1 Corinthians 1
1Paul, called to be an apostlea of Christ Jesus by the will of God,b and our brother Sosthenes,c
2To the church of Godd in Corinth,e to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and calledf to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the nameg of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.h
Thanksgiving
4I always thank my God for youi because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enrichedj in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledgek— 6God thus confirming our testimonyl about Christ among you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual giftm as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.n 8He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blamelesso on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.p 9God is faithful,q who has called your into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.s
A Church Divided Over Leaders
10I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,,t in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you,u but that you be perfectly unitedv in mind and thought. 11My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s householdw have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”;x another, “I follow Apollos”;y another, “I follow Cephas”;z still another, “I follow Christ.”
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?a 14I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispusb and Gaius,c 15so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16(Yes, I also baptized the householdd of Stephanas;e beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize,f but to preach the gospel—not with wisdomg and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom
18For the message of the cross is foolishnessh to those who are perishing,i but to us who are being savedj it is the power of God.k 19For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”,l
20Where is the wise person?m Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?n Has not God made foolisho the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the worldp through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to saveq those who believe.r 22Jews demand signss and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified:t a stumbling blocku to Jews and foolishnessv to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called,w both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of Godx and the wisdom of God.y 25For the foolishnessz of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weaknessa of God is stronger than human strength.
26Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.b Not many of you were wisec by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chosed the foolishe things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are notf—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him.g 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,h who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,i holinessj and redemption.k 31Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”,l Article: Redemption
1 Corinthians 2
1And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdoma as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.b 3I came to youc in weaknessd with great fear and trembling.e 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,f but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,g 5so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.h
God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit
6We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,i but not the wisdom of this agej or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.k 7No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mysteryl that has been hiddenm and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8None of the rulers of this agen understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.o 9However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—p
10these are the things God has revealedq to us by his Spirit.r
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who knows a person’s thoughtss except their own spiritt within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12What we have received is not the spiritu of the world,v but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdomw but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of Godx but considers them foolishness,y and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15The person with the Spiritz makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”,a
But we have the mind of Christ.b
1 Corinthians 3
The Church and Its Leaders
1Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirita but as people who are still worldlyb—mere infantsc in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food,d for you were not yet ready for it.e Indeed, you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelingf among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”g are you not mere human beings?
5What, after all, is Apollos?h And what is Paul? Only servants,i through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed,j Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.k 9For we are co-workers in God’s service;l you are God’s field,m God’s building.n
10By the grace God has given me,o I laid a foundationp as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.q 12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13their work will be shown for what it is,r because the Days will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.t 14If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.u 15If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.v
16Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s templew and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?x 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
18Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wisey by the standards of this age,z you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishnessa in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”;b 20and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”,c 21So then, no more boasting about human leaders!d All things are yours,e 22whether Paul or Apollosf or Cephas,g or the world or life or death or the present or the futureh—all are yours, 23and you are of Christ,i and Christ is of God.
1 Corinthians 4
The Nature of True Apostleship
1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servantsa of Christ and as those entrustedb with the mysteriesc God has revealed. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscienced is clear, but that does not make me innocent.e It is the Lord who judges me.f 5Therefore judge nothingg before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.h He will bring to lighti what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.j
6Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”k Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.l 7For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?m And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!n You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to dieo in the arena. We have been made a spectaclep to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10We are fools for Christ,q but you are so wise in Christ!r We are weak, but you are strong!s You are honored, we are dishonored! 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.t 12We work hard with our own hands.u When we are cursed, we bless;v when we are persecuted,w we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbagex of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul’s Appeal and Warning
14I am writing this not to shame youy but to warn you as my dear children.z 15Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your fathera through the gospel.b 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.c 17For this reason I have sent to youd Timothy,e my sonf whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.g
18Some of you have become arrogant,h as if I were not coming to you.i 19But I will come to you very soon,j if the Lord is willing,k and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter ofl talk but of power.m 21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,n or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
1 Corinthians 5
Dealing With a Case of Incest
1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.a 2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourningb and have put out of your fellowshipc the man who has been doing this? 3For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit.d As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesuse on the one who has been doing this. 4So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man overf to Satang for the destruction of the flesh,, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.h
6Your boasting is not good.i Don’t you know that a little yeastj leavens the whole batch of dough?k 7Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.l 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened breadm of sincerity and truth.
9I wrote to you in my letter not to associaten with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this worldo who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister,p but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolaterq or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.r
12What business is it of mine to judge those outsides the church? Are you not to judge those inside?t 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”,u
1 Corinthians 6
Lawsuits Among Believers
1If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?a 2Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?b And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5I say this to shame you.c Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?d 6But instead, one brothere takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!f
7The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?g 8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.h 9Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?i Do not be deceived:j Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterersk nor men who have sex with men,l 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlersm will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were.n But you were washed,o you were sanctified,p you were justifiedq in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Sexual Immorality
12“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.r “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.”s The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord,t and the Lord for the body. 14By his power God raised the Lord from the dead,u and he will raise us also.v 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?w Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”,x 17But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.,y
18Flee from sexual immorality.z All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.a 19Do you not know that your bodies are templesb of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;c 20you were bought at a price.d Therefore honor God with your bodies.e
1 Corinthians 7
Concerning Married Life
1Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”a 2But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,b and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time,c so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satand will not tempt youe because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command.f 7I wish that all of you were as I am.g But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.h
8Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.i 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,j for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.k 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.l And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord):m If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.n
15But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.o 16How do you know, wife, whether you will savep your husband?q Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Concerning Change of Status
17Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.r This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.s 18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.t 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.u Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.v
21Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;w similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.x 23You were bought at a price;y do not become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.z
Concerning the Unmarried
25Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord,a but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercyb is trustworthy. 26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.c 27Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.d 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned;e and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
29What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.f From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.g
32I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairsh—how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.i But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undividedj devotion to the Lord.
36If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning.k They should get married. 37But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38So then, he who marries the virgin does right,l but he who does not marry her does better.
39A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives.m But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.n 40In my judgment,o she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 8
Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
1Now about food sacrificed to idols:a We know that “We all possess knowledge.”b But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2Those who think they know somethingc do not yet know as they ought to know.d 3But whoever loves God is known by God.,e
4So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:f We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”g and that “There is no God but one.”h 5For even if there are so-called gods,i whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6yet for us there is but one God,j the Father,k from whom all things camel and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord,m Jesus Christ, through whom all things camen and through whom we live.
7But not everyone possesses this knowledge.o Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak,p it is defiled. 8But food does not bring us near to God;q we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling blockr to the weak.s 10For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?t 11So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyedu by your knowledge. 12When you sin against themv in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.w 13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.x Photo
1 Corinthians 9
Paul’s Rights as an Apostle
1Am I not free?a Am I not an apostle?b Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?c Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?d 2Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seale of my apostleship in the Lord.
3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4Don’t we have the right to food and drink?f 5Don’t we have the right to take a believing wifeg along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothersh and Cephas?i 6Or is it only I and Barnabasj who lack the right to not work for a living?
7Who serves as a soldierk at his own expense? Who plants a vineyardl and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”,m Is it about oxen that God is concerned?n 10Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,o because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.p 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?q 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right.r On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinders the gospel of Christ.
13Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?t 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.u
15But I have not used any of these rights.v And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.w 16For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.x Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;y if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.z 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,a and so not make full use of my rightsb as a preacher of the gospel.
Paul’s Use of His Freedom
19Though I am freec and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,d to win as many as possible.e 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.f To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),g so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the lawh (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),i so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.j I have become all things to all peoplek so that by all possible means I might save some.l 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
The Need for Self-Discipline
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?m Runn in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crowno that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.p 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;q I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.r 27No, I strike a blow to my bodys and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.t Photo
1 Corinthians 10
Warnings From Israel’s History
1For I do not want you to be ignoranta of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloudb and that they all passed through the sea.c 2They were all baptized intod Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual foode 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rockf that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.g
6Now these things occurred as examplesh to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Do not be idolaters,i as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”,j 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.k 9We should not test Christ,,l as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.m 10And do not grumble, as some of them didn—and were killedo by the destroying angel.p
11These things happened to them as examplesq and were written down as warnings for us,r on whom the culmination of the ages has come.s 12So, if you think you are standing firm,t be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful;u he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.v But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper
14Therefore, my dear friends,w flee from idolatry.x 15I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we breaky a participation in the body of Christ?z 17Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body,a for we all share the one loaf.
18Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrificesb participate in the altar? 19Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?c 20No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,d not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.e 22Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?f Are we stronger than he?g
The Believer’s Freedom
23“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.h “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.i
25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,j 26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”,k
27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before youl without raising questions of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.m 29I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedomn being judged by another’s conscience? 30If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?o
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.p 32Do not cause anyone to stumble,q whether Jews, Greeks or the church of Godr— 33even as I try to please everyone in every way.s For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,t so that they may be saved.u
1 Corinthians 11
1Follow my example,a as I follow the example of Christ.b
On Covering the Head in Worship
2I praise youc for remembering me in everythingd and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.e 3But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ,f and the head of the woman is man,,g and the head of Christ is God.h 4Every man who prays or prophesiesi with his head covered dishonors his head. 5But every woman who prays or prophesiesj with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.k 6For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. Article: Paul’s Call for Head Coverings During Worship
7A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the imagel and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;m 9neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.n 10It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. 11Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.o Article: God’s Image and Glory in Men and Women
13Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. 16If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.p
Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper
11:23-25pp — Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24; Lk 22:17-20
17In the following directives I have no praise for you,q for your meetings do more harm than good. 18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisionsr among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.s 20So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.t As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of Godu by humiliating those who have nothing?v What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?w Certainly not in this matter!
23For I received from the Lordx what I also passed on to you:y The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body,z which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenanta in my blood;b do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.c
27So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.d 28Everyone ought to examine themselvese before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.f 31But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.g 32Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplinedh so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.i
33So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34Anyone who is hungryj should eat something at home,k so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I comel I will give further directions.
1 Corinthians 12
Concerning Spiritual Gifts
1Now about the gifts of the Spirit,a brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.b 2You know that when you were pagans,c somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.d 3Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”e and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”f except by the Holy Spirit.g
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirith distributes them. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyonei it is the same Godj at work.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.k 8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,l to another a message of knowledgem by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faithn by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healingo by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers,p to another prophecy,q to another distinguishing between spirits,r to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,,s and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,t and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Unity and Diversity in the Body
12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,u so it is with Christ.v 13For we were all baptizedw by one Spiritx so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or freey—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.z 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.a
15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has placedb the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.c 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.d
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ,e and each one of you is a part of it.f 28And God has placed in the churchg first of all apostles,h second prophets,i third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,j of helping, of guidance,k and of different kinds of tongues.l 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues?m Do all interpret? 31Now eagerly desiren the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
1 Corinthians 13
1If I speak in the tongues,a of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecyb and can fathom all mysteriesc and all knowledge,d and if I have a faithe that can move mountains,f but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poorg and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,,h but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient,i love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.j 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,k it is not easily angered,l it keeps no record of wrongs.m 6Love does not delight in eviln but rejoices with the truth.o 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.p
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,q they will cease; where there are tongues,r they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in parts and we prophesy in part, 10but when completeness comes,t what is in part disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhoodu behind me. 12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;v then we shall see face to face.w Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.x
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.y But the greatest of these is love.z
1 Corinthians 14
Intelligibility in Worship
1Follow the way of lovea and eagerly desireb gifts of the Spirit,c especially prophecy.d 2For anyone who speaks in a tongue,e does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them;f they utter mysteriesg by the Spirit. 3But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,h encouragingi and comfort. 4Anyone who speaks in a tonguej edifiesk themselves, but the one who prophesiesl edifies the church. 5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.m The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.n
6Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelationo or knowledgep or prophecy or word of instruction?q 7Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?r 9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.s 12So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit,t try to excel in those that build upu the church.
13For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.v 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,w but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,x but I will also pray with my understanding; I will singy with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen”z to your thanksgiving,a since they do not know what you are saying? 17You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.b
18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.c
20Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.d In regard to evil be infants,e but in your thinking be adults. 21In the Lawf it is written:
“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,g
says the Lord.”
22Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,h however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?i 24But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25as the secretsj of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”k
Good Order in Worship
26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?l When you come together, each of youm has a hymn,n or a word of instruction,o a revelation, a tonguep or an interpretation.q Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.r 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29Two or three prophetss should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.t 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.u 33For God is not a God of disorderv but of peacew—as in all the congregationsx of the Lord’s people.y
34Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak,z but must be in submission,a as the lawb says. 35If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Article: Women Remaining Silent
36Or did the word of Godc originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anyone thinks they are a prophetd or otherwise gifted by the Spirit,e let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.f 38But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.
39Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eagerg to prophesy,h and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything should be done in a fitting and orderlyi way.
1 Corinthians 15
The Resurrection of Christ
1Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospela I preached to you,b which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved,c if you hold firmlyd to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I receivede I passed on to youf as of first importance: that Christ died for our sinsg according to the Scriptures,h 4that he was buried,i that he was raisedj on the third dayk according to the Scriptures,l 5and that he appeared to Cephas,,m and then to the Twelve.n 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.o 7Then he appeared to James,p then to all the apostles,q 8and last of all he appeared to me also,r as to one abnormally born.
