and 
encouragement of all. 
{I}32_{/}The spirits 
speaking through prophets 
are submitted to 
prophets, 
{I}33_{/}because God is 
not a God of confusion, 
but of peace.
{I}34_{/}(Let women be 
silent in the assemblies, 
as in all the churches of 
the saints. They are not 
allowed to speak. Let 
them be submissive as the 
Law commands. {I}35_{/}If 
there is anything they 
desire to know, let them 
consult their husbands at 
home. For it is shameful 
for a woman to speak in 
Church.)
{I}36_{/}Did the word of 
God, perhaps, come from 
you? or did it come only 
to you? {I}37_{/}Anyone 
among you who claims to 
be a prophet or a 
spiritual person, should 
acknowledge that what I 
am writing to you is the 
Lord's command. 
{I}38_{/}If he does not 
recognize that, God will 
not recognize him.
{I}39_{/}So, my friends, 
set your hearts on the 
gift of prophecy, and do 
not forbid speaking in 
tongues. 
{I}40_{/}However, 
everything should be done 
in a fitting and orderly 
way. 
RESURRECTION IS A FACT{/}

{1}15{/}

{I}1_{/}Let me remind 
you,  brothers and 
sisters, of the Good News 
that I preached to you 
and which you received 
and on which you stand 
firm. {I}2_{/}By that 
Gospel you are saved, 
provided that you hold to 
it as I preached it. 
Otherwise, you will have 
believed in vain.
{I}3_{/}In the first 
place, I have passed on 
to you what I myself 
received: that Christ 
died for our sins, as 
Scripture says; 
{I}4_{/}that he was 
buried; that he was 
raised on the third day, 
according to the 
Scriptures; {I}5_{/}that 
he appeared to Cephas and 
then to the Twelve. 
{I}6_{/}Afterwards he 
appeared to more than 
five hundred brothers and 
sisters together; most of 
them are still alive, 
although some have 
already gone to rest. 
{I}7_{/}Then he appeared 
to James and after that 
to all the apostles. 
{I}8_{/}And last of all, 
he appeared the most 
despicable of them, this 
is to me. {I}9_{/}For I 
am the last of the 
apostles, and I do not 
even deserve to be called 
an apostle, because I 
persecuted the Church of 
God. 
{I}10_{/}Nevertheless, by 
the grace of God, I am 
what I am, and his grace 
towards me has not been 
without fruit. Far from 
it, I have toiled more 
than all of them, 
although not I, rather 
the grace of God in me.
{I}11_{/}Now, whether it 
was I or they, this we 
preach and this you have 
believed. {I}12_{/}Well, 
then, if Christ is 
preached as risen from 
the dead, how can some of 
you say that there is no 
resurrection of the dead? 
{I}13_{/}If there is no 
resurrection of the dead, 
then Christ has not been 
raised. {I}14_{/}And if 
Christ has not been 
raised, our preaching is 
empty and our belief 
comes to nothing. 
{I}15{/}And we become 
false witnesses of God, 
attesting that he raised 
Christ, whereas he could 
not raise him if indeed 
the dead are not raised. 
{I}16_{/}If the dead are 
not raised, neither has 
Christ been raised. 
{I}17_{/}And if Christ 
has not been raised, your 
faith gives you nothing, 
and you are still in sin. 
{I}18_{/}Also those who 
fall asleep in Christ are 
lost. {I}19_{/}If it is 
only for this life that 
we hope in Christ, we are 
the most unfortunate of 
all people.
CHRIST GAVE US THE WAY{/}

