1 Corinthians 7:17 - 2 Corinthians 11:18

Contemporary English Version

Obeying the Lord at All Times

¹⁷ In every church I tell the people to stay as they were when the Lord Jesus chose them and God called them to be his own. Now I say the same thing to you. ^18 (A) If you are already circumcised, don't try to change it. If you are not circumcised, don't get circumcised. ¹⁹ Being circumcised or uncircumcised isn't really what matters. The important thing is to obey God's commands. ²⁰ So don't try to change what you were when God chose you. ²¹ Are you a slave? Don't let that bother you. But if you can win your freedom, you should. ²² When the Lord chooses slaves, they become his free people. And when he chooses free people, they become slaves of Christ. ²³ God paid a great price for you. So don't become slaves of anyone else. ²⁴ Stay what you were when God chose you.

Unmarried People

²⁵ I don't know of anything the Lord said about people who have never been married.^[a] But I will tell you what I think. And you can trust me, because the Lord has treated me with kindness. ²⁶ We are now going through hard times, and I think it is best for you to stay as you are. ²⁷ If you are married, stay married. If you are not married, don't try to get married. ²⁸ It isn't wrong to marry, even if you have never been married before. But those who marry will have a lot of trouble, and I want to protect you from this.

²⁹ My friends, what I mean is that the Lord will soon come,^[b] and it won't matter if you are married or not. ³⁰ It will be all the same if you are crying or laughing, or if you are buying or are completely broke. ³¹ It won't make any difference how much good you are getting from this world or how much you like it. This world as we know it is now passing away.

³² I want all of you to be free from worry. An unmarried man worries about how to please the Lord. ³³ But a married man has more worries. He must worry about the things of this world, because he wants to please his wife. ³⁴ So he is pulled in two directions. Unmarried women and women who have never been married^[c] worry only about pleasing the Lord, and they keep their bodies and minds pure. But a married woman worries about the things of this world, because she wants to please her husband. ³⁵ What I am saying is for your own good—it isn't to limit your freedom. I want to help you to live right and to love the Lord above all else.

³⁶ But suppose you are engaged to someone old enough to be married, and you want her so much that all you can think about is getting married. Then go ahead and marry.^[d] There is nothing wrong with that. ³⁷ But it is better to have self-control and to make up your mind not to marry. ³⁸ It is perfectly all right to marry, but it is better not to get married at all.

³⁹ A wife should stay married to her husband until he dies. Then she is free to marry again, but only to a man who is a follower of the Lord. ⁴⁰ However, I think I am obeying God's Spirit when I say she would be happier to stay single.

Food Offered to Idols

8 In your letter you asked me about food offered to idols. All of us know something about this subject. But knowledge makes us proud of ourselves, while love makes us helpful to others. ² In fact, people who think they know so much don't know anything at all. ³ But God has no doubts about who loves him.

⁴ Even though food is offered to idols, we know that none of the idols in this world are alive. After all, there is only one God. ⁵ Many things in heaven and on earth are called gods and lords, but none of them really are gods or lords. ⁶ We have only one God, and he is the Father. He created everything, and we live for him. Jesus Christ is our only Lord. Everything was made by him, and by him life was given to us.

⁷ Not everyone knows these things. In fact, many people have grown up with the belief that idols have life in them. So when they eat meat offered to idols, they are bothered by a weak conscience. ⁸ But food doesn't bring us any closer to God. We are no worse off if we don't eat, and we are no better off if we do.

⁹ Don't cause problems for someone with a weak conscience, just because you have the right to eat anything. ¹⁰ You know all this, and so it doesn't bother you to eat in the temple of an idol. But suppose a person with a weak conscience sees you and decides to eat food that has been offered to idols. ¹¹ Then what you know has destroyed someone Christ died for. ¹² When you sin by hurting a follower with a weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ So if I hurt one of the Lord's followers by what I eat, I will never eat meat as long as I live.

The Rights of an Apostle

9 I am free. I am an apostle. I have seen the Lord Jesus and have led you to have faith in him. ² Others may think that I am not an apostle, but you are proof that I am an apostle to you.