9For I am the least of the apostless and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecutedt the church of God.u 10But by the gracev of God I am what I am, and his grace to mew was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of themx—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.y 11Whether, then, it is I or they,z this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,a how can some of you say that there is no resurrectionb of the dead?c 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised,d our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.e But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.f 18Then those also who have fallen asleepg in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.h Article: Early Gnosticism
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,i the firstfruitsj of those who have fallen asleep.k 21For since death came through a man,l the resurrection of the deadm comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.n 23But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;o then, when he comes,p those who belong to him.q 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdomr to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.s 25For he must reignt until he has put all his enemies under his feet.u 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.v 27For he “has put everything under his feet.”,w Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.x 28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,y so that God may be all in all.z
29Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?a 31I face death every dayb—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If I fought wild beastsc in Ephesusd with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”,e
33Do not be misled:f “Bad company corrupts good character.”,g 34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of Godh—I say this to your shame.i
The Resurrection Body
35But someone will ask,j “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”k 36How foolish!l What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.m 37When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.n 39Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41The sun has one kind of splendor,o the moon another and the stars another;p and star differs from star in splendor.
42So will it beq with the resurrection of the dead.r The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;s 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;t it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.u
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”;v the last Adam,w a life-giving spirit.x 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.y 47The first man was of the dust of the earth;z the second man is of heaven.a 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.b 49And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,c so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.d
50I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and bloode cannot inherit the kingdom of God,f nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.g 51Listen, I tell you a mystery:h We will not all sleep,i but we will all be changedj— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,k the deadl will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishablem must clothe itself with the imperishable,n and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”,o
55“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”,p
56The sting of death is sin,q and the power of sin is the law.r 57But thanks be to God!s He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.t
58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,u because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.v
1 Corinthians 16
The Collection for the Lord’s People
1Now about the collectiona for the Lord’s people:b Do what I told the Galatianc churches to do. 2On the first day of every week,d each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.e 3Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approvef and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
Personal Requests
5After I go through Macedonia, I will come to youg—for I will be going through Macedonia.h 6Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey,i wherever I go. 7For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.j 8But I will stay on at Ephesusk until Pentecost,l 9because a great door for effective work has opened to me,m and there are many who oppose me.
10When Timothyn comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord,o just as I am. 11No one, then, should treat him with contempt.p Send him on his wayq in peacer so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
12Now about our brother Apollos:s I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
13Be on your guard; stand firmt in the faith; be courageous; be strong.u 14Do everything in love.v
15You know that the household of Stephanasw were the first convertsx in Achaia,y and they have devoted themselves to the servicez of the Lord’s people.a I urge you, brothers and sisters, 16to submitb to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. 17I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.c 18For they refreshedd my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.e
Final Greetings
19The churches in the province of Asiaf send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla,g greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.h 20All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.i
21I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.j
22If anyone does not love the Lord,k let that person be cursed!l Come, Lord!m
23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.n
24My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1 1:10 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 11 and 26; and in 2:1; 3:1; 4:6; 6:8; 7:24,29; 10:1; 11:33; 12:1; 14:6,20,26,39; 15:1,6,50,58; 16:15,20.
1 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery
3 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
1 5:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
3 5:11 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 8:11,13.
1 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.
2 7:36 Or if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage
3 7:36-38 Or 36If anyone thinks he is not treating his daughter properly, and if she is getting along in years (or if her passions are too strong), and he feels she ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. He should let her get married. 37But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind to keep the virgin unmarried—this man also does the right thing. 38So then, he who gives his virgin in marriage does right, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
1 8:2,3 An early manuscript and another ancient witness think they have knowledge do not yet know as they ought to know. 3But whoever loves truly knows.
2 10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord
3 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
4 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
5 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
1 11:3 Or of the wife is her husband
2 11:4-7 Or 4Every man who prays or prophesies with long hair dishonors his head. 5But every woman who prays or prophesies with no covering of hair dishonors her head—she is just like one of the “shorn women.” 6If a woman has no covering, let her be for now with short hair; but since it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved, she should grow it again. 7A man ought not to have long hair
3 11:10 Or have a sign of authority on her
1 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
2 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
4 12:30 Or other languages
2 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames
1 14:2 Or in another language; also in verses 4,13,14,19,26 and 27
2 14:5 Or in other languages; also in verses 6,18,22,23 and 39
3 14:5 Or in other languages; also in verses 6,18,22,23 and 39
4 14:16 The Greek word for inquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24.
6 14:33,34 Or peace. As in all the congregations of the Lord’s people, 34women
7 14:34,35 In a few manuscripts these verses come after verse 40.
8 14:38 Some manuscripts But anyone who is ignorant of this will be ignorant
1 15:3 Or you at the first
5 15:33 From the Greek poet Menander
7 15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us
1 16:19 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
2 16:22 The Greek for Come, Lord reproduces an Aramaic expression (Marana tha) used by early Christians.
3 16:24 Some manuscripts do not have Amen.
1:1 Paul. See notes on Ac 13:9; Ro 1:1. apostle of Christ Jesus. See notes on Mk 6:30; Heb 3:1. Paul uses this title in nine of his thirteen letters to establish his authority as Christ’s messenger—an authority that had been challenged (ch. 9; 2Co 11). He reinforces his authority by adding “by the will of God” (15:9–11; Ac 9:1–16; 13:2; 18:9–10; 22:6–21; 26:12–18). Sosthenes. Perhaps the synagogue ruler at Corinth who was assaulted by the Greeks (Ac 18:17). If so, he obviously became a Christian—possibly while Paul was preaching at Corinth (Ac 18:18) or during Apollos’s ministry there (Ac 19:1).
1:2 church of God. Used only by Paul and only in Ac 20:28, here and in 2Co 1:1. Its OT counterpart is the expression “assembly (or community) of the LORD” (Dt 23:1; see Nu 16:3; 20:4; 1Ch 28:8). sanctified in Christ Jesus. Consecrated to the service of God through Christ’s saving action in their lives—as Jesus had “sanctified” himself (see Jn 17:19 and note; see also Jn 17:17 and NIV text note). Such consecration to God’s service marks them as “holy” (set apart for God; see Ex 3:5; 19:6; Ro 6:22 and notes) and requires that they be morally “holy” (see Lev 11:44 and note). everywhere. See note on 1Th 1:8.
1:3 Grace and peace. See Ro 1:7 and note. Lord Jesus Christ. See note on 1Th 1:1.
1:5 speech and . . . knowledge. Gifts of the Spirit (see 12:8–10 and notes; see also 2Co 8:7).
1:6 confirming. Paul’s preaching about Christ had been accepted by the Corinthians, and their changed lives had proved it to be true.
1:7 any spiritual gift. Probably refers to the spiritual gifts of chs. 12–14. According to those chapters, a “spiritual” gift is some capability given through the Holy Spirit that enables one to minister to the needs of Christ’s body, the church (12:7–11; 14:3,12,17). The Greek word used here stresses that it is a gift of grace. Paul encourages the church for their many spiritual gifts, though he will later correct them for their misuse of these gifts (chs. 12,14). Like a good mentor, he commends before criticizing.
1:8 He. God the Father (v. 9). end. Of the age, when Christ comes again. on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. When he returns (v. 7; see Php 1:6 and note).
1:9 God is faithful. He may be trusted to do what he has promised (see 1Th 5:24 and note), namely, to keep believers “firm to the end” (v. 8; see note there).
1:10—4:21 The first four chapters, the longest section in the letter, concern disunity and division in the church at Corinth.
1:12 Apollos. He had carried on a fruitful ministry in Corinth (see Ac 18:24—19:1 and notes). Cephas. See NIV text notes here and on Jn 1:42. Those who followed Cephas in Corinth may have been Jewish Christians. I follow Christ. This group probably tried to sound superior by claiming allegiance to Christ alone. But like the others, they did so in a contentious manner.
1:14 Crispus. Probably the synagogue ruler mentioned in Ac 18:8. Gaius. Probably the Gaius referred to in Ro 16:23.
1:16 household. Other examples of households being baptized are those of Cornelius (Ac 10:24,48), Lydia (Ac 16:15) and the Philippian jailer (Ac 16:33–34). The term may include family members, servants or anyone else who lived in the house (cf. Ge 17:12–13,23). household of Stephanas. See 16:15 and note.
1:17 not . . . to baptize. Paul is not minimizing baptism; rather, he is asserting that his God-given task was primarily to preach. Jesus (Jn 4:2) and Peter (Ac 10:48) also had others baptize for them. wisdom and eloquence. Or “words of wisdom”; or “impressive speech.” Paul’s mission was not to couch the gospel in the language of a trained orator, one who applied the special rhetorical techniques of persuasion that had been developed by the rabbis among the Jews and by the philosophers among the Greeks (in Corinth, especially the Sophists). emptied of its power. This does not mean that the authentic gospel message could ever lose its power, but that eloquent speech that distorts the message to flatter or persuade others will lose the transforming power of the scandalous message of the cross.
1:18 message of the cross . . . is the power of God. It has the power to transform lives (see Ro 1:16 and note).
1:19 Paul loosely quotes the Septuagint (pre-Christian Greek) translation of God’s word to Jerusalem in Isa 29:14 and applies these words again in a new context. the wise. Aristides said that on every street in Corinth one met a so-called wise man, who had his own solutions to humanity’s problems.
1:20 the wise person. Probably a reference to Gentile philosophers in general. teacher of the law. See note on Mt 2:4. philosopher of this age. Probably refers to the Greek Sophists, who engaged in long and rhetorically complex disputes. God made foolish the wisdom of the world. All merely humanly devised philosophical and ideological systems ultimately fail to satisfy because they have an inadequate concept of God and his revelation.
1:21 wisdom . . . foolishness. Jesus expresses a similar thought in Lk 10:21. It is God’s intention that worldly wisdom should not be the means of knowing him. foolishness of what was preached. Not that preaching is foolish, but that the message being preached (Christ crucified) is viewed by “the world” (both Jews and Greeks) as foolish.
1:22 Jews demand signs. They want to see a display of divine power effecting their deliverance (Mt 12:38; 16:1,4; Mk 8:11–12; Jn 2:18; 6:30). Greeks look for wisdom. Specifically, they look for the kind of insight into the workings of the world that would relieve humanity of its woes.
1:23 Christ crucified. See 2:2. stumbling block to Jews. They expected a triumphant, political Messiah (see Ac 1:6 and note), not a crucified one. For use of the metaphor “stumbling block” in reference to the Jews, see Ro 11:9; cf. Ro 9:32–33; 1Pe 2:8. foolishness to Gentiles. Greeks and Romans were sure that no reputable person would be crucified, so it was unthinkable that one who was crucified as a criminal could be the world’s Savior.
1:24 power. See Ro 1:4,16. wisdom. See v. 30. The crucified Christ is the power and the wisdom of God that saves. He provides true wisdom and saving power, the deepest longings of both Greeks and Jews (cf. “Jews and . . . Gentiles” in v. 23).
1:26–31 The Corinthian Christians were living proof that salvation does not depend on anything in themselves, so that those who are saved can only “boast in the Lord” (v. 31). Their salvation did not spring from the cleverness of human intellect or the centers of human power but from the free grace of God. Compare Paul’s elaboration of this theme with the song of Hannah (1Sa 2:1–10) and the song of Mary (Lk 1:46–55).
1:30 because of him . . . you are in Christ. It is God who has called you to union and communion with Christ. in Christ. See note on Eph 1:1. righteousness. It is by faith in Christ that we are justified (declared righteous); see Ro 3:24 and note; 5:19. holiness. See note on v. 2. redemption. Freedom from slavery to sin (see note on Ro 3:24 and article).
2:1 brothers and sisters. See NIV text note on 1:10. When I came to you. On his initial trip to Corinth c. ad 51 (Ac 18). not . . . with eloquence or human wisdom. See note on 1:17.
2:2 know nothing . . . except Jesus Christ. Paul resolved to make Christ and the message of the cross the central theme of all his teaching and preaching while he was with them. Jesus Christ. See 1:30. him crucified. See 1:17–18,23.
2:3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. Paul may be referring here to an illness or other physical problem he experienced. Or, as in Athens, he may have been “greatly distressed” (Ac 17:16) by the idolatry and immorality of Corinth and overwhelmed by the task of evangelizing the city.
2:4 not with wise and persuasive words. This does not give preachers a license to neglect study and preparation. Paul’s letters reveal a great deal of knowledge in many areas of learning, and his eloquence is apparent in his address before the Areopagus (see Ac 17:22–31 and notes). Paul’s point is that unless the Holy Spirit works in a listener’s heart, the wisdom and eloquence of a preacher are ineffective. Paul’s confidence as a preacher did not rest on intellectual and oratorical ability, as did that of the Jewish rabbis and the Greek orators (see note on 1:17). demonstration. The Greek word is used of producing proofs in an argument in court. Paul’s preaching was marked by the convincing demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit.
