11 ^hBe imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Head Coverings

2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the ⁱtraditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the ^jhead of every man is Christ, ^kthe head of a wife¹ is her husband,² and ^lthe head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or ^mprophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife³ who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the ⁿimage and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For ^oman was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but ^pwoman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.⁴ 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And ^qall things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, ^rnor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are ^sdivisions among you. And I believe it in part,⁵ 19 for there must be factions among you ^tin order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

23 ^uFor I ^vreceived from the Lord what I also ^wdelivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for⁶ you. Do this in remembrance of me.”⁷ 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the ^xnew covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 ^yLet a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.⁸ 31 But if we judged⁹ ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are ^zdisciplined¹⁰ so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

33 So then, my brothers,¹¹ when you come together to eat, ^await for¹² one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions ^bwhen I come.

Spiritual Gifts

12 ^cNow concerning^{1 d}spiritual gifts,² brothers,³ I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to ^emute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say ^f“Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are ^gvarieties of gifts, but ^hthe same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the ⁱsame Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who ^jempowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another ^kfaith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of ^lmiracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to ^mdistinguish between spirits, to another ⁿvarious kinds of tongues, to another the ^ointerpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually ^pas he wills.

One Body with Many Members

12 ^qFor just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, ^rslaves⁴ or free—and ^sall were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, ^tthere are many parts,⁵ yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no ^udivision in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 ^vIf one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27 Now ^wyou are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church ^xfirst apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But ^yearnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

The Way of Love

13 If I ^zspeak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have ^aprophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all ^bknowledge, and if I have all ^cfaith, ^dso as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I ^egive away all I have, and if I deliver up my body ^fto be burned,¹ but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is ^gpatient and ^hkind; love ⁱdoes not envy or boast; it is not ^jarrogant 5 or rude. ^kIt does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;² 6 it does not ^lrejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I ^mgave up childish ways. 12 For now we ⁿsee in a mirror dimly, but then ^oface to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as ^pI have been fully known.

13 ^qSo now ^rfaith, hope, and love abide, these three; but ^sthe greatest of these is love.

Prophecy and Tongues

14 Pursue love, and ^tearnestly desire the ^uspiritual gifts, especially that you may ^vprophesy. 2 For one who ^wspeaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters ^xmysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their ^yupbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, ^zbut even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone ^ainterprets, so that the church may be built up.

6 Now, brothers,¹ if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some ^brevelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider² say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 Brothers, ^cdo not be ^dchildren in your thinking. ^eBe infants in evil, but in your thinking be ^fmature. 21 In the Law it is written, ^g“By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign³ not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, ^hwill they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are ⁱdisclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and ^jdeclare that God is really among you.

Orderly Worship

26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others ^kweigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of ^lconfusion but of ^mpeace.

As in all the churches of the saints, 34 ⁿthe women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or ^ospiritual, he should acknowledge that ^pthe things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, ^qearnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But ^rall things should be done decently and ^sin order.

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now I would remind you, brothers,¹ of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, ^tif you hold fast to the word I preached to you—^uunless you believed ^vin vain.

3 For I ^wdelivered to you as of first importance ^xwhat I also received: that ^yChrist died for our sins ^zin accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was ^aburied, that he was raised on the ^bthird day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he ^cappeared to Cephas, then ^dto the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, ^ehe appeared also to me. 9 For ^fI am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I ^gpersecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, ^hthough it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 ⁱWhether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no ^jresurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that ^khe raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and ^lyou are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope² in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been ^mraised from the dead, ⁿthe firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as ^oby a man came death, ^pby a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be ^qmade alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his ^rcoming those who ^sbelong to Christ. 24 Then comes ^tthe end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying ^uevery rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until ^vhe has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 ^wThe last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For ^x“God³ has put ^yall things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, ^zthen the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in ^adanger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my ^bpride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, ^cI die ^devery day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, ^e“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: ^f“Bad company ruins good morals.”⁴ 34 ^gWake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have ^hno knowledge of God. ⁱI say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! ^jWhat you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised ^kin glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a ^lnatural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, ^m“The ⁿfirst man Adam became a living being”;⁵ the last Adam became a ^olife-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 ^pThe first man was from the earth, ^qa man of dust; the second man is ^rfrom heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are ^sthose who are of heaven. 49 ^tJust as we have borne the image of the man of dust, ^uwe shall⁶ also bear the image of the man of heaven.