³ When people question me, I tell them ⁴ that Barnabas and I have the right to our food and drink. ⁵ We each have the right to marry one of the Lord's followers and to take her along with us, just as the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Peter^[e] do. ⁶ Are we the only ones who have to support ourselves by working at another job? ⁷ Do soldiers pay their own salaries? Don't people who raise grapes eat some of what they grow? Don't shepherds get milk from their own goats?

^8-9 (B) I am not saying this on my own authority. The Law of Moses tells us not to muzzle an ox when it is grinding grain. But was God concerned only about an ox? ¹⁰ No, he wasn't! He was talking about us. This was written in the Scriptures so that all who plow and all who grind the grain will look forward to sharing in the harvest.

^11 (C) When we told the message to you, it was like planting spiritual seed. So we have the right to accept material things as our harvest from you. ¹² If others have the right to do this, we have an even greater right. But we haven't used this right of ours. We are willing to put up with anything to keep from causing trouble for the message about Christ.

^13 (D) Don't you know that people who work in the temple make their living from what is brought to the temple? Don't you know that a person who serves at the altar is given part of what is offered? ^14 (E) In the same way, the Lord wants everyone who preaches the good news to make a living from preaching this message.

¹⁵ But I have never used these privileges of mine, and I am not writing this because I want to start now. I would rather die than have someone rob me of the right to take pride in this. ¹⁶ I don't have any reason to brag about preaching the good news. Preaching is something God told me to do, and if I don't do it, I am doomed. ¹⁷ If I preach because I want to, I will be paid. But even if I don't want to, it is still something God has sent me to do. ¹⁸ What pay am I given? It is the chance to preach the good news free of charge and not to use the privileges that are mine because I am a preacher.

¹⁹ I am not anyone's slave. But I have become a slave to everyone, so I can win as many people as possible. ²⁰ When I am with the Jews, I live like a Jew to win Jews. They are ruled by the Law of Moses, and I am not. But I live by the Law to win them. ²¹ And when I am with people who are not ruled by the Law, I forget about the Law to win them. Of course, I never really forget about the law of God. In fact, I am ruled by the law of Christ. ²² When I am with people whose faith is weak, I live as they do to win them. I do everything I can to win everyone I possibly can. ²³ I do all this for the good news, because I want to share in its blessings.

A Race and a Fight

^24 (F) You know that many runners enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize. So run to win! ^25 (G) Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ I don't run without a goal. And I don't box by beating my fists in the air. ²⁷ I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others.

Don't Worship Idols

10 ^(H) Friends, I want to remind you that all our ancestors walked under the cloud and went through the sea. ² This was like being baptized and becoming followers of Moses. ^3 (I) All of them also ate the same spiritual food ^4 (J) and drank the same spiritual drink, which flowed from the spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. ^5 (K) But most of them did not please God. So they died, and their bodies were scattered all over the desert.

⁶ What happened to them is a warning to keep us from wanting to do the same evil things. ^7 (L) They worshiped idols, just as the Scriptures say, “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance around.” So don't worship idols. ^8 (M) Some of those people did shameful things, and in a single day about 23,000 died. Don't do shameful things as they did. ^9 (N) And don't try to test Christ,^[f] as some of them did and were later bitten by poisonous snakes. ^10 (O) Don't even grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel. ¹¹ These things happened to them as a warning to us. All this was written in the Scriptures to teach us who live in these last days.

¹² Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall. ^13 (P) You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.

¹⁴ My friends, you must keep away from idols. ¹⁵ I am speaking to you as people who have enough sense to know what I am talking about. ^16 (Q) When we drink from the cup we ask God to bless, isn't that sharing in the blood of Christ? When we eat the bread we break, isn't that sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ By sharing in the same loaf of bread, we become one body, even though there are many of us.