2:6–14 A contrast between Christians and non-Christians.
2:7 mystery. Cf. Ro 11:25; Eph 3:3; 1Ti 3:16 and notes. The secret, or “mystery,” was once hidden but is now known because God has revealed it to his people (v. 10). To unbelievers it is still hidden. for our glory. God’s wisdom will cause every believer to share eventually in Christ’s glory (see Ro 8:17 and note). before time began. See Ro 8:29–30; Eph 1:4; 2Ti 1:9 and notes; see also Jn 17:24.
2:8 rulers of this age. Such as the chief priests (Lk 24:20), Pilate and Herod Antipas (cf. Ac 4:27). crucified the Lord of glory. The cross is here contrasted with the majesty of the victim.
2:9 things God has prepared. Probably not to be limited to either present or future blessing; both are involved (cf. vv. 7,12).
2:10 Spirit searches all things. Not in order to know them, for he knows all things. Instead, he comprehends the depth of God’s nature and his plans of grace, so that he is fully competent to make the revelation claimed here. deep things of God. See Ro 11:33–36 and note; cf. Rev 2:24.
2:11 no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit. See Ro 8:26–27 and notes.
2:12 spirit of the world. Cf. v. 6 (“wisdom of this age”); the spirit of human wisdom as alienated from God—the attitude of sinful humanity (see Ro 8:5–8 and note).
2:13 words taught by the Spirit. The message Paul proclaimed was expressed in words given by the Holy Spirit. Thus spiritual truth was aptly combined with Spirit-taught words (but see NIV text note for a different interpretation).
2:14 person without the Spirit. Described in Jude 19 as one who follows “mere natural instincts” (cf. Ro 8:9). The non-Christian is governed in thought and life by an unrenewed, worldly heart. Such persons are not yet transformed by the Holy Spirit and are not equipped to receive appreciatively truth that comes from the Spirit. They need the new birth (see Jn 3:8; Titus 3:5 and notes). foolishness. See 1:18.
2:15 person with the Spirit. Renewed by the Spirit (mature, v. 6). not subject to merely human judgments. One who does not have the Spirit is not qualified to judge anyone who has the Spirit.
3:1–4 Here the contrast shifts to two kinds of Christians. The Corinthians were still worldly believers (vv. 1–2), and the proof of their immaturity was their division over human leaders (vv. 3–4).
3:3 like mere humans. Like people of the world instead of people of God. They were following merely human standards.
3:4 I follow Paul . . . Apollos. See 1:12.
3:6 I planted. See Ac 18:4–11. Paul’s work was of a pioneer nature, preaching where churches had not yet been planted (2Co 10:13–16; Ro 15:20–21). Apollos watered. See Ac 18:24–28. Apollos worked in the established church, teaching and encouraging the converts Paul had won.
3:9 God’s field. The people are God’s farmland. God’s building. They are also depicted more specifically as God’s temple (vv. 16–17). Paul’s choice of metaphors accords with the fact that in the ancient world planting the land and building a house (or city or temple) were traditionally the two basic focal points of human industry.
3:10 I laid a foundation. By preaching Christ and him crucified (2:2). someone else. Apollos—and possibly others.
3:12 gold, silver, costly stones. Precious, durable work that stands the test of divine judgment; symbolic of pure Christian doctrine and living. wood, hay or straw. Worthless work that has no spiritual or eternal value.
3:13 This is one of the few NT passages concerning the Christian’s rewards (see article). Cf. 4:5; 2Co 5:10 and note. the Day. When Christ returns. See 1:8 and note. fire. God’s judgment. The work of some believers will stand the test while that of others will disappear—emphasizing the importance of teaching the pure word of God.
3:15 loss. Of reward (v. 14). as one escaping through the flames. Perhaps a Greek proverbial phrase, meaning “by a narrow escape,” with one’s work burned up by the fire of God’s holy justice and judgment (cf. Zec 3:2 and note).
3:16 God’s temple. Here Paul speaks of the church as “God’s temple” (see Eph 2:21–22 and notes). He says, “You yourselves (plural) are God’s temple (singular),” and the “you” of v. 17 is also plural. In 6:19 he speaks of each Christian as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
3:17 If anyone destroys God’s temple. Or, “if anyone tries to destroy God’s temple.” The church worldwide cannot be destroyed (Mt 16:18–19) but individual congregations can be destroyed. God will destroy that person. Such a foolish laborer is not one of the Lord’s true servants and suffers a worse end than the “builder” of v. 15. In the context of chs. 1–4 Paul here refers to people who tear the local church apart by factions and quarrels concerning their understanding of the gospel (1:11–12). sacred. Holy, set apart for God’s use and glory (see note on 1:2); so do not desecrate the church by breaking it up into various factions.
3:18 become “fools.” Turn away from human wisdom (from being “wise by the standards of this age”) and accept the “foolish” message of the cross. Cf. 1:18. become wise. Cf. 1:21,24 and notes.
3:21 about human leaders. About being some particular “builder’s” disciple (see 1:12 and note; 3:4; cf. 1:31; 4:6). All things are yours. Because of their relationship to God through Christ (v. 23), they are heirs of all things (see Ro 8:17 and note)—heirs of the ministries of all those who faithfully promote the gospel, and also of everything over which God and Christ hold sovereign rule, namely, all those things that the philosophers of this world claim to have mastered by their wisdom.
3:23 you are of Christ. You are united with and belong to Christ (see 1:30 and note). Christ is of God. Christ is in union with God the Father and perfectly fulfills God’s will (see Jn 4:34; 10:30 and notes).
4:1 those entrusted. The Greek underlying this phrase means “house manager” or “steward.” mysteries. Things that human wisdom could not discover but that are now revealed by God to his people (see 2:7 and note).
4:6 brothers and sisters. See NIV text note on 1:10. these things. See 3:5—4:5. the saying. Perhaps a rabbinic proverb meaning not to go beyond the teaching of Scripture. what is written. This phrase in Paul always refers to the OT Scriptures and here may point back to the six OT quotations previously cited in the letter (1:19,31; 2:9,16; 3:19,20), most of which refer to boasting in human wisdom. The Corinthian believers should view even Paul and Apollos in light of what the OT has to say about human weakness and limitations. puffed up. Pride is one of the root causes of divisions. Paul uses the same term to discourage pride at 4:18–19; 5:2; 8:1; 13:4.
4:8 Paul uses irony and sarcasm here to get the Corinthians to see how poor they really are in comparison with apostles because of their haughtiness and spiritual immaturity. have become rich. Cf. 1:5; 2Co 9:11. have begun to reign. They think they already participate fully in Christ’s reign (see Ro 5:17 and note; 2Ti 2:12) and have no need of an apostle’s ministry.
4:9 apostles. See note on 1:1. spectacle. “Theater” is derived from the Greek word used here. Paul refers to the triumphal procession of a victorious Roman general with captives of war bringing up the rear—men condemned to die in the arena in mortal combat with gladiators or with ferocious beasts. He pictures all the world and even angels looking on while the apostles are brought in last to fight to the death.
4:10 you are so wise . . . strong. More irony and sarcasm.
4:11–13 A graphic description of Paul’s condition right up to the writing of this letter (cf. 2Co 11:23–28).
4:14 my dear children. See v. 15.
4:17 I have sent to you Timothy. Apparently Timothy had already begun his journey to Corinth by way of Macedonia (see 16:10 and note).
4:18 Some of you. Some of the Corinthians who were trying to undercut Paul’s authority (9:1–3) were teaching that he was unstable (see 2Co 1:17 and note) and that his ministry was worthless (see 2Co 10:10 and note; cf. 12:11–12 and notes).
4:20 kingdom of God. God’s present reign in the lives of his people (cf. note on Mt 3:2)—that dynamic new life in Christ (see 2Co 5:17 and note), the power of the new birth (Jn 3:3–8), showing itself in a humble life, dedicated to Christ and his mission. not . . . of talk but of power. Empty talk is contrasted with the genuine power of the Holy Spirit. power. See 1:24 and note.
4:21 with a rod of discipline. Paul is speaking metaphorically. In OT wisdom literature, the “rod” is the instrument used by a father to drive folly out of children and so save them from worse consequences (Pr 22:15; 23:13–14). See 2Co 1:24; 2:1; 13:2,10 and notes.
5:1 even pagans do not tolerate. The Roman orator Cicero states that incest was practically unheard of in Roman society. his father’s wife. That this expression was used rather than “his mother” suggests that the woman was his stepmother. She may have been considerably younger than his father. The OT prohibited such sexual relations (see Lev 18:8; Dt 22:30 and notes).
5:2 proud. This could mean they were proud despite the man’s behavior (and so were tolerating sin) or they were proud because of the man’s behavior, in which case they were condoning it on the basis of their liberty in Christ—a distortion of grace (cf. Ro 6:1–2 and note on 6:1). put out of your fellowship. Excommunicated from the church (cf. Jn 9:22).
5:3 in the name of our Lord Jesus. By his authority.
5:4 the power of our Lord Jesus is present. Jesus’ power is present through his word and his Holy Spirit.
5:5 hand this man over to Satan. Abandon this sinful man to the devil by expelling him from the church (see v. 13; see also vv. 2,7,11). To expel him was to put him out in the devil’s territory, severed from regular Christian fellowship (cf. note on 1Ti 1:20). for the destruction of the flesh. So that being officially ostracized from the church will cause the man such anguish that he will repent and forsake his wicked way. For an alternative interpretation, see second NIV text note. In the latter view, Satan is allowed to bring physical affliction on the man, which would bring him to repentance. He might even be allowed to die, but as a Christian he would still be saved in eternity. his spirit . . . saved. Cf. 3:15. day of the Lord. When Christ returns (1:7).
5:6 a little yeast . . . the whole batch of dough. To illustrate Christian holiness and discipline, Paul alludes to the prohibition against the use of leaven (a lump of raw dough containing yeast) in the bread eaten in the Passover Festival (see Ex 12:15 and note). Leaven in Scripture usually symbolizes evil or sin (see Mk 8:15 and note), and the church here is called on to get rid of the leaven of sin (v. 8) because its members are an unleavened batch of dough—new creations in Christ (see 2Co 5:17 and note).
5:7 Get rid of the old yeast. Perhaps refers to the Passover custom of sweeping all the (leavened) bread crumbs out of one’s house before preparing the Passover meal. a new unleavened batch—as you really are. Already sanctified in God’s sight (see 1:2 and note; 6:11), Paul calls on them to become holy in conduct. Christ, our Passover lamb. In his death on the cross, Christ fulfilled the true meaning of the Jewish sacrifice of the Passover lamb (cf. Jn 1:29 and note). Christ, the Lamb of God, was crucified during Passover (cf. Ex 12:8).
5:8 let us keep the Festival. Keeping the Festival of Unleavened Bread (which followed Passover; see chart) symbolized living the Christian life in holy dedication to God and not getting involved in such sins as malice, wickedness and incestuous relations.
5:9 I wrote to you in my letter. Paul here clarifies a previous letter (one not preserved). Some in the Corinthian church mistook that letter to mean that on separating from sin, they should disassociate themselves from all immoral persons, including non-Christian people. Instead, Paul meant that they should separate from immoral persons who were within the church itself (vv. 10–11).
5:11 Do not even eat with such people. Eating with a person often implied approval of their beliefs or practices (cf. 11:27–34). Calling oneself a Christian while continuing to live an immoral life is reprehensible and degrading and gives a false testimony to Christ. If the true Christian has intimate association with someone who does this, the non-Christian world may assume that the church approves such immoral, ungodly living, and thus the name of Christ would be dishonored. Questions could arise concerning the true character of the Christian’s own testimony (cf. Ro 16:17–18; see also 2Th 3:6,14–15 and notes).
5:12 judge those inside. The church is to exercise spiritual discernment and discipline over the professing believers in the church (cf. Mt 18:15–18), but it is not to attempt to judge those outside its membership. There are governing authorities in place to judge them (see Ro 13:1–5 and notes), and their ultimate judge is God (v. 13; cf. Rev 20:11–15).
6:1 a dispute with another. Paul seems to be talking about various kinds of civil court cases here (cf. the phrase “rather be cheated,” v. 7), not criminal cases that should be handled by the state (Ro 13:3–4). ungodly. Meaning unbelievers as opposed to believers. It does not necessarily mean these judges are immoral or unjust. before the Lord’s people. The Corinthians should take their property and other civil cases before qualified Christians for settlement. In Paul’s day the Romans allowed the Jews to apply their own law in such matters, and since the Romans did not yet consider Christians as a separate class from the Jews, Christians no doubt had the same rights.
6:2 the Lord’s people will judge the world. As those who share in Christ’s reign (cf. Mt 19:28; 2Ti 2:12; Rev 20:4). competent to judge trivial cases. Paul views believers as fully competent to judge cases where Christians have claims against each other, because they view matters from a godly vantage point. In comparison with their future role in the judgment of the world and of angels (v. 3), judgments concerning things of this life are insignificant.
