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the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, unto the 23 Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them 24 which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; 25 and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, 26 brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of 27 the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things 28 of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh 29 should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who 30 of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, "He that glorieth, let 31 him glory in the Lord."

He recalls to their minds his own

method of preach

not discovered by man, nor could be known unless re

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AND I, brethren, when I came to you, came not 2 with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto ing. The gospel was you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know 2 any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and 3 vealed by the Spirit. in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching 4 was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew: for had 8 they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: but, (as 9 it is written,)" Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the 10 Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man 11 knoweth the things of a man, save the Spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we 12 have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which 13 things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of 14 God for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all 15 things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the 16 mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Their conduct proved that they had yet elements of Chris

learned only the

tianity.

AND I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal. For whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Different ministers

are fellow-builders

the church

WHO then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers of God's temple, by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he

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that watereth: but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth 8 and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor. For we are laborers together with 9 God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the 10 grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man 11 lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon 12 this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: every 13 man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, 14 he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall 15 suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved: yet so as by fire. Know ye 16 not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for 17 the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Humility is necessary for teachers in

that church. Christians should not glory in them.

LET no man deceive himself. If any man among you 18 seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is 19 foolishness with God. For it is written, " He taketh the wise in their own craftiness." And again, "The Lord knoweth the 20 thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." Therefore let no man glory 21 in men for all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, 22 or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

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and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

23 All teachers are ac- LET a man so account of us, as of the ministers of 4 countable to Christ. Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. More- 2 over, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. But with 3 me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self: (for I know nothing by 4 myself; yet am I not hereby justified;) but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

In the foregoing re

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AND these things, brethren, I have in a figure trans- 6 proof, Paul has used ferred to myself, and to Apollos, for your sakes: and and Apollos, to spare that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that

the name of himself

individuals. which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and 7 what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

If any teacher should be preferred by them, it was He,

who was their spiritual father. Hence

he admonishes

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as 8 kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For I think that God 9 hath set forth us the Apostles last, as it were appointed them. to death for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are 10 wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, 11 and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place, ' and labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being 12 persecuted, we suffer it; 'being defamed, we entreat: we are made as 13 the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn 14

you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye 15 not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 'Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 'For this 16 cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. Now some are 18 puffed up, as though I would not come to you. But I will come to you 19 shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, 20 but in power. What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in 21 love, and in the spirit of meekness?

and commands them

from the church.

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IT is reported commonly that there is fornication 5 He expresses his astonishment at their among you, and such fornication as is not so much as toleration of incest, named among the Gentiles, that one should have his to debar the offender father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather 2 mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in 3 spirit, have judged already as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 'in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (when ye are gathered together, and my spirit,) with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. glorying is not good. Know ye not, that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new 7 lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with 8 the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to company with 9 fornicators.' Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or 10 with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters: for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to 11 keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such a one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them 12 also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?' but them 13 that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Differences between professing Christians should be

DARE any of you, having a matter against another, go 6 to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do settled by Christian ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if arbiters. the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? 3 how much more, things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judg- 4 ments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame! Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you! no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren! But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers! Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren!

Fornication is a

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No neglecter of the KNOW ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the law is a Christian. kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, most damning sin. nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 'nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, 10 nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And 11

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such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: 12 all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall 13 destroy both it and them.' Now the body is NOT for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up 14 the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not, 15 that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. What! know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? 16 "for two," saith he, "shall be one flesh." But he that is joined unto 17 the Lord is one spirit. 'Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth, 18 is without the body; but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body. What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the 19 Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your 20 body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Of marriage, celibacy, and widow

hood. Christians unbelievers should

that are married to

not leave them.

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NOW concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto 7 me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman! never- 2 theless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let 3 the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of 4 her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. For I would that all men were even as myself: but every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they 8 abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is 9 better to marry than to burn. And unto the married I command, yet not 10 I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: (but and if 11 she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband:) and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not 12 the Lord, If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which 13 hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the 14 wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving 15 depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases; but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, 16 O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? But as God hath distributed to 17 every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And sɔ ordain I in all churches.

Christianity does not alter external condition.

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not be- 18 come uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, 19 and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 20 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it; but if thou mayest be 21 made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a ser- 22

vant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants 23 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide 24

of men. with God.

Paul's advice to the

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of 25 unmarried. the Lord yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I suppose therefore that this 26 is good for the present distress; I say, that it is good for a man so to be. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou 27 loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast 28 not sinned and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless, such shall have trouble in the flesh; but I spare you. But this I say, 29 brethren, The time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none: and they that weep, as though they 30 wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as 31 not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away. ! But I 32 would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried, careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: but he 33 that is married, careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. 34 The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirit: but she that is married, careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I 35 speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely to- 36 ward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. Nevertheless, 37 he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; 38 but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

married woman.

The law of the THE wife is bound by the law as long as her husband 39 liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she 40 so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

Sacrifices to the

heathen gods, as the

nature of the flesh was not changed

by being offered to

them, might be eaten : but should not, if a brother deemed it unlawful.

but one.

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NOW, as touching the things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge, (knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he 2 knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.) But if any man love God, the same is known 3 of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many ;) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit, there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour, eat it as a thing offered unto an idol: and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours 9 become a stumbling-block to them that are weak. For if any man see 10

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