^18 (R)(S) Aren't the people of Israel sharing in the worship when they gather around the altar and eat the sacrifices offered there? ¹⁹ Am I saying that either the idols or the food sacrificed to them is anything at all? ^20 (T) No, I am not! This food is really sacrificed to demons and not to God. I don't want you to have anything to do with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink from the cup of demons and still drink from the Lord's cup. You cannot eat at the table of demons and still eat at the Lord's table. ^22 (U) We would make the Lord jealous if we did this. And we are not stronger than the Lord.

Always Honor God

^23 (V) Some of you say, “We can do whatever we want to!” But I tell you not everything may be good or helpful. ²⁴ We should think about others and not about ourselves. ²⁵ However, when you buy meat in the market, go ahead and eat it. Keep your conscience clear by not asking where the meat came from. ^26 (W) The Scriptures say, “The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to dinner, and you want to go, then go. Eat whatever you are served. Don't cause a problem for someone's conscience by asking where the food came from. ^28-29 But if you are told it has been sacrificed to idols, don't cause a problem by eating it. I don't mean a problem for yourself, but for the one who told you. Why should my freedom be limited by someone else's conscience? ³⁰ If I give thanks for what I eat, why should anyone accuse me of doing wrong?

³¹ When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God. ³² Don't cause problems for Jews or Greeks or anyone else who belongs to God's church. ³³ I always try to please others instead of myself, in the hope that many of them will be saved. 11 ^1 (X) You must follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Rules for Worship

² I am proud of you, because you always remember me and obey the teachings I gave you. ³ Now I want you to know that Christ is the head of all men, and a man is the head of a woman. But God is the head of Christ. ⁴ This means that any man who prays or prophesies with something on his head brings shame to his head.

⁵ But any woman who prays or prophesies without something on her head brings shame to her head. In fact, she may as well shave her head.^{[g] 6} A woman should wear something on her head. It is a disgrace for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair. But if she refuses to wear something on her head, let her cut off her hair.

^7 (Y) Men were created to be like God and to bring honor to God. This means a man should not wear anything on his head. Women were created to bring honor to men. ^8 (Z) It was the woman who was made from a man, and not the man who was made from a woman. ⁹ He wasn't created for her. She was created for him. ¹⁰ And so, because of this, and also because of the angels, a woman ought to wear something on her head, as a sign of her authority.^[h]

¹¹ As far as the Lord is concerned, men and women need each other. ¹² It is true that the first woman came from a man, but all other men have been given birth by women. Yet God is the one who created everything. ¹³ Ask yourselves if it is proper for a woman to pray without something on her head. ¹⁴ Isn't it unnatural and disgraceful for men to have long hair? ¹⁵ But long hair is a beautiful way for a woman to cover her head. ¹⁶ This is how things are done in all of God's churches,^[i] and this is why none of you should argue about what I have said.

Rules for the Lord's Supper

¹⁷ Your worship services do you more harm than good. I am certainly not going to praise you for this. ¹⁸ I am told you can't get along with each other when you worship, and I am sure that some of what I have heard is true. ¹⁹ You are bound to argue with each other, but it is easy to see which of you have God's approval.

²⁰ When you meet together, you don't really celebrate the Lord's Supper. ²¹ You even start eating before everyone gets to the meeting, and some of you go hungry, while others get drunk. ²² Don't you have homes where you can eat and drink? Do you hate God's church? Do you want to embarrass people who don't have anything? What can I say to you? I certainly cannot praise you.

The Lord's Supper

(Matthew 26.26-29; Mark 14.22-25; Luke 22.14-20)

²³ I have already told you what the Lord Jesus did on the night he was betrayed. And it came from the Lord himself.

He took some bread in his hands. ²⁴ Then after he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Eat this and remember me.”

^25 (AA) After the meal, Jesus took a cup of wine in his hands and said, “This is my blood, and with it God makes his new agreement with you. Drink this and remember me.”

²⁶ The Lord meant that when you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you tell about his death until he comes.