6:4 those whose way of life is scorned in the church. The verse asks ironically whether believers should submit their cases to pagan judges, who really are not qualified to decide on cases between Christians.
6:7 completely defeated already. Most likely by greed, retaliation and hatred, instead of practicing unselfishness, forgiveness and love—even willingness to suffer loss.
6:11 some of you were. But. While these sins (and any sin) are enough to exclude people from the kingdom of God (v. 10), God washes, sanctifies and justifies us “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” and “by the Spirit of our God” (vv. 9–10). “Washes” comes from an OT motif of purity rituals, whereby unclean people or things can become clean by washing with water. sanctified. Made holy or pure, as God is pure. See 1:2 and note. justified. Declared righteous or not guilty. See Ro 3:24 and note.
6:12 “I have the right to do anything.” Paul may be quoting some in the Corinthian congregation who boasted that they had a right to do anything they pleased because salvation came as a free gift (see v. 13; 7:1; 10:23 and notes). The apostle counters by observing that such “freedom” of action may not benefit the Christian. not be mastered by anything. One may become enslaved by those actions in which one “freely” chooses to indulge. See 2Pe 2:19 and note; see also chs. 8–10.
6:13 “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” Paul quotes some Corinthians again who were claiming that as the physical acts of eating and digesting food have no bearing on one’s inner spiritual life, so the physical act of promiscuous sexual activity does not affect one’s spiritual life. The body . . . is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord. Some Corinthians claimed that there was no resurrection of the body (15:12), or that their resurrection had already occurred in a spiritual sense, so it did not matter what one did with one’s body. Paul here declares the dignity of the human body: It is intended for the Lord and will be raised. Although granting that food and the stomach are transitory, Paul denies that what one does with one’s body is unimportant (see v. 19 and note). This is particularly true of the use of sex (vv. 18–19), which the Lord has appointed for use in the man-woman relationship in marriage (see 7:2–5; cf. Heb 13:4).
6:14 God raised the Lord . . . us also. As an illustration of God’s high regard for the body, Paul cites the resurrection of Christ’s body and, eventually, of the believer’s body (15:51–53; 1Th 4:16–17). A body destined for resurrection should not be used for immorality.
6:15 members of Christ. See 12:27. It is not merely the spirit that is a member of Christ’s body; it is the whole person, consisting of spirit and body. This fact gives dignity to the human body.
6:16 one with her in body. Paul’s point is that a sexual relationship is more than just a physical act. It is also a spiritual union where a man and a woman become “one flesh” (cf. Ge 2:24; Mt 19:4–5). Sexual relations outside the marriage bond are a distortion of the divinely established marriage union.
6:17 one with him in spirit. There is a higher union than the marriage bond: the believer’s spiritual union with Christ, which is the perfect model for the kind of unity that should mark the marriage relationship (cf. Eph 5:21–33 and notes on 5:23,32).
6:18 Flee. The Greek for this imperative may suggest that one must continually run away from sexual sinning (advice particularly needed in Corinth). Cf. Ge 39:12; 2Ti 2:22. outside the body . . . against their own body. Numerous personal sins hurt one’s body—e.g., alcoholism, drug abuse, self-mutilation and, obviously, suicide. But the Greek for “body” (soma) can refer to someone in an intimate interpersonal relationship, which is precisely what sexual relations involve (Ge 2:24). See Introduction: City of Corinth: (4) Its immorality. whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. The body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (v. 19); thus to use it in prostitution (see notes on Ge 20:9; Ex 34:15) disgraces God’s temple.
6:19 your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Cf. note on 3:16. The body is therefore sacred and is to be treated as sacred (holy). Christians should also realize that by the Spirit’s presence and power they can be helped against such sins as sexual immorality (Ro 8:9). not your own. Cf. 1Pe 2:9 and note.
7:1 matters you wrote about. The Corinthians had written Paul, asking him about a number of vexing topics that Paul addresses in turn (8:1; 12:1; 16:1). “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” The best understanding of this statement is that Paul is again (see notes on 6:12–13,18) quoting a slogan of the Corinthians. He refutes this idea in v. 2 by stating that sexual relations have their proper expression in marriage.
7:3 fulfill . . . marital duty. Married couples should have regular sexual relations. Permanent abstention deprives the other partner of his or her natural right (v. 5).
7:4 In the same way. Both husband and wife have conjugal rights and exclusive possession of the other in this area. This was highly countercultural in the Greco-Roman world, where women were expected to be faithful to their spouses but men were not, often keeping mistresses and frequenting prostitutes.
7:5 Do not deprive each other. Of sexual fulfillment. Satan . . . not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. The Christian deprived of regular sexual activity with his or her marriage partner may be tempted by Satan to sexual immorality.
7:6 concession, not as a command. The concession is either (1) that Paul, though preferring singleness, allows for marriage (v. 2), or (2) that while encouraging regular sexual relations among married couples, he allows for abstinence for a certain period of time (v. 5).
7:7 as I am. Unmarried. Paul views his currently celibate lifestyle as a “gift from God” that made it possible for him to accept his unmarried state and use it in the service of his Lord.
7:8 A distinctively masculine form of the word for widow had not yet developed in first-century Greek, so Paul may be using this masculine form for “unmarried” to mean “widowers” (see NIV text note). After all, he addresses the never married later in v. 25. If this is the case, then Paul would here be acknowledging that he, too, was a widower.
7:10 I give this command (not I, but the Lord). Paul is citing a command from the Lord Jesus during his earthly ministry that marriage is a sacred covenant that should not be broken (Mt 5:32; 19:3–9; Mk 10:2–12; Lk 16:18). Paul probably learned Jesus’ teaching from the disciples who were present during Jesus’ ministry (cf. Gal 1:18–19).
7:11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled. Paul argues that in the light of Christ’s command she (or he) is not to marry again. Rather, the separated or divorced couple ought to seek reconciliation. Clearly the ideal is the restoration and renewal of the marriage covenant.
7:12 I say this (I, not the Lord). Paul is not saying that his words do not carry divine authority (he is writing inspired Scripture), but only that Jesus did not directly address this issue (see v. 40 and note). any brother has a wife . . . not a believer. The apostle is talking here (and in v. 13) about couples already married, when one of them becomes a Christian. If at all possible, they should remain together, unless the unbeliever, whether man or woman, refuses to remain (v. 15).
7:14 sanctified through his wife . . . sanctified through her believing husband. Brought within the sphere of Christian blessings, not automatically saved. Paul here affirms that, within the marriage relationship, unbelieving marriage partners in some sense participate with their believing spouse in the quality of being consecrated to God (“sanctified”; see 1:2 and note)—so that the children born of their union are “holy” (consecrated to God).
7:15 The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances. The believer is not under obligation to try to continue living with the unbeliever. live in peace. If the unbeliever were forced to live with the believer, there would be no peace in the home.
7:17 live . . . in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them. Christians are to live confidently for the Lord in whatever station in life God has placed them. See v. 18 for an example. No change of status that anyone brings about by their own action can advance their salvation.
7:18 circumcised . . . uncircumcised. Jew . . . Gentile. In the religious sphere, Christian Jews should not undo their circumcision, and Christian Gentiles should not yield to Jewish pressure for circumcision (cf. Ac 15:1–5; Gal 5:1–3).
7:19 become uncircumcised. An ancient Roman surgical procedure known as epispasm to recreate a foreskin. See Gal 5:6 and note.
7:21 Were you a slave . . . ? In the social and economic sphere, Christian slaves should live contentedly in their situation, realizing that they have become free in Christ (v. 22; Jn 8:32,36). if you can gain your freedom, do so. If Christian slaves have an opportunity to get their freedom, they should take advantage of it. In the Roman Empire slaves were sometimes freed by Roman patricians. Others were able to earn enough money to pay for their own freedom. There is nothing wrong with seeking to improve one’s social condition, and slavery should be escaped whenever possible, but this will have no bearing on one’s standing with God.
7:22 is the Lord’s freed person. Has been set free from bondage to sin (see Ro 6:18, 22; Heb 9:15 and notes; cf. Jn 8:34, 36; 1Pe 2:16) and is therefore free to serve Christ as his “slave”—just as the Israelites were set free from Egyptian bondage so that in freedom they could become the servant people of God (Ex 6:6–7; 19:4–6).
7:23 bought at a price . . . not . . . slaves of human beings. Christians in all stations of life should realize that their ultimate allegiance is to Christ, who bought them with his blood (see 6:20; 1Pe 1:18–19 and note on 1:18).
7:25 Now about virgins. Paul comments on another topic raised in the letter from the Corinthians (v. 1), about singleness. I give a judgment as one who . . . is trustworthy. Paul is not giving a direct command from Jesus here (as in v. 10; cf. Ac 20:35 and note). In this matter, which is not a question of right and wrong, Paul expresses his own judgment. Even though he puts it this way, he is certainly not denying that he wrote under the influence of divine inspiration (see v. 40 and note). And since he writes under inspiration, what he recommends is clearly the better course of action.
7:26 present crisis. Probably a reference to the pressures and trials in the Christian life in an immoral and particularly hostile environment (cf. vv. 2,28; 5:1; 2Ti 3:12)—trials characteristic of those upon whom “the culmination of the ages has come” (10:11; cf. vv. 29–31). Other interpreters think Paul may be referring to a famine provoked by severe grain shortages that occurred about that time. In this latter case, Paul’s recommendation here (see also v. 27) would not necessarily apply to all times and all situations.
7:28 many troubles. Times of suffering and persecution for Christ, when being married would mean even greater hardship in taking care of one’s family.
7:29–31 Christians already live under the foreshadowings of Christ’s return, when the world in its present form will pass away. For this reason, believers should not treat present realities as having ultimate significance.
7:34 his interests are divided. He cannot give undistracted service to Christ (v. 35). This is particularly true in times of persecution.
7:36 not . . . acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to . . . passions are too strong . . . They should get married. A man might refrain from marrying his fiancée. But if he then realizes that his (or her) “passions are too strong” and the situation thus seems unfair, it is perfectly proper for them to get married (see also NIV text note on vv. 36–38).
7:37 has control over his own will . . . does the right thing. The man who determines that there is no need for him to marry his fiancée under the circumstances has made a good decision too (v. 38). Paul may be referring to a man who has control of his passions, as in v. 7 (cf. v. 9).
7:39 bound to her husband as long as he lives. Marriage is a lifelong union (yet see v. 12 and note, also the exception clause in Mt 19:9 and note on 19:3; cf. v. 15 above). if her husband dies. Death breaks the marriage bond, and a Christian is then free to marry another Christian (“but he must belong to the Lord”).
7:40 as she is. A widow. I think that I too have the Spirit of God. Paul writes as one convinced that he is guided by the Holy Spirit.
8:1—11:1 In this section Paul deals with another matter from the Corinthian letter (see 7:1 and note), the question of whether Christians should eat food that had been sacrificed to idols. Cf. Ro 14:1—15:13 and notes.
8:2 do not yet know. Even the wisest and most knowledgeable among Christians have only limited knowledge. God is the only one who knows all (cf. Ro 11:33–36).
8:3 whoever loves God is known by God. Not their knowledge as such but their love for God is what counts; their love is a manifestation that God has accepted them and has dealt with them as among his own (Gal 4:9). The background of Paul’s assertion is very likely the OT use of Hebrew yada’ (“to know”) in such passages as Ge 18:19 (“have chosen”); 2Sa 7:20; Ps 1:6 (“watches over”); Am 3:2 (“have I chosen”); Na 1:7 (“cares for”).
8:5 so-called gods. The gods of Greek and Roman mythology and other religions.
8:6 one God. Paul alludes to the Shema, the great Jewish confession of faith (see Dt 6:4 and note). from whom all things came . . . through whom all things came. See Heb 2:10. God the Father is the ultimate source of all creation (Ac 4:24; Ro 11:36). God the Son is the dynamic one through whom, with the Father, all things came into existence (see Jn 1:3; Col 1:16 and note; Heb 1:2).
8:7 possesses this knowledge. Knows that an idol is an empty symbol, representing no real divine being. sacrificed to a god. Sacrificed to the god the idol represents. since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. They think that in eating meat sacrificed on pagan altars they have involved themselves in pagan worship and thus have sinned against Christ.
8:9 your rights. To eat meat sacrificed to idols because you know that an idol is nothing (v. 4). the weak. Those Christians whose consciences are weak, who think it is wrong to eat meat sacrificed to idols.
8:10 your knowledge. See vv. 1,4,8. eating in an idol’s temple. At the site of ancient Corinth, archaeologists have discovered two temples containing rooms apparently used for pagan feasts where meat offered to idols was eaten. To such feasts Christians may have been invited by pagan friends. Social and business gatherings would have been held in these rooms, much like modern-day restaurants. See photo.
8:12 wound their weak conscience. Eating meat offered to idols when they feel it is wrong tends to blunt their consciences, so that doing what is wrong becomes much easier. The result may be moral tragedy. you sin against Christ. Cf. Mt 10:40; 18:5; Mk 9:37; Lk 9:48; Ro 14:15 and note; 14:19–20.