{I}20_{/}But no, Christ 
has been raised from the 
dead and he comes before 
all those who have fallen 
asleep. {I}21_{/}A human 
being brought death; a 
human being also brings 
resurrection of the dead. 
{I}22_{/}All die for 
being Adam's, and in 
Christ all will receive 
life. {I}23_{/}However, 
each one in his own time: 
first Christ, then 
Christ's people, when he 
visits them.
{I}24_{/}Then the end 
will come, when Christ 
delivers the Kingdom to 
God the Father, after 
having destroyed every 
rule, authority and 
power. {I}25_{/}For he 
must reign and put all 
enemies under his feet. 
{I}26_{/}The last enemy 
to be destroyed will be 
death. {I}27_{/}As 
Scripture says: God has 
subjected everything 
under his feet.
When we say that 
everything is put under 
his feet, we exclude, of 
course, the Father who 
subjects everything to 
him. {I}28_{/}When the 
Father has subjected 
everything to him, the 
Son will place himself 
under the One who 
subjected everything to 
him. From then on, God 
will be all in all.
{I}29_{/}Tell me: what 
are these people doing 
who are baptized on 
behalf of the dead? If 
the dead cannot be 
raised, why do they want 
to be baptized for the 
dead?
{I}30_{/}As for us, why 
do we constantly risk our 
life? For death is my 
daily companion. 
{I}31_{/}I say that, 
brothers and sisters, 
before you who are my 
pride in Christ Jesus our 
Lord. {I}32_{/}Was it for 
human interest that I 
fought in Ephesus like a 
lion tamer? If the dead 
are not raised, let us 
eat and drink, for 
tomorrow we shall die!
{I}33_{/}Do not be 
deceived; bad theories 
corrupt good morals. Wake 
up, and do not sin, 
{I}34_{/}because some of 
you are outstandingly 
ignorant about God; I say 
this to your shame.
THE BODY AFTER THE 
RESURRECTION{/}

{I}35_{/}Some of you will 
ask: How will the dead be 
raised? With what kind of 
body will they come?
{I}36_{/}You fools! What 
you sow cannot sprout 
unless it dies. 
{I}37_{/}And what you sow 
is not the body of the 
future plant but a bare 
grain of wheat or any 
other seed, {I}38_{/}and 
God will give the 
appropriate body, as he 
gives to each seed its 
own body. {I}39_{/}Now 
look: not all flesh is 
the same; one is the 
flesh of human beings; 
another the flesh of 
animals, and still others 
the flesh of birds and of 
fish.{I} 40_{/}There are, 
likewise, heavenly bodies 
and earthly bodies, but 
the earthly bodies do not 
shine as do the heavenly 
ones. {I}41_{/}The 
brightness of the sun 
differs from the 
brightness of the moon 
and the stars, and the 
stars differ from one 
another in brightness.
{I}42_{/}It is the same 
with the resurrection of 
the dead. The body is 
sown in decomposition; it 
will be raised never more 
to die. {I}43_{/}It is 
sown in humiliation, and 
it will be raised for 
Glory. It is buried in 
weakness, but the 
resurrection shall be 
with power. When buried 
it is a natural body, but 
it will be raised as a 
spiritual body. 
{I}44_{/}For there shall 
be a spiritual body as 
there is at present a 
living body. 
{I}45_{/}Scripture says 
that Adam, the first 
human being, was given 
natural life; but the 
last Adam has become 
spirit that gives life.
{I}46_{/}The spirit does 
not appear first, but the 
natural life, and 
afterwards comes the 
spirit. {I}47_{/}The 
first man comes from the 
earth and is earthly, 
while the second one 
comes from heaven. 
{I}48_{/}As it was with 
the earthly one, so is it 
with the earthly people. 
As it is with Christ, so 
with the heavenly. 
{I}49_{/}This is why, 
after bearing the image 
of the earthly one, we 
shall also bear the image 
of the heavenly one.
THE DAY OF 
RESURRECTION{/}