²⁷ But if you eat the bread and drink the wine in a way that isn't worthy of the Lord, you sin against his body and blood. ²⁸ This is why you must examine the way you eat and drink. ²⁹ If you fail to understand that you are the body of the Lord, you will condemn yourselves by the way you eat and drink. ³⁰ This is why many of you are sick and weak and why a lot of others have died. ³¹ If we carefully judge ourselves, we won't be punished. ³² But when the Lord judges and punishes us, he does it to keep us from being condemned with the rest of the world.

³³ My dear friends, you should wait until everyone gets there before you start eating. ³⁴ If you really are hungry, you can eat at home. Then you won't condemn yourselves when you meet together.

After I arrive, I will instruct you about the other matters.

Spiritual Gifts

12 My friends, you asked me about spiritual gifts. ² I want you to remember that before you became followers of the Lord, you were led in all the wrong ways by idols that cannot even talk. ³ Now I want you to know that if you are led by God's Spirit, you will say that Jesus is Lord, and you will never curse Jesus.

^4 (AB) There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different ways to serve the same Lord, ⁶ and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do.

⁷ The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. ⁸ Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. ⁹ To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick ¹⁰ or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God's Spirit is present.^[j] Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. ¹¹ But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us.

One Body with Many Parts

^12 (AC) The body of Christ has many different parts, just as any other body does. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, and others are Gentiles. Some of us are slaves, and others are free. But God's Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit.^[k]

¹⁴ Our bodies don't have just one part. They have many parts. ¹⁵ Suppose a foot says, “I'm not a hand, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the foot still belong to the body? ¹⁶ Or suppose an ear says, “I'm not an eye, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the ear still belong to the body? ¹⁷ If our bodies were only an eye, we couldn't hear a thing. And if they were only an ear, we couldn't smell a thing. ¹⁸ But God has put all parts of our body together in the way that he decided is best.

¹⁹ A body isn't really a body, unless there is more than one part. ²⁰ It takes many parts to make a single body. ²¹ That's why the eyes cannot say they don't need the hands. That's also why the head cannot say it doesn't need the feet. ²² In fact, we cannot get along without the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest. ²³ We take special care to dress up some parts of our bodies. We are modest about our personal parts, ²⁴ but we don't have to be modest about other parts.

God put our bodies together in such a way that even the parts that seem the least important are valuable. ²⁵ He did this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly, with each part caring about the others. ²⁶ If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored, the whole body will be happy.

²⁷ Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body. ^28 (AD) First, God chose some people to be apostles and prophets and teachers for the church. But he also chose some to work miracles or heal the sick or help others or be leaders or speak different kinds of languages. ²⁹ Not everyone is an apostle. Not everyone is a prophet. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone can work miracles. ³⁰ Not everyone can heal the sick. Not everyone can speak different kinds of languages. Not everyone can tell what these languages mean. ³¹ I want you to desire the best gifts.^[l] So I will show you a much better way.

Love

Speaking Unknown Languages and Prophesying

14 Love should be your guide. Be eager to have the gifts that come from the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of prophecy. ² If you speak languages that others don't know, God will understand what you are saying, though no one else will know what you mean. You will be talking about mysteries that only the Spirit understands. ³ But when you prophesy, you will be understood, and others will be helped. They will be encouraged and made to feel better.

⁴ By speaking languages that others don't know, you help only yourself. But by prophesying you help everyone in the church. ⁵ I am glad for you to speak unknown languages, although I prefer that you would prophesy. In fact, prophesying does much more good than speaking unknown languages, unless someone can help the church by explaining what you mean.

⁶ My friends, what good would it do, if I came and spoke unknown languages to you and didn't explain what I meant? How would I help you, unless I told you what God had shown me or gave you some knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ⁷ If all musical instruments sounded alike, how would you know the difference between a flute and a harp? ⁸ If a bugle call isn't clear, how would you know to get ready for battle?

⁹ This is how it is when you speak unknown languages. If no one can understand what you are talking about, you will only be talking to the wind. ¹⁰ There are many different languages in this world, and all of them make sense. ¹¹ But if I don't understand the language that someone is using, we will be like foreigners to each other. ¹² If you really want spiritual gifts, choose the ones that will be most helpful to the church.