8:13 I will never eat meat again. Paul presents himself as an example for the church (cf. Ro 14:15,21). He goes so far as to say that he would never eat any meat again, sacrificial or otherwise, if it caused stumbling.
9:1–27 In this section Paul points to his own example of willingness to give up rights and privileges for the sake of the gospel (see v. 12 and note).
9:4 right to food and drink. Paul and Barnabas, as God’s workers, have a right to have their food and other physical needs supplied at the church’s expense (cf. vv. 6,13–14 and note on v. 18).
9:5 take a believing wife along with us. Paul asserts his right to bring his wife on his missionary travels, if he were married. This does not necessarily mean that he was married, though he may have been a widower (see 7:7–8 and note). Other apostles, including Peter (Mk 1:30), had wives and it seems that they brought them along as they ministered. the Lord’s brothers. Jesus’ (half-)brothers: James, Joseph, Simon and Judas (see Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3).
9:9 Is it about oxen . . . ? See 1Ti 5:18. In the Mosaic law that Paul quotes (Dt 25:4), God was indeed concerned about oxen that labored for their owners (cf. Jnh 4:11 and note). But this law also illustrated a basic principle of justice that God was teaching Israel and “us” (v. 10), a principle with greater moral weight when persons rather than farm animals are involved.
9:11 material harvest. Food, lodging and pay supplied by the Corinthians (cf. Gal 6:6). Paul here sets forth the principle that those who serve the church should be supported by the church (cf. Php 4:14–19).
9:12 did not use this right. The point of Paul’s discussion in ch. 9. He had numerous rights that he did not claim because of his love for the Corinthians. Thus ch. 9 is an extended personal illustration of the practice advocated in ch. 8. Because of love for others, believers should be ready to surrender their rights (see Ro 14:15 and note). Love limits liberty.
9:13 those who serve in the temple. The Corinthian believers would understand this illustration not only from their knowledge of the OT (cf. Lev 7:28–36; Nu 18:8–20) but also from the practice in pagan temples in Greece and Rome.
9:15 this boast. That he had preached the gospel without charge, so that they could not say that they had paid him for it.
9:16 I am compelled to preach. The Lord had laid on Paul the necessity of preaching the gospel (Ac 9:1–16; 26:16–18; see also Jer 20:9 and note). Woe to me. Cf. v. 27 and note.
9:18 my reward . . . in preaching the gospel. Paul’s reward in preaching is not material things but the fact that he has preached to the Corinthians without charge and has not taken advantage of the rights he deserves: food and drink, shelter and pay (vv. 3–12). gospel . . . free of charge. See 2Co 2:17.
9:19 I have made myself a slave to everyone. Not only did Paul not use his right to material support in preaching the gospel but he also deprived himself—curtailed his personal privileges and social and religious rights—in dealing with different kinds of people. to win. To bring to Christ.
9:20 those under the law. Those under the OT law and religious practices (the Jews). I became like one under the law. For the Jews’ sake Paul conformed to the Jewish law (see Ac 16:3; 18:18 and notes; 21:20–26 and notes on 21:23–24).
9:21 those not having the law. Those who had not been raised under the OT law (the Gentiles). I became like one not having the law. Paul accommodated himself to Gentile culture when it did not violate his allegiance to Christ, though he still reckoned that he was under God’s law and Christ’s law. By God’s law Paul likely means the universal moral standards that are inherent to God’s character, such as prohibitions against lying, stealing, murder, etc. By “Christ’s law” Paul is probably referring to Christ’s teachings, though the term is not necessarily restricted to them. See note on Gal 6:2.
9:22 the weak. Those whose consciences are weak (8:9–12). I became weak. Paul did not exercise his Christian freedom in such things as eating meat sacrificed to idols in pagan temples (8:9,13), as if he shared the sensibilities of the weak.
9:23 share in its blessings. Paul’s hope concerning the manner of his own participation in the future glory of believers is linked with the faithfulness with which he carried out the apostolic mission Christ gave him (cf. v. 27 and note; see 2Co 3:1–3; 5:10; Php 2:16; 1Th 2:19–20 and notes).
9:24 race . . . runners. The Corinthians were familiar with the foot races in their own Isthmian games, which occurred every other year and were second only to the Olympic games in importance. prize. In ancient times the prize was a perishable wreath (v. 25). See photo.
9:27 I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave. Here Paul uses the figure of boxing to represent the Christian life. He does not aimlessly beat the air, but he severely disciplines his own body in serving Christ. not be disqualified for the prize. Paul realizes that he must with rigor serve the Lord and battle against sin. If he fails in this, he may be excluded from the reward (cf. 2Ti 4:8).
10:2 baptized. The figurative language Paul used to depict Israel’s union with Moses in God’s redemptive program is analogous in important ways to the Christian’s union with Christ in his death and resurrection, as signified by Christian baptism (see Ro 6:3–4 and note).
10:3–4 spiritual food . . . spiritual drink. The manna and the water from the rock (Ex 16:2–36; 17:1–7; Nu 20:2–11; 21:16) are used as figures representing the spiritual sustenance that God continually provides for his people—as signified in the Lord’s Supper.
10:4 that rock was Christ. The rock, from which the water came, and the manna are here viewed by Paul as symbolic of the spiritual sustenance God’s people experienced already in the wilderness through Christ, the bread of life and the water of life (see Jn 4:14; 6:30–35 and notes). For Christ’s presence with God’s people already in the wilderness, cf. 8:6 and note.
10:5 God was not pleased with most of them. In spite of the remarkable privileges given to the Israelites (vv. 1–4), they failed to obey God, thus incurring his displeasure. Of the adults who came out of Egypt, only Caleb and Joshua were allowed to enter Canaan (Nu 14:22–24, 28–35; Dt 1:34–36; Jos 1:1–2; 14:6–14; Heb 3:16–19).
10:6 as they did. What Paul has in mind is described in vv. 7–10.
10:7 idolaters. Referring to the incident of the golden calf (Ex 32:1–6). The people ate a ritual meal sacrificed to an idol (cf. ch. 8).
10:8 Refers to Israel’s participation in the worship of the Baal of Peor and the sexual practices associated with that worship (Nu 25:1–9). twenty-three thousand. The Hebrew and Greek (Septuagint) texts of Nu 25:9 have 24,000. It is clear that Paul is not striving for exactness but is only speaking approximately.
10:10 do not grumble. As in Nu 16:41. destroying angel. Paul links the angel who brought the plague of Nu 16:46–50—because of the grumbling of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron (Nu 16:41)—with the destroying angel of Ex 12:23.
10:11 written down as warnings. See Ro 15:4 and note. culmination of the ages. The period of time inaugurated by Christ’s death and resurrection and continuing into the future until Christ’s second coming and beyond. It is the period of fulfillment when all that God has been doing for his people throughout all previous ages comes to its fruition in the Messiah in connection with both advents.
10:13 temptation. Temptation in itself is not sin. Jesus was tempted (Mt 4:1–11). Yielding to temptation is sin (see Mt 6:13 and note). endure it. Through God’s enablement to resist the temptation to sin or to endure the trial without falling.
10:14 flee from idolatry. Paul here calls eating meat in the temple idolatry. Corinthian Christians had come out of a background of paganism. Temples for the worship of Apollo, Asclepius, Demeter, Aphrodite and other pagan gods and goddesses were seen daily by the Corinthians as they engaged in the activities of everyday life. The worship of Aphrodite was a particularly strong temptation (see note on 6:18; cf. 1Jn 5:21 and note).
10:16 cup of thanksgiving. The cup of wine that Christians drink during the celebration of the Lord’s Supper (see Mt 26:27–28; Mk 14:23–24 and note; Lk 22:20). Drinking the wine of the Lord’s Supper as an act of faith is a claim of personal participation in the benefits of Christ’s shed blood. bread that we break. The loaf of bread that is broken and eaten during the Lord’s Supper (see Mt 26:26; Mk 14:22 and note; Lk 22:19 and note). participation in the body of Christ. The sense is similar to Paul’s statement concerning “participation in the blood of Christ.”
10:17 one loaf. Many believers partaking of one loaf of bread symbolizes and encourages the unity of the body of Christ, the church, which is nourished by the one bread of life (cf. Jn 6:33–58).
10:18 those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar. When the people of Israel ate part of the sacrifice made at the altar (Lev 7:15; 8:31; Dt 12:17–18), they participated with the altar in consuming the sacrifices. What was consumed on the altar (with fire) was Yahweh’s portion.
10:19 Do I mean . . . that an idol is anything? See 8:4–6 and notes.
10:20 sacrifices of pagans. Paul forbids eating food sacrificed to idols in the context of pagan temple worship. For two other scenarios, see vv. 25–27. offered to demons. In reality, demons (not gods) were the objects of idol worship. God’s people are warned that if they do eat meat sacrificed to idols, they should not eat it with pagans in their temple feasts, for to do so is to become “participants with demons.”
10:22 arouse the Lord’s jealousy. By sharing in pagan idolatry and worship (cf. Ex 20:5 and note).
10:23 not everything is constructive. See 6:12 and note. Personal freedom and desire for one’s rights are not the only considerations. One must also consider “the good of others” (v. 24; cf. 8:1; Gal 6:2).
10:25 Eat anything sold in the meat market. The marketplace is a second scenario where idol meat might be encountered (see notes on vv. 20,27). Even if it has been sacrificed to an idol, food purchased in the public market may be eaten since it has lost its pagan religious significance. The food has no inherent connection to the idol since “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (v. 26).
10:27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal. This third scenario (see notes on vv. 20,25) shifts from the marketplace to a meal in a private residence. eat whatever is put before you. Whether or not it might be meat sacrificed to idols, ask no questions. As long as the subject has not been brought up, you are free to eat the meat.
10:28 for the sake of the one who told you. If the meat has been identified as meat sacrificed to idols and you eat it, the informant might think you condone or even are willing to participate in the worship of idols. for the sake of conscience. So as not to cause someone else (v. 29) to think it is all right to eat meat sacrificed to idols even though they have doubts about it.
10:29 my freedom. Cf. Ro 14:16 and note. The exercise of one’s personal freedom is to be governed by whether the action will bring glory to God, whether it will build up the church of God and whether it will encourage the unsaved to receive Christ as Savior and Lord (vv. 31–33). Verses 28–29a have been somewhat parenthetical; v. 29b resumes Paul’s line of thinking from v. 27.
10:30 something I thank God for. Paul could thank God for meat that had been sacrificed to idols, for the idol is nothing and the meat is a part of God’s created world.
10:31 all for the glory of God. The all-inclusive principle that governs the discussion in chs. 8–10 is that God should be glorified in everything the Christian does (see note on Ro 16:27).
10:32 Do not cause anyone to stumble. Living to glorify God will result in doing what is beneficial for others, whether non-Christians (“Jews, Greeks”), or Christians (“the church of God”).
10:33 please everyone in every way. Paul will do nothing that might hinder someone else from receiving the salvation proclaimed in his gospel. that they may be saved. See 9:22.
11:1 Notice the order: (1) Christ is the supreme example (cf. 1Pe 2:21); (2) Christ’s apostle follows his example (“as I follow”); (3) the Corinthians are to follow the apostle’s example. This sentence is a concise summary of the essence of discipleship.
11:3–16 The subject of this section is propriety in public worship. Paul is concerned with head coverings related to men and women in Corinthian worship; however, much remains uncertain. As in the previous section, he desires that all be done to the glory of God (10:31).
11:4–7 See NIV text note for another interpretation of this passage related to hair length rather than head covering.
11:5–6 Paul’s message to women was: Show respect for and submission to your husband by covering your head during public worship. Some find a lasting principle in the passage requiring wives, in all ways, to show respect for husbands by submitting to their authority—not merely by a particular style of attire but by godly lives. Man, who was created first, is to have authority over his wife (1Ti 2:11–14), who was made out of his body (Ge 2:21–24) to be his helper and companion (Ge 2:20). She is to honor her husband by submitting herself to him as her head (v. 3).
11:7 Paul picks up his statement in verse 3 about headship to make a symbolic argument. Since the “head” of the man is Christ, the man’s head should be uncovered to reveal Christ’s glory. Since the “head” of the woman is the man, the glory of man (now meaning humanity) should be covered. See article.
11:10 Paul’s meaning here is obscure. have authority over her own head. See NIV text note, which is understood by some to refer to the woman’s authority as co-ruler with man in the creation (Ge 1:26–27). In this case, Paul may be protecting a woman’s right to cover her head against pressure to remove her head covering. Others take the phrase to refer to the man’s authority as properly recognized by the woman in her head covering. Still others understand Paul as viewing the woman’s head covering as a symbol of protection against the influence of fallen angels. angels. Perhaps mentioned here because they are interested in all aspects of the Christian’s salvation and are sensitive to decorum in worship (cf. Eph 3:10 and note). But see previous note on this verse.
11:13–14 proper . . . the very nature of things. “Nature” here perhaps means “culture.” Believers must be conscious of how their actions appear in their culture, in light of what is considered to be honorable behavior.