{I}50_{/}This I say, 
brothers: Flesh and blood 
cannot share the kingdom 
of God; nothing of us 
that is to decay can 
reach imperishable life. 
{I}51_{/}So I want to 
teach you this mystery: 
although not all of us 
will die, all of us have 
to be transformed, 
{I}52_{/}in an instant, 
at the sound of the 
trumpet. You have heard 
of the last trumpet; then 
in the twinkling of an 
eye, the dead will be 
raised imperishable, 
while we shall be 
transformed. {I}53_{/}For 
it is necessary that our 
mortal and perishable 
being put on the life 
that knows neither death 
nor decay.
{I}54_{/}When our 
perishable being puts on 
imperishable life, when 
our mortal being puts on 
immortality, the word of 
Scripture will be 
fulfilled: Death 
has{I}_{/}been swallowed 
up by victory. 
{I}55_{/}Death, where is 
your victory? Death, 
where is your sting?
{I}56_{/}Sin is the sting 
of death to kill, and the 
Law is what gives force 
to sin. {I}57_{/}But give 
thanks to God who gives 
us the victory through 
Christ Jesus, our Lord.
{I}58_{/}So then, my dear 
brothers and sisters, be 
steadfast and do not be 
moved. Improve constantly 
in the work of the Lord, 
knowing that with him 
your labor is not without 
fruit.
COMMENDATIONS AND 
GREETINGS{/}

{1}16{/}

{I}1_{/}With regard to 
the  collection in favor 
of the saints, follow the 
rules that I gave to the 
churches of Galatia. 
{I}2_{/}Every Sunday, let 
each of you put aside 
what you are able to 
spare, so that no 
collection need be made 
when I come. {I}3_{/}Once 
I am with you, you will 
choose the persons whom I 
may accredit with letters 
to take your gifts to 
Jerusalem. {I}4_{/}And if 
it seems better for me to 
go, they will go with me.
{I}5_{/}I will visit you 
after passing through 
Macedonia, for I want to 
go only through 
Macedonia. {I}6_{/}I 
would like to stay with 
you for a while, and 
perhaps I will spend the 
winter so that you may 
help me on my way 
wherever I go. {I}7_{/}I 
do not want to see you 
now just in passing, for 
I really hope to stay 
with you, if the Lord 
permits. {I}8_{/}But I 
will stay in Ephesus 
until Pentecost, 
{I}9_{/}because I have a 
door wide open here, even 
though there are many 
opponents.
{I}10_{/}When Timothy 
comes, make him feel at 
ease with you. Consider 
that, like me, he is 
working for the Lord. 
{I}11_{/}Let no one look 
down on him. Help him 
continue his journey so 
that he may return to me 
without difficulties. I 
am expecting him with the 
brothers.
{I}12_{/}With respect to 
our brother Apollos, I 
have strongly urged him 
to visit you with the 
brothers, but he did not 
want to go at all; he 
will visit you at his 
first opportunity.
{I}13_{/}Be alert, stand 
firm in the faith, be 
courageous, be strong. 
{I}14_{/}Let love be in 
all. {I}15_{/}Now, 
brothers and sisters, you 
know that in Achaia, 
there is none better than 
Stephanas and his family 
and that they have 
devoted themselves to the 
service of the holy ones. 
{I}16_{/}I urge you to be 
subject to such persons 
and to anyone who works 
and toils with them.
{I}17_{/}I am glad about 
the coming of Stephanas, 
Fortunatus and Achaicus 
who were able to 
represent you. 
{I}18_{/}In fact, they 
appeased my spirit and 
yours. Appreciate persons 
like them.
{I}19_{/}The churches of 
Asia greet you. Aquila 
and Prisca greet you in 
the Lord, as does the 
church that gathers in 
their house. {I}20_{/}All 
the brothers and sisters 
greet you. Greet one 
another with a holy kiss.
{I}21_{/}The greeting is 
from me, Paul, in my own 
hand. {I}22_{/}A curse on 
anyone who does not love 
the Lord! Maranatha! 
Come, Lord!
{I}23_{/}The grace of the 
Lord Jesus be with you. 
{I}24_{/}My love to all 
in Christ Jesus.