¹³ When we speak languages that others don't know, we should pray for the power to explain what we mean. ¹⁴ For example, if I use an unknown language in my prayers, my spirit prays but my mind is useless. ¹⁵ Then what should I do? There are times when I should pray with my spirit, and times when I should pray with my mind. Sometimes I should sing with my spirit, and at other times I should sing with my mind.

¹⁶ Suppose some strangers are in your worship service, when you are praising God with your spirit. If they don't understand you, how will they know to say, “Amen”? ¹⁷ You may be worshiping God in a wonderful way, but no one else will be helped. ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak unknown languages more than any of you. ¹⁹ But words that make sense can help the church. This is why in church I would rather speak five words that make sense than to speak 10,000 words in a language that others don't know.

²⁰ My friends, stop thinking like children. Think like mature people and be as innocent as tiny babies. ^21 (AF) In the Scriptures the Lord says,

²² Languages others don't know may mean something to unbelievers, but not to the Lord's followers. Prophecy, on the other hand, is for followers, not for unbelievers. ²³ Suppose everyone in your worship service started speaking unknown languages, and some outsiders or some unbelievers come in. Won't they think you are crazy? ²⁴ But suppose all of you are prophesying when those unbelievers and outsiders come in. They will realize that they are sinners, and they will want to change their ways because of what you are saying. ²⁵ They will tell what is hidden in their hearts. Then they will kneel down and say to God, “We are certain that you are with these people.”

Worship Must Be Orderly

²⁶ My friends, when you meet to worship, you must do everything for the good of everyone there. That's how it should be when someone sings or teaches or tells what God has said or speaks an unknown language or explains what the language means. ²⁷ No more than two or three of you should speak unknown languages during the meeting. You must take turns, and someone should always be there to explain what you mean. ²⁸ If no one can explain, you must keep silent in church and speak only to yourself and to God.

²⁹ Two or three persons may prophesy, and everyone else must listen carefully. ³⁰ If someone sitting there receives a message from God, the speaker must stop and let the other person speak. ³¹ Let only one person speak at a time, then all of you will learn something and be encouraged. ³² A prophet should be willing to stop and let someone else speak. ³³ God wants everything to be done peacefully and in order.

When God's people meet in church, ³⁴ the women must not be allowed to speak. They must keep quiet and listen, as the Law of Moses teaches. ³⁵ If there is something they want to know, they can ask their husbands when they get home. It is disgraceful for women to speak in church.

³⁶ God's message did not start with you people, and you are not the only ones it has reached.

³⁷ If you think of yourself as a prophet or a spiritual person, you will know I am writing only what the Lord has commanded. ³⁸ So don't pay attention to anyone who ignores what I am writing. ³⁹ My friends, be eager to prophesy and don't stop anyone from speaking languages that others don't know. ⁴⁰ But do everything properly and in order.

Christ Was Raised to Life

15 My friends, I want you to remember the message I preached and that you believed and trusted. ² You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing.

^3 (AG) I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. This part is:

^8 (AJ) Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.^[o]

^9 (AK) I am the least important of all the apostles. In fact, I caused so much trouble for God's church that I don't even deserve to be called an apostle. ¹⁰ But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's grace at work and not me. ¹¹ But it doesn't matter if I preached or if they preached. All of you believed the message just the same.

God's People Will Be Raised to Life

¹² If we preach that Christ was raised from death, how can some of you say the dead will not be raised to life? ¹³ If they won't be raised to life, Christ himself wasn't raised to life. ¹⁴ And if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. ¹⁵ If the dead won't be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying he raised Christ to life, when he really did not.

¹⁶ So if the dead won't be raised to life, Christ wasn't raised to life. ¹⁷ Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. ¹⁸ And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. ¹⁹ If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.

²⁰ But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. ²¹ Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. ²² Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. ²³ But we must each wait our turn. Christ was the first to be raised to life, and his people will be raised to life when he returns. ²⁴ Then after Christ has destroyed all powers and forces, the end will come, and he will give the kingdom to God the Father.