11:16 In worship services, Paul and the churches in general followed the common custom of the men wearing short hair and the women long hair. Paul was basing his remarks, particularly in vv. 13–16, on common custom in the churches.
11:17 no praise. Contrast v. 2.
11:18 divisions. Paul had already dealt with one aspect of these divisions (1:10–17).
11:19 God’s approval. As deplorable as factions may be, they serve one good purpose: They distinguish those who are faithful and true in God’s sight.
11:20 not the Lord’s Supper you eat. Their intention was to eat the Lord’s Supper, but it was profaned by their gluttony and discrimination.
11:21 remains hungry . . . gets drunk. The early church held the agape (“love”) feast in connection with the Lord’s Supper (cf. 2Pe 2:13 and note; Jude 12). At Corinth the economic and social discrimination of the first century was having its effect. Banquets in the Greco-Roman world were rituals of social status, where a person’s status in the community would be demonstrated by their position at the table and the quality of the food they were served. People would hold banquets to honor influential people in the hopes of being invited back by the rich and famous to their banquets. Evidently, the rich people in the Corinthian church were arriving early to enjoy the best food, which was gone by the time the poor arrived. So the rich were drunk and the poor were left hungry. Paul is appalled. The gospel should bring equality, especially at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the most sacred time of worship for the church.
11:22 Shall I praise you? See v. 17.
11:24 had given thanks. The Jewish practice at meals. This makes it a true Eucharist (“thanksgiving”). is. See note on Lk 22:19. my body. The bread is a symbol of Christ’s body “given” for sinners (Lk 22:19; see note there). for you. See note on Lk 22:19. in remembrance of me. As the Festival of Passover was a commemorative meal (Ex 12:14), so also the Lord’s Supper is a memorial supper, recalling and portraying Christ’s death for sinners.
11:25 after supper. After the Passover supper. The Lord’s Supper was first celebrated by Jesus in connection with the Passover meal (cf. Mt 26:18–30 and parallels in Mark and Luke). cup. A symbol of the new covenant in Jesus’ blood (see Mk 14:24 and note; Lk 22:20; cf. Jer 31:31–34 and note on Heb 8:8–12). (The old covenant was the Mosaic or Sinaitic covenant; see Ex 24:3–8 and notes on 24:6,8; see also articles here and here.) By the use of this covenant sign God signifies his bestowal of salvation upon his people, sealed and paid for by the shedding of Jesus’ blood.
11:26 whenever you eat . . . and drink. The Lord’s Supper should be held periodically, but there is no explicit instruction as to how often. you proclaim the Lord’s death. The Lord’s Supper is never celebrated apart from a proclamation of “Christ crucified” (1:23; cf. 2:2). until he comes. Cf. Mt 26:29; Lk 22:16 and notes.
11:27 in an unworthy manner. In the unloving and self-centered manner that characterized some of the Corinthians at their unruly agape supper (vv. 20–22; see note on v. 21).
11:28 examine themselves. All participants should test the attitude of their own hearts and actions and their awareness of the significance of the Supper, thus making the Supper, under God, a spiritual means of grace.
11:29 without discerning the body of Christ. The word “body” may refer to the Lord’s physical body, the church as the body of Christ (see 12:13,27 and notes), or both. The first view means that the person partakes of the Lord’s Supper without recognizing that it symbolizes Christ’s crucified body. The second view means that the participant is not aware of the nature of the church as the body of Christ and the importance of caring for its poorest members, resulting in the self-centered actions of vv. 20–21. judgment. Not God’s eternal judgment, which is to come on the unbeliever, but such disciplinary judgments as physical sickness and death (v. 30).
11:32 disciplined. As God’s redeemed children we are disciplined—just as parents discipline their children (see Heb 12:5–11 and notes).
11:33 gather to eat. Another reference to the agape fellowship meal (see note on v. 21). Each person was to exercise restraint and wait to eat with the others. Those who are too hungry should satisfy their hunger at home and not bring selfish and discriminatory practices into the church (v. 34).
12:1 Now about. Suggests that Paul is answering another question raised by the Corinthians in their letter (cf. 7:1; 8:1; 16:1). gifts of the Spirit. See 1:7 and note.
12:2 led astray to mute idols. At one time the Corinthians had been led by various influences to worship idols that had no life (see 8:4–6 and notes), but now they are to be led by the living Holy Spirit.
12:3 “Jesus be cursed” . . . “Jesus is Lord.” Those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit cannot pronounce a curse on Jesus; rather, they are the only ones who can confess from the heart, “Jesus is Lord” (cf. Jn 20:28; 1Jn 4:2–3). The Greek word for “Lord” here is used in the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT) to translate the Hebrew name Yahweh (“the LORD”). See note on Ro 10:9.
12:4–6 same Spirit . . . same Lord . . . same God. These verses, reflecting the Trinity (see note on Mt 28:19), show the diversity and unity of spiritual gifts.
12:5 service. The Greek word in its various forms is used to indicate service to the Christian community, such as serving meals (Ac 6:2–3); it is also the word used in the early church for the office of deacon (Php 1:1).
12:6 working. The Greek word indicates power in operation that produces visible results.
12:7 to each one the manifestation . . . given for the common good. Every member of the body of Christ has been given some spiritual gift that is an evidence of the Spirit’s working in their lives. All the gifts are intended to build up the members of the Christian community (1Pe 4:10–11). They are not to be used for selfish advantage, as some in the Corinthian community apparently were doing.
12:8 To one . . . to another. Not everyone has the same gift or all the gifts. message of wisdom . . . knowledge. Gifts that meet the need of the Christian community when knowledge or wisdom is required to make decisions or to choose proper courses of action.
12:9 faith. Not saving faith, which all Christians possess, but faith to meet a specific need within the body of Christ. gifts of healing. Or “gifts of healings.” The double plural may suggest different kinds of illnesses and the various ways God heals them.
12:10 miraculous powers. In Scripture, miracles are events that in the eyes of those who experienced and/or witnessed them clearly evidenced God’s power purposefully at work in a way beyond the usual or the expected. prophecy. A message imparted to a believer by the Holy Spirit. It may be a prediction (cf. Agabus, Ac 11:28 [see note there]; 21:10–11) or an indication of the will of God in a given situation (cf. 14:1–5,29–30 and notes; Ac 13:1–2 and note on 13:1). distinguishing between spirits. Since there can also be false prophecies that come from evil spirits, this gift is necessary in order for the church to distinguish the true from the false (cf. 1Jn 4:1–6). different kinds of tongues. Since the Greek word for “tongues” is elsewhere used to refer to “languages” or “dialects,” some understand this to refer here to the ability to speak in human languages not learned by other means, as the apostles did on the day of Pentecost (see Ac 2:4, 6,11 and notes; cf. also 1Co 14:9–10). Others believe that in chs. 12–14 the term “tongues” refers to both earthly and heavenly languages, including ecstatic languages of praise and prayer (see 13:1; 14:2,10 and notes). interpretation of tongues. The ability to make intelligible the sense of what is spoken in a tongue so that hearers can understand and be edified (cf. 14:5,13,27–28).
12:11 as he determines. The Holy Spirit sovereignly determines which gift or gifts each believer should have.
12:12 one . . . many parts. This example illustrates the unity and diversity of the different spiritual gifts exercised by God’s people, who are all members of the one body of Christ. with Christ. With Christ’s body, the church, of which he is the head (Eph 1:22–23; cf. Ro 12:4–8 and notes).
12:13 Cf. Ro 6:3–4 and note. all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body. Regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:3,5) and united with Christ as part of his body. The word “all” suggests that this happened to every Corinthian Christian at the moment of salvation. Jews or Gentiles. In Christ there is no ethnic or cultural distinction (see Gal 3:28 and note). slave or free. No social distinction. all given the one Spirit to drink. God has given all his people the Holy Spirit to indwell them (6:19) so that their lives may overflow with the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23; cf. Jn 7:37–39).
12:14 See Ro 12:4–8. As the human body must have diversity to work effectively as a whole, so the members of Christ’s body have diverse gifts, the use of which can help bring about the accomplishment of Christ’s united purpose.
12:15–20 Addressed mainly to those who feel that their gifts are inferior and unimportant. Apparently the more spectacular gifts (such as tongues) had been glorified in the Corinthian church, making those who did not have them feel inferior.
12:18 Paul stresses the sovereign purpose of God in diversifying the parts of the body; by implication he is saying that God has arranged that different Christians in the body of Christ exercise different spiritual gifts, not the same gift. And this diversity is intended to accomplish God’s unified purpose. God’s method employs diversity to create unity.
12:21–26 Addressed mainly to those who feel that their gifts are superior and most important (see note on vv. 15–20). These verses provide another indication that some gifts, like tongues, had been magnified as being preeminent.
12:22 weaker are indispensable. Christians who seem to have less important functions in the body of Christ are actually indispensable.
12:23 Sometimes what we regard as not very important is, in fact, very important indeed. This is true for some of our less visible body parts and is true for some members of the church who have less visible gifts.
12:24 Persons with more spectacular gifts do not necessarily need to be given special honor.
12:26 every part suffers. In the body of Christ if one Christian suffers, all the Christians are affected (cf. Ac 12:1–5—the martyrdom of James and the imprisonment of Peter).
12:27 you are the body of Christ. Addressed to the local church at Corinth. Each local church is the body of Christ, just as the universal church is Christ’s body.
12:28 See chart. The list here differs somewhat from that in vv. 8–10 (see notes there). Paul notes three of the gifts of Eph 4:11 (see note there), then five of the spiritual gifts listed in vv. 8–10. The apostles and prophets were part of the foundation of the church (see Mt 16:18; Eph 2:20 and notes), and teaching was associated with the pastoral office (see Eph 4:11 and note; 1Ti 3:2). These three gifts are listed as “first,” “second” and “third,” indicating either their importance in the church or the sequence in which they are needed in church planting. The rest of the list is introduced with “then,” indicating the variety that follows. Paul’s lists of spiritual gifts seem to be largely random samples. Apart from v. 28a he does not rank them in importance since he has already insisted that all gifts are important (vv. 21–26). apostles. Those chosen by Christ during his earthly ministry to be with him and to go out and preach (Mk 3:14). They were also to be witnesses of the resurrection (Ac 1:21–22). The term was occasionally used in a broader sense (see Mk 6:30; Ac 14:4; Ro 16:7 and notes). miracles . . . healing . . . tongues. See notes on vv. 9–10. helping. Any act of helping others may be the product of a spiritual gift (see Ro 12:6–8 and notes), though the primary reference here is probably to a ministry to the poor, needy, sick and distressed (cf. Ac 6:1–6). guidance. Those with the gift of guidance (or administration) were enabled by the Holy Spirit to organize and project plans and spiritual programs in the church.
12:29–30 Are all apostles? Expects a negative answer. Christians have different gifts, and no one gift should be expected by everyone, nor should one person be expected to have all the gifts.
12:31 eagerly desire the greater gifts. See 14:1–5 and notes. the most excellent way. Paul now shows the right way to exercise all spiritual gifts—the way of love. He does not identify love as a gift; rather, it is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).
13:1–3 tongues . . . prophecy . . . knowledge . . . faith . . . give. Paul selects five gifts as examples. He declares that even their most spectacular manifestations mean nothing unless motivated by love.
13:2 all mysteries and all knowledge. Again Paul uses an extreme example to express the amount of understanding possessed. Even if he is gifted with unlimited knowledge—if he does not possess and exercise that knowledge in love, he is nothing. faith that can move mountains. A special capacity to trust God to remove or overcome overwhelming threats or insurmountable obstacles (cf. Zec 4:7; Mt 17:20 and notes). Again Paul uses hyperbole.
13:3 give over my body to hardship. A reference to bodily sufferings (cf. 2Co 11:23–29; 12:10 and notes; cf. also NIV text note). Even such suffering, if not motivated by love, accomplishes nothing.
13:4–7 Love is now described both positively and negatively.
13:5 It does not dishonor others. Perhaps an indirect reference to their unruly and dishonorable conduct in worship (11:18–22).
13:6 does not delight in evil. As they were doing in ch. 5.
13:8 never fails. Never comes to an end, is never replaced by anything else (see v. 13 and note). prophecies . . . will cease; . . . tongues . . . will be stilled; . . . knowledge . . . will pass away. These three will cease because such gifts of divine communication will be unnecessary when what is complete has come (v. 10) and we see the Lord face to face (v. 12).
13:10 completeness. The Greek for this word can mean “end,” “fulfillment,” “completeness” or “maturity.” In this context the contrast is between the partial and the complete. Verse 12 seems to indicate that Paul is here speaking of either Christ’s second coming or a believer’s death, when they will see Christ “face to face” (v. 12). Some interpreters translate this term “the perfect” and consider it to refer to the canon of Scripture, claiming tongues ceased when the canon was complete. This interpretation is unlikely, however, since the close of the canon did not result in perfect knowledge nor a face-to-face encounter with Christ (vv. 12–13). Cf. also 1:7, where believers have all the gifts until Christ returns.
