1 And I, when I came to you, brothers,¹ did not come proclaiming to you the testimony² of God with ^vlofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you ^wexcept Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in ^xweakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were ^ynot in plausible words of wisdom, but ^zin demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men³ but in the ^apower of God.

6 Yet among the ^bmature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a ^csecret and hidden wisdom of God, which God ^ddecreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the ^eLord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

10 these things ^hGod has ⁱrevealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For ^jwho knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have ^kreceived ^lnot the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, ^mthat we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.⁴

14 ⁿThe natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are ^ofolly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The ^pspiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 ^q“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,¹ that our fathers were all under the ^xcloud, and ^yall passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and ^zall ate the same spiritual food, 4 and ^aall drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for ^bthey were overthrown² in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples ^cfor us, that we might not desire evil ^das they did. 7 Do not be idolaters ^eas some of them were; as it is written, ^f“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality ^gas some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not ^hput Christ³ to the test, ⁱas some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 ^jnor ^kgrumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the ^lDestroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore ^mlet anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 ⁿThe cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? ^oThe bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, ^pwe who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel:⁴ are not those who ^qeat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or ^rthat an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice ^sthey offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 ^tYou cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we ^uprovoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

23 ^v“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 ^wLet no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 ^xEat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For ^y“the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the ^zunbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, ^aeat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 ^bBut if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that ^cfor which I give thanks?

31 So, whether you ^deat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 ^eGive no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to ^fplease ^geveryone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

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

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 wife⁵ is her husband,⁶ and ^lthe head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or ^mprophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife⁷ 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.⁸ 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.

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,⁹ 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 for¹⁰ you. Do this in remembrance of me.”¹¹ 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.¹² 31 But if we judged¹³ ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are ^zdisciplined¹⁴ so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

33 So then, my brothers,¹⁵ when you come together to eat, ^await for¹⁶ 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.