^25 (AL) Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, ²⁶ and the last enemy he destroys will be death. ^27 (AM) When the Scriptures say he will put everything under his power, they don't include God. It was God who put everything under the power of Christ. ²⁸ After everything is under the power of God's Son, he will put himself under the power of God, who put everything under his Son's power. Then God will mean everything to everyone.

^29 (AN) If the dead are not going to be raised to life, what will people do who are being baptized for them? Why are they being baptized for those dead people? ³⁰ And why do we always risk our lives ³¹ and face death every day? The pride that I have in you because of Christ Jesus our Lord is what makes me say this. ^32 (AO) What do you think I gained by fighting wild animals in Ephesus? If the dead are not raised to life,

³³ Don't fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you. ³⁴ Be sensible and stop sinning. You should be embarrassed that some people still don't know about God.

What Our Bodies Will Be Like

³⁵ Some of you have asked, “How will the dead be raised to life? What kind of bodies will they have?” ³⁶ Don't be foolish. A seed must die before it can sprout from the ground. ³⁷ Wheat seeds and all other seeds look different from the sprouts that come up. ³⁸ This is because God gives everything the kind of body he wants it to have. ³⁹ People, animals, birds, and fish are each made of flesh, but none of them are alike. ⁴⁰ Everything in the heavens has a body, and so does everything on earth. But each one is very different from all the others. ⁴¹ The sun isn't like the moon, the moon isn't like the stars, and each star is different.

⁴² That's how it will be when our bodies are raised to life. These bodies will die, but the bodies that are raised will live forever. ⁴³ These ugly and weak bodies will become beautiful and strong. ⁴⁴ As surely as there are physical bodies, there are spiritual bodies. And our physical bodies will be changed into spiritual bodies.

^45 (AP) The first man was named Adam, and the Scriptures tell us that he was a living person. But Jesus, who may be called the last Adam, is a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ We see that the one with a spiritual body did not come first. He came after the one who had a physical body. ⁴⁷ The first man was made from the dust of the earth, but the second man came from heaven. ⁴⁸ Everyone on earth has a body like the body of the one who was made from the dust of the earth. And everyone in heaven has a body like the body of the one who came from heaven. ⁴⁹ Just as we are like the one who was made out of earth, we will be like the one who came from heaven.

⁵⁰ My friends, I want you to know that our bodies of flesh and blood will decay. This means they cannot share in God's kingdom, which lasts forever. ^51 (AQ) I will explain a mystery to you. Not every one of us will die, but we will all be changed. ⁵² It will happen suddenly, quicker than the blink of an eye. At the sound of the last trumpet the dead will be raised. We will all be changed, so we will never die again. ⁵³ Our dead and decaying bodies will be changed into bodies that won't die or decay. ^54 (AR) The bodies we now have are weak and can die. But they will be changed into bodies that are eternal. Then the Scriptures will come true,

“Death has lost the battle!
^55 (AS) Where is its victory?
    Where is its sting?”

⁵⁶ Sin is what gives death its sting, and the Law is the power behind sin. ⁵⁷ But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory!

⁵⁸ My dear friends, stand firm and don't be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile.

A Collection for God's People

16 ^(AT) When you collect money for God's people, I want you to do exactly what I told the churches in Galatia to do. ² That is, each Sunday each of you must put aside part of what you have earned. If you do this, you won't have to take up a collection when I come. ³ Choose some followers to take the money to Jerusalem. I will send them on with the money and with letters which show that you approve of them. ⁴ If you think I should go along, they can go with me.

Paul's Travel Plans

^5 (AU) After I have gone through Macedonia, I hope to see you ⁶ and visit with you for a while. I may even stay all winter, so that you can help me on my way to wherever I will be going next. ⁷ If the Lord lets me, I would rather come later for a longer visit than to stop off now for only a short visit. ^8 (AV)(AW) I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, ⁹ because there is a wonderful opportunity for me to do some work here. But there are also many people who are against me.

^10 (AX) When Timothy arrives, give him a friendly welcome. He is doing the Lord's work, just as I am. ¹¹ Don't let anyone mistreat him. I am looking for him to return to me together with the other followers. So when he leaves, send him off with your blessings.