13:12 we see only a reflection as in a mirror. The imagery is of a polished metal (probably bronze) mirror in which one could perceive only an imperfect reflection (cf. Jas 1:23)—in contrast to seeing the Lord directly and clearly in the new creation. know fully . . . fully known. The Christian will know the Lord to the fullest extent possible for a finite being. The believer’s understanding of the Lord and his gifts will approach the Lord’s understanding of the believer. This will not be true until the Lord returns or the believer sees him “face to face” at death.
13:13 remain. Now and forever. faith, hope and love. See 1Th 1:3 and note. the greatest of these is love. True because God is love (1Jn 4:8) and has communicated his love to us (1Jn 4:10,19) and commands us to love one another (Jn 13:34–35; cf. Ro 13:10; 1Co 8:1; Gal 5:6; Eph 4:16; 5:20; Php 1:9; Col 3:14; 1Pe 4:8). Love supersedes the gifts because it outlasts them all. Long after these sought-after gifts are no longer necessary, love will still be the governing principle that controls all that God and his redeemed people are and do.
14:1–5 The basic principle Paul insists on is that whatever is done in the church must contribute to the edification (building up) of the body. This is in keeping with the declaration in 12:7 that gifts are “given for the common good.” It also is in agreement with the principle of love (ch. 13). What is spoken in the church, then, must be intelligible—it must be spoken in the vernacular language or at least be interpreted in the vernacular. Prophecy is therefore more desirable than tongues (unless an interpreter is present) because prophecy is spoken in the native language of the listeners.
14:2 tongue. See NIV text note. The hearers cannot understand what those who speak in a tongue are saying. Therefore what they say is a mystery unless it is interpreted. Only God understands it.
14:3 In prophesying the speaker can strengthen, encourage and comfort others (see 12:7 and note).
14:4 edifies themselves. Since we were created to serve God, the use of our spiritual gifts naturally results in personal edification in the area of the emotions, of deepening conviction, of fuller commitment and greater love.
14:5 like . . . you to speak in tongues. Paul was not opposed to speaking in tongues if it was practiced properly. The one who prophesies is greater. Because those who prophesy serve the common good more effectively since what they say can be understood and thus edifies the church. unless someone interprets. If those speaking in tongues also have someone present with the gift of interpretation, their speaking is as beneficial as prophecy, for then it can be understood (v. 13).
14:6 what good will I be . . . ? It would be useless to speak in tongues unless, by interpretation, one brings the church something understandable and edifying.
14:7 distinction in the notes. For a person to recognize the tune and to understand and appreciate it, there must be a variety of notes so arranged as to create a meaningful tune. One note repeated monotonously cannot accomplish this.
14:8 trumpet . . . ready for battle. All Greeks would be acquainted with the use of the trumpet for battle signals (cf. Homer’s Iliad, 18.219), and the Jews would be familiar with the use of the ram’s horn (Nu 10:9; Jos 6:4,9). Again, the notes sounded must convey a message.
14:9 speak intelligible words. Speak in the vernacular language of the listeners rather than in a tongue (or else provide an interpretation).
14:10 all sorts of languages. Some see vv. 10–11 as an indication that the tongues of chs. 12–14 were languages otherwise unknown to the speakers; others do not.
14:12 excel in those that build up the church. The basic principle of ch. 14, as well as ch. 12.
14:14 mind is unfruitful. When a person speaks in tongues or prays in tongues, the human mind does not comprehend what is said.
14:15–17 pray . . . sing . . . praising God . . . say “Amen” . . . thanksgiving. Elements employed in OT (1Ch 16:36; Ne 5:13; 8:6; Ps 104:33; 136:1; 148:1) and NT (Ro 11:36; Eph 5:18–20) worship. “Amen,” meaning “It is true” or “So be it,” is the believer’s confession of agreement with and commitment to the words spoken (see Ro 1:25 and note). Thus it is important that a message in tongues be interpreted.
14:19 But in the church. Some believe that an interpretation is unnecessary when the gift of tongues is being used as a private prayer language. They base such a distinction on v. 18 (v. 14) when compared with the phrase “in the church.”
14:20 In regard to evil be infants. Behaving like an infant could mean either innocence or immaturity. Paul tells the Corinthians to act like infants (be innocent) when it comes to evil, but be adults (mature) when it comes to using their spiritual gifts.
14:21–22 The passage from Isa 28 indicates that the foreign language of the Assyrians was a sign to unbelieving Israel that judgment was coming on them. Paul deduced from this fact that tongues were intended to be a sign of judgment for unbelievers (cf. v. 22 and note), as, e.g., in Ac 2:4–12. Similarly, prophecy was for the benefit of believers (v. 22) since it communicated revealed truth to those disposed to receive it (cf. Mt 13:11–16).
14:22 Tongues . . . a sign . . . for unbelievers. A sign of God’s judgment because they cannot understand the tongues on their own and would leave the meeting unconverted.
14:23 inquirers. Perhaps those who had become “inquirers” concerning the gospel but as yet did not really understand (see v. 16 and NIV text note there). unbelievers. Those who have made no movement toward saving faith. The context is a meeting of the church in which everyone is speaking in tongues, with the result that general confusion reigns. out of your mind. The visitors will be repulsed by the confusion, and the phenomenon meant to be an impressive sign will have a negative effect on the unsaved.
14:24 everyone is prophesying. Prophecy, spoken in the vernacular language and intended for believers, turns out to have a positive effect on unbelievers because they hear and understand and are convicted of their sins. (Yet see restrictions on prophesying in vv. 29–32 and notes there.)
14:26–27 each of you . . . anyone . . . someone. The stress here is again on the diversity and yet complementary nature of spiritual gifts. It is also apparent that every member could participate in worship, not just certain leaders or officers.
14:27–28 Three restrictions are placed on speaking in a tongue “in the church” (v. 28): (1) Only two or three should do so in a meeting. (2) They should do so one at a time. (3) There must be interpretation.
14:28 the speaker should keep quiet. The implication seems to be that it was up to the one speaking in a tongue in the Corinthian church to make certain that there was in the audience someone to interpret his message.
14:29 Two or three prophets should speak. Apparently in turn (v. 31), as with those who speak in tongues (v. 27). weigh carefully. Judge. The prophets themselves, or perhaps the whole congregation, were to decide whether the messages were valid (see note on v. 32).
14:30 a revelation. Prophecies referred to in chs. 12–14 could come through any member of the church (vv. 26,29–31) and were intended for particular persons in particular circumstances; the “revelation” they contained could be a prediction (Agabus, Ac 11:28; 21:10–11), a divine directive (Ac 13:1–2) or a message designed to strengthen, encourage or comfort (v. 3).
14:32 control of prophets. Prophecy (and tongues as well) was not an uncontrollable emotional ecstasy. Paul insists that these gifts should be controlled by the recipients themselves (vv. 15,26–32). See notes on vv. 27–29.
14:33 God . . . of peace. See 1Th 5:23 and note. disorder. Paul was concerned that disorderly and unregulated worship at Corinth would bring discredit on the name of the God who had called them in Christ to peace and unity. in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. A unique expression in the NT that stresses the universality and commonality of the whole visible church of God on earth. All congregations are to seek peace and not be disorderly. But see NIV text note on vv. 33–34.
14:34–35 See note on 11:3–16. Some believe that in light of 11:3 there is a God-ordained order that is to be the basis for administration and authority. Women are to submit themselves to their husbands, both at home (Eph 5:22) and in the church (v. 34; 1Ti 2:11–12), regardless of their particular culture. According to this view, a timeless order was established at creation (see note on 11:5–6).
Others maintain that Paul’s concern here is that the church be strengthened (v. 26) by believers showing respect for others (vv. 30–31) and for God (see v. 33) as they exercise their spiritual gifts. Such respect must necessarily take account of accepted social practices. If within a particular social order it is considered disgraceful for a woman to speak in church—and it was in this case (v. 35)—then she shows disrespect by doing so and should remain silent. There were occasions, though—even in their culture—for women to speak in church. For example, in 11:5 Paul assumes that women pray and prophesy in public worship. Thus his purpose, according to this view, was not to define the role of women but to establish a fitting (vv. 34–35) and orderly (vv. 27–31) way of worship (v. 40).
Still others say that in this context Paul is discussing primarily the disruption of worship by uneducated women asking basic questions better dealt with elsewhere who became involved in noisy discussions surrounding tongues-speaking and prophecy. Instead of publicly clamoring for explanations, the wives were to discuss matters with their husbands at home (cf. v. 35). Paul does not altogether forbid women to speak in church (11:5). What he is forbidding is the disruptive speaking indicated in these verses. A final view notes that these verses are found in different locations in a few manuscripts of 1 Corinthians, which might indicate that they were not original to Paul but added by later copyists.
14:36 Paul asks these rhetorical questions sarcastically, suggesting that the Corinthians were following their own practice in these matters rather than conforming to God’s word.
14:37 the Lord’s command. Paul’s commands are the Lord’s commands and are to be followed. In a situation where so much stress was being placed on gifts, Paul insists that any genuinely gifted person will recognize the apostle’s God-given authority.
14:38 will themselves be ignored. By Paul and the churches, or by God.
14:39 brothers and sisters. See NIV text note on 1:10. do not forbid speaking in tongues. Paul’s solution to the tongues problem in the Corinthian church was not to forbid tongues but to correct the improper use of the gift.
14:40 a fitting and orderly way. As spelled out in vv. 26–35.
15:1–58 When Paul began this letter to the Corinthians, he foregrounded the cross of Christ (1:17–18)—“We preach Christ crucified” (1:23); “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (2:2; cf. 15:3–4). Now, as he nears the end of his letter, he develops at length the essential truth of Christ’s resurrection, a reality assumed throughout the letter as a whole.
15:2 if you hold firmly. See Heb 3:14 and note. believed in vain. The gospel Paul preached is the good news of victory over sin through the saving effects of Christ’s death by crucifixion and of his triumph over death in his resurrection. “Christ crucified” (1:23) and “raised from the dead” (15:20) is the only hope for sinful mortals to “inherit the kingdom of God” (v. 50; see vv. 53–57).
15:3 what I received I passed on to you as of first importance. Here Paul links himself with early Christian tradition. He was not its originator, nor did he receive it directly from the Lord. His source was other Christians. The verbs he uses are technical terms for receiving and transmitting tradition (see note on 11:23). What follows is the heart of the gospel: that Christ died for our sins (not for his own sins; cf. Heb 7:27), that he was buried (confirmation that he had really died) and that he was raised victorious from the dead (confirmation of all his claims about himself and his mission). according to the Scriptures. Paul may have had in mind Isa 53:5–6,11–12, as well as passages elsewhere cited with reference to the resurrection, such as Ps 110:1–2 (Ac 2:34) and Ps 16:9–10 (Ac 2:24–31). But he may also have been thinking of the Passover sacrifice and other sin offerings of the OT sacrificial system (see chart).
15:4 on the third day. Cf. Mt 12:40. The Jews counted parts of days as whole days. Thus the three days would include part of Friday afternoon, all of Saturday, and Sunday morning. A similar way of reckoning time is seen in Jn 20:26 (NIV “a week later” or, more formally, “after eight days”); two Sundays are implied, one at each end of the expression. according to the Scriptures. Here Paul may have had in mind passages like Ps 16:9–10 (Ac 2:24–31); Ps 110:1–2 (Ac 2:34); and Isa 53:10–12 (Lk 22:37); cf. Jnh 1:17; Lk 24:44 and note.
15:5–8 Six resurrection appearances of Christ are listed here. The Gospels tell of others (see chart).
15:7 James. Since this James is listed in addition to the apostles, he is not James the son of Zebedee or James the son of Alphaeus (Mt 10:2–3). This is James, the half brother of Jesus (Mt 13:55), who did not believe in Christ before the resurrection (Jn 7:5) but afterward joined the apostolic band (Ac 1:14) and later became prominent in the Jerusalem church (Ac 15:13). It is not clear in Scripture when and where this appearance to James occurred. to all the apostles. Possibly the same as “the Twelve” in v. 5, but given the list-like nature of vv. 5–7, Paul could have a wider group in mind (see also Ac 1:6–11; Ro 16:7 and note).
15:8 last of all. See Ac 9:1–8. This appearance to Paul came several years after the resurrection (perhaps c. ad 33). one abnormally born. This word can refer to a premature birth, a miscarriage or an abortion. The emphasis is on its abnormal nature. Paul was not part of the original group of apostles. He had not lived with Christ as the others had. His entry into the apostolic office was thus not “normal.” Furthermore, at his conversion he was abruptly snatched from his former way of life (Ac 9:3–6).
15:9 I persecuted. See 1Ti 1:13 and note. church of God. In persecuting the church, he was actually persecuting Christ (see Ac 9:4 and note).
15:12–19 The various theological questions behind the discussion of the resurrection in chapter 15 now become clear. Probably because of their dualistic worldview, some at Corinth were saying that there was no resurrection of the body, and Paul draws out the implications of this false contention.
