35And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.
36But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his 4virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.
37Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his 5virgin, does well.
38eSo then he who gives 6her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
39fA wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, gonly in the Lord.
40But she is happier if she remains as she is, haccording to my judgment—and iI think I also have the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 8
Be Sensitive to Conscience
1Now aconcerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have bknowledge. cKnowledge 1puffs up, but love 2edifies.
2And dif anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
3But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
4Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that ean idol is nothing in the world, fand that there is no other God but one.
5For even if there are gso-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),
6yet hfor us there is one God, the Father, iof whom are all things, and we for Him; and jone Lord Jesus Christ, kthrough whom are all things, and lthrough whom we live.
7However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, mwith consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is ndefiled.
8But ofood does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
9But pbeware lest somehow this liberty of yours become qa 3stumbling block to those who are weak.
10For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not rthe conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
11And sbecause of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12But twhen you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
13Therefore, uif food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
1 Corinthians 9
A Pattern of Self-Denial
1Am aI not an apostle? Am I not free? bHave I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? cAre you not my work in the Lord?
2If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are dthe 1seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3My defense to those who examine me is this:
4eDo we have no 2right to eat and drink?
5Do we have no right to take along 3a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, fthe brothers of the Lord, and gCephas?
6Or is it only Barnabas and I hwho have no right to refrain from working?
7Who ever igoes to war at his own expense? Who jplants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who ktends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
8Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also?
9For it is written in the law of Moses, l“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?
10Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that mhe who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11nIf we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
12If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? oNevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things plest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
13qDo you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the rtemple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?
14Even so sthe Lord has commanded tthat those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
15But uI have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for vit would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.
16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for wnecessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
17For if I do this willingly, xI have a reward; but if against my will, yI have been entrusted with a stewardship.
18What is my reward then? That zwhen I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel 4of Christ without charge, that I amay not abuse my authority in the gospel.
Serving All Men
19For though I am bfree from all men, cI have made myself a servant to all, dthat I might win the more;
20and eto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the 5law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21fto gthose who are without law, as without law h(not being without 6law toward God, but under 7law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;
22ito the weak I became 8as weak, that I might win the weak. jI have become all things to all men, kthat I might by all means save some.
23Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
Striving for a Crown
24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? lRun in such a way that you may 9obtain it.
25And everyone who competes for the prize 10is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for man imperishable crown.
26Therefore I run thus: nnot with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27oBut I discipline my body and pbring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become qdisqualified.
1 Corinthians 10
Old Testament Examples
1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under athe cloud, all passed through bthe sea,
2all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3all ate the same cspiritual food,
4and all drank the same dspiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
5But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies ewere scattered in the wilderness.
6Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as fthey also lusted.
7gAnd do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, h“The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
8iNor let us commit sexual immorality, as jsome of them did, and kin one day twenty-three thousand fell;
9nor let us 1tempt Christ, as lsome of them also tempted, and mwere destroyed by serpents;
10nor complain, as nsome of them also complained, and owere destroyed by pthe destroyer.
11Now 2all these things happened to them as examples, and qthey were written for our 3admonition, rupon whom the ends of the ages have come.
12Therefore slet him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but tGod is faithful, uwho will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to 4bear it.
Flee from Idolatry
14Therefore, my beloved, vflee from idolatry.
15I speak as to wwise men; judge for yourselves what I say.
16xThe cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the 5communion of the blood of Christ? yThe bread
which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17For zwe, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
18Observe aIsrael bafter the flesh: cAre not those who eat of the sacrifices 6partakers of the altar?
19What am I saying then? dThat an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything?
20Rather, that the things which the Gentiles esacrifice fthey sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.
21gYou cannot drink the cup of the Lord and hthe cup of demons; you cannot partake of the iLord’s table and of the table of demons.
22Or do we jprovoke the Lord to jealousy? kAre we stronger than He?
All to the Glory of God
(cf. Ps. 24:1)
23All things are lawful 7for me, but not all things are lhelpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things 8edify.
24Let no one seek his own, but each one mthe other’s well-being.
25nEat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake;
26for o“the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.”
27If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, peat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.
28But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it qfor the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; 9for r“the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.”
29“Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For swhy is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?
30But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food tover which I give thanks?
31uTherefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32vGive no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,
33just was I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 11
Worship and the Lord’s Supper
1Imitatea me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Head Coverings
2Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.
3But I want you to know that bthe head of every man is Christ, cthe head of woman is man, and dthe head of Christ is God.
4Every man praying or eprophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
5But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were fshaved.
6For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is gshameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
7For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since hhe is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
8For man is not from woman, but woman ifrom man.
9Nor was man created for the woman, but woman jfor the man.
10For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11Nevertheless, kneither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
12For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
15But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given 1to her for a covering.
16But lif anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, mnor do the churches of God.
Conduct at the Lord’s Supper
17Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.
18For first of all, when you come together as a church, nI hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
19For othere must also be factions among you, pthat those who are approved may be 2recognized among you.
20Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.
21For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and qanother is drunk.
22What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise rthe church of God and sshame 3those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
Institution of the Lord’s Supper
(Matt. 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–23)
23For tI received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: uthat the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 4“Take, eat; this is My body which is 5broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death vtill He comes.
Examine Yourself
27Therefore whoever eats wthis bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and 6blood of the Lord.
28But xlet a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29For he who eats and drinks 7in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the 8Lord’s body.
30For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many 9sleep.
31For yif we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
32But when we are judged, zwe are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33Therefore, my brethren, when you acome together to eat, wait for one another.
34But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.
1 Corinthians 12
Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity
1Now aconcerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
2You know bthat1 you were Gentiles, carried away to these cdumb2 idols, however you were led.
3Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus 3accursed, and dno one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4eThere are 4diversities of gifts, but fthe same Spirit.
5gThere are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God hwho works 5all in all.
7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8for to one is given ithe word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another jthe word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9kto another faith by the same Spirit, to another lgifts of healings by 6the same Spirit,
10mto another the working of miracles, to another nprophecy, to another odiscerning of spirits, to another pdifferent kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, qdistributing to each one individually ras He wills.
Unity and Diversity in One Body
(cf. Eph. 4:1–16)
12For sas the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, tso also is Christ.
13For uby one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—vwhether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and whave all been made to drink 7into one Spirit.
14For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
16And i
f the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18But now xGod has set the members, each one of them, in the body yjust as He pleased.
19And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
21And 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.”
22No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
24but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25that there should be no 8schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now zyou are the body of Christ, and amembers individually.
28And bGod has appointed these in the church: first capostles, second dprophets, third teachers, after that emiracles, then fgifts of healings, ghelps, hadministrations, varieties of tongues.
29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
31But iearnestly desire the 9best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. Appearances of the Risen Christ
1 Corinthians 13
The Greatest Gift
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2And though I have the gift of aprophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, bso that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 576