15:19 If faith in Christ brings benefits only for the present life and not deliverance from the ultimate “wages of sin” (Ro 6:23), then believers are worse off (because they are deluded) than those who live “without hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12).
15:20 But Christ has indeed been raised. Paul’s categorical conclusion based on his evidence set forth in vv. 3–8. firstfruits. The first and best of the harvest given to the Lord as a token that all the harvest belonged to him and would be dedicated to him through dedicated lives (see Ex 23:19; Lev 2:12 and notes). So Christ, who has been raised, is the guarantee of the resurrection of all of God’s redeemed people (cf. 1Th 4:13–18 and notes).
15:21 death came through a man. Through Adam (see Ge 3:17–19; Ro 5:12 and note). the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. Through Christ, the second Adam, “the last Adam” (v. 45; cf. Ro 5:12–21 and note).
15:22 in Adam all die. All who are “in Adam”—i.e., all human beings—suffer death. in Christ all will be made alive. All who are “in Christ”—i.e., who are related to him by faith—will be made alive at the resurrection (cf. Jn 5:25; Ro 5:17–18; 1Th 4:16–17 and note; Rev 20:6).
15:23 each in turn. Christ, the firstfruits, was raised in his own time in history (c. ad 30), and those who are identified with Christ by faith will be raised together at his second coming. His resurrection is the pledge that ours will follow.
15:24 the end. The second coming of Christ and all the events accompanying it. This includes his handing over the kingdom to the Father, following his destroying all dominion, authority and power of the persons and forces opposing him.
15:25 For he must reign. During this process of Christ’s destroying all dominion and handing over the kingdom to the Father, Christ must reign (Rev 20:1–6). Some take this to mean that Christ will literally reign with his people for 1,000 years on the earth (cf. Isa 2:2–4; Mic 4:1–5). Others believe that this refers to Christ’s reign over the course of history and in the lives of his people, who are spiritually raised, or born again. This reign is viewed as continuing throughout the present age. under his feet. An OT figure for complete conquest. Verse 25 is an allusion to Ps 110:1 (cf. Mt 22:44; Ac 2:34; Heb 1:13; 10:13 and notes).
15:27 everything under his feet. An allusion to Ps 8:6. For another reading of Ps 8 as ultimately a word about Jesus Christ, see Heb 2:5–9 and notes.
15:28 the Son himself will be made subject to him. The Son will be made subject to the Father in the sense that, administratively, after he subjects all things to his power he will then turn it all over to God the Father, the administrative head. This is not to suggest that the Son is in any way inferior to the Father. All three persons of the Trinity are equal in deity and in dignity. The subordination referred to is one of function (see Jn 4:34; 5:19; 7:16 and notes). so that God may be all in all. The triune God will be shown to be supreme and sovereign in all things (cf. 3:21 and note).
15:29 those . . . who are baptized for the dead. The present tense suggests that at Corinth people were currently being baptized for the dead. But because Paul does not give any more information about the practice, many attempts have been made to interpret the concept. Three of these are: (1) Living believers were being baptized for believers who died before they were baptized, so that they too, in this way, would not miss out on baptism. (2) Christians were being baptized in anticipation of the resurrection of the dead. (3) New converts were being baptized to fill the ranks of Christians who had died. At any rate, Paul mentions this custom almost in passing, using it in his arguments substantiating the resurrection of the dead but without necessarily approving the practice.
15:31 I face death every day. Paul faced the reality of death daily (cf. 2Co 4:8–12; 11:23–26), and he wanted the Corinthians to know it. boast about you. About their conversion and growth in grace—in spite of their failures (cf. 1Th 2:20).
15:32 I fought wild beasts in Ephesus. This statement can be taken literally or figuratively. But since Ac 19 makes no mention of Paul suffering imprisonment and having to face the lions in Ephesus, it is more likely that the expression means that the enemies in Ephesus were as ferocious as wild beasts. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” See Isa 22:13; an alternative philosophy of life if there is no resurrection.
15:33 A quotation from the Greek comedy Thais written by the Greek poet Menander, whose writings the Corinthians would know (see NIV text note). The contextual application of the quotation is that those who are teaching that there is no resurrection (v. 12) are the “bad company” and that they are corrupting the “good character” of those who hold to the correct doctrine. Cf. Ps 1:1; Pr 22:24–25 and notes.
15:34 stop sinning. Refers to the sin of denying that there is a resurrection and thus doubting even the resurrection of Christ, all of which had a negative effect on the lives they were living. some who are ignorant of God. Even in the Corinthian church. This, Paul says, is a shameful situation.
15:35–49 In discussing the nature of the resurrection body, Paul compares it to plant life (vv. 36–38), to fleshly beings (v. 39) and to celestial and earthly physical bodies (vv. 40–41).
15:36–38 Plant organisms, though organized similarly in their own order, are different; the seed sown is related to the new plant that sprouts, but the new sprout has a different and genuinely new body that God has given it.
15:39 Not all flesh is the same. Although there is much that is similar in the organizational character of fleshly beings, each species is different: humans, animals, birds, fish.
15:40–41 Here the analogy involves inanimate objects of creation: the sun, moon and stars with their differing splendor and the earthly bodies (possibly the great mountains, canyons and seas) with their splendor. In it all, God can take similar physical material and organize it differently to accomplish his purpose.
15:42–44 In applying these analogies, the apostle says that, in the case of the resurrection of the dead, God will take a perishable, dishonorable, weak (and sinful) body—“A natural body” characterized by sin—and in the resurrection make it an imperishable, glorious, powerful body, fit to live eternally with God. There is continuity, but there is also change.
15:44–49 The contrast here between the natural body and the spiritual body again follows from their two representatives (see notes on vv. 21–22). One is the first Adam, who had a natural body of the dust of the ground (Ge 2:7) and through whom a natural body is given to his descendants. The other is the last Adam, Christ, the life-giving spirit (cf. Jn 5:26) who through his death and resurrection will at the second coming give his redeemed people a spiritual body similar to his resurrected, glorified body (cf. Lk 24:36–43; Php 3:21 and notes; 1Jn 3:2).
15:45 a life-giving spirit. Just as the Spirit of God breathed life into the first Adam (Ge 2:7), so now Jesus, the second Adam, is the Spirit who breathes life into his people.
15:49 so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. Our resurrection bodies will be like Jesus’ resurrection body (Php 3:21).
15:50 Paul’s final argument about the resurrection of the body: God’s redeemed people must have newly organized, imperishable bodies to live with him. “Flesh and blood” stands for the perishable, corrupt, weak, sinful state of human beings (see note on Gal 1:16). Cf. Lk 24:39.
15:51 mystery. Things about the resurrection body that were not understood but are now revealed (see note on Ro 11:25). We will not all sleep. Some believers will not experience death and the grave (see 1Th 4:15 and note).
15:52 in a flash. The change to an imperishable body will occur instantly at the great trumpet call that announces the consummation of redemption (Mt 24:31; 1Th 4:16–17).
15:56 The sting of death is sin. It was sin that brought humanity under death’s power (see Ro 5:12–21 and notes). the power of sin is the law. The law of God gives sin its power, for it reveals our sin and condemns us because of our sin (cf. Ro 7:7–12 and notes).
15:57 victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Refers to victory over the condemnation for sin that the law brought (v. 56) and over death and the grave (vv. 54–55), through the death and resurrection of Christ (cf. Ro 4:25).
15:58 Therefore. Because of Christ’s resurrection and ours, we know that serving him is not empty, useless activity. your labor in the Lord is not in vain. All our efforts in service to Christ are invested in his winning cause. He will also reward us at his second coming (Mt 25:21; Lk 19:17; cf. 1Co 2:7; 2Co 4:17 and notes).
16:1 Now about. Again an answer to one of the matters raised in the letter from the Corinthians (cf. 7:1; 8:1; 12:1). collection. In all three of the letters Paul wrote on his third missionary journey, he discusses this collection for the poor Judean believers (cf. Ro 15:25–28; 2Co 8–9). the Lord’s people. His people at Jerusalem (cf. v. 3; Ro 15:26). Galatian churches. The fact that the Galatian and Macedonian churches (2Co 8:1; 9:1–4) are involved, along with the Corinthians, indicates that the collection of this offering was quite widespread. The Jerusalem believers may have become poverty-stricken because of the famine recorded in Ac 11:28 (c. ad 44 or 46) or because of the persecution of Jerusalem Christians (cf. Ac 8:1).
16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside. Every Sunday believers were to bring what they had set aside for the Lord’s work—an amount proportionate to their income. Since it was to be brought on Sunday, the day when Christians gathered for worship (see Ac 20:7; Rev 1:10 and notes), it was probably collected at the worship service rather than at home. Justin Martyr indicates (in his Apology, 1.67–68) that in his time (c. ad 150) offerings were brought to the church on Sundays.
16:3 For proper financial accountability and responsibility these approved men would act as auditors and guardians of the funds the Corinthians gave (cf. Ro 15:26; 2Co 8:16–21 and notes).
16:4 If it seems advisable for me to go also. Possibly to take care of important missionary business or to be there to explain about the gift when it arrives.
16:5 After I go through Macedonia. After leaving Ephesus (v. 8), where he was when he wrote 1 Corinthians, Paul planned to go up to Macedonia, no doubt to visit the Philippians and others in northern Greece, and then to Corinth. He had originally planned to go to Corinth first and then to Macedonia but thought it best to change his plans (2Co 1:12—2:4).
16:6 even spend the winter. Probably the three-month stay in Greece mentioned in Ac 20:3 (see note there). help me on my journey. With supplies and equipment, and certainly with prayers and goodwill. However, Paul had indicated earlier in the letter (9:7–12) that he did not want to be a financial burden to them.
16:8 until Pentecost. The 50th day (Pentecost means “50”) after Passover, when the Jews celebrated the Festival of Firstfruits (Lev 23:10–16)—late spring.
16:9 many who oppose me. Probably a reference to the pagan craftsmen who made the silver shrines of Artemis and to the general populace whom they had stirred up (Ac 19:23–34).
16:10 When Timothy comes. In Ac 19:22 Paul sends Timothy (and Erastus) into Macedonia, after which Timothy was to go on to Corinth (1Co 4:17). see to it that he has nothing to fear. Timothy seems to have been somewhat timid (see 1Ti 4:12; 2Ti 1:7 and notes), and Paul wants the Corinthians to treat him kindly. The Corinthian church could be a divisive and rebellious group, as the events surrounding the writing of 2 Corinthians make clear. See 2 Corinthians: Occasion.
16:15 household of Stephanas. Some of the few people Paul baptized at Corinth (1:16). They were among the first converts in Achaia (Greece), along with the few individuals in Athens who had believed a short time earlier (Ac 17:34). service. The whole “household of Stephanas” served “the Lord’s people.”
16:17 These were probably the ones who had brought to the apostle the letter from the Corinthians referred to in 7:1. Their coming “supplied what was lacking” from the Corinthians, i.e., the affection of these three brothers supplied the affection Paul desired from the whole Corinthian church.
16:18 refreshed my spirit and yours. Perhaps through their willingness to come to get Paul’s advice and to bring it back to Corinth. At least a new relationship between Paul and the Corinthians was in the making.
16:19 province of Asia. The Roman province (in present-day western Turkey) in which Ephesus and the surrounding cities were located (see Ac 19:10 and note; see also map). During Paul’s long ministry in Ephesus, all in the province of Asia heard the word. The churches of Colossae, Laodicea and Hierapolis (cf. Col 4:13–16; Rev 1:11), which were located on the border of the province of Asia, may be included in the greetings, along with the other churches of Rev 2–3 (see map). Aquila and Priscilla. They had helped Paul found the church at Corinth (Ac 18:1–4). warmly in the Lord. Enthusiastically, as fellow believers. the church that meets at their house. Aquila and Priscilla had left Corinth with Paul and had gone to Ephesus (Ac 18:18–19). Evidently they were still there, and a church was meeting at their house; it now sends greetings. House churches were common in this early period (cf. Ro 16:3–5 and note on v. 5; Phm 2).
16:20 holy kiss. See notes on 2Co 13:12; Ro 16:16. The kiss of mutual respect and love in the Lord was evidently the public practice of early Christians—from a practice that was customary in the ancient Mediterranean world.
16:21 greeting in my own hand. Paul now signs this letter, as was his habit (Gal 6:11; Col 4:18; Phm 19), a mark of the authenticity of the letter (2Th 3:17). Someone else had been penning the letter for him up to this point (cf. Ro 16:22).
16:22 let that person be cursed! May those who have not come to love the Lord Jesus Christ in response to the preaching of the gospel experience God’s displeasure and wrath (see Jn 3:36 and note). Paul’s curse is based on God as witness to the unbelievers’ essential lack of love for the Lord Jesus and of obedience to God (cf. Gal 1:8–9; Ro 9:3 and note). Come, Lord! See NIV text note; an expression used by the early church as a cry that the second coming of Christ may soon take place (Rev 22:20).
16:24 Although he has been severe with the Corinthians, Paul wants them to know that he loves them as believers in Christ Jesus. in Christ Jesus. See note on Eph 1:1.