¹² I have tried hard to get our friend Apollos to visit you with the other followers. He doesn't want to come just now, but he will come when he can.

Personal Concerns and Greetings

¹³ Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong. ¹⁴ Show love in everything you do.

^15 (AY) You know that Stephanas and his family were the first in Achaia to have faith in the Lord. They have done all they can for God's people. My friends, I ask you ¹⁶ to obey leaders like them and to do the same for all others who work hard with you.

¹⁷ I was glad to see Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus. Having them here was like having you. ¹⁸ They made me feel much better, just as they made you feel better. You should appreciate people like them.

^19 (AZ) Greetings from the churches in Asia.

Aquila and Priscilla, together with the church that meets in their house, send greetings in the name of the Lord.

²⁰ All the Lord's followers send their greetings.

Give each other a warm greeting.

²¹ I am signing this letter myself: PAUL.

²² I pray that God will put a curse on everyone who doesn't love the Lord. And may the Lord come soon.

²³ I pray the Lord Jesus will be kind to you.

²⁴ I love everyone who belongs to Christ Jesus.

1 ^(BA) From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and from Timothy, who is also a follower.

To God's church in Corinth and to all of God's people in Achaia.

² I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

Paul Gives Thanks

³ Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Father is a merciful God, who always gives us comfort. ⁴ He comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share this same comfort with others in trouble. ⁵ We share in the terrible sufferings of Christ, but also in the wonderful comfort he gives. ⁶ We suffer in the hope that you will be comforted and saved. And because we are comforted, you will also be comforted, as you patiently endure suffering like ours. ⁷ You never disappoint us. You suffered as much as we did, and we know that you will be comforted as we were.

^8 (BB) My friends, I want you to know what a hard time we had in Asia. Our sufferings were so horrible and so unbearable that death seemed certain. ⁹ In fact, we felt sure we were going to die. But this made us stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting God, who raises the dead to life. ¹⁰ God saved us from the threat of death,^[p] and we are sure that he will do it again and again. ¹¹ Please help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks for the blessings we receive in answer to all these prayers.

Paul's Change of Plans

¹² We can be proud of our clear conscience. We have always lived honestly and sincerely, especially when we were with you. And we were guided by God's gift of undeserved grace instead of by the wisdom of this world. ¹³ I am not writing anything you cannot read and understand. I hope you will understand it completely, ¹⁴ just as you already partly understand us. Then when our Lord Jesus returns, you can be as proud of us as we are of you.

¹⁵ I was so sure of your pride in us that I had planned to visit you first of all. In this way you would have the blessing of two visits from me— ^16 (BC) once on my way to Macedonia and again on my return from there. Then you could send me on to Judea. ¹⁷ Do you think I couldn't make up my mind about what to do? Or do I seem like someone who says “Yes” or “No” simply to please others? ¹⁸ God can be trusted, and so can I, when I say our answer to you has always been “Yes” and never “No.” ^19 (BD) This is because Jesus Christ the Son of God is always “Yes” and never “No.” And he is the one Silas,^[q] Timothy, and I told you about.

²⁰ Christ says “Yes” to all God's promises. This is why we have Christ to say “Amen”^[r] for us to the glory of God. ²¹ And so God makes it possible for you and us to stand firmly together with Christ. God is also the one who chose us ²² and put his Spirit in our hearts to show that we belong only to him.

²³ God is my witness that I stayed away from Corinth, just to keep from being hard on you. ²⁴ We are not bosses who tell you what to believe. We are working with you to make you glad, because your faith is strong.

2 I have decided not to make my next visit with you so painful. ² If I make you feel bad, who would be left to cheer me up, except the people I had made to feel bad? ³ The reason I want to be happy is to make you happy. I wrote as I did because I didn't want to visit you and be made to feel bad, when you should make me feel happy. ⁴ At the time I wrote, I was suffering terribly. My eyes were full of tears, and my heart was broken. But I didn't want to make you feel bad. I only wanted to let you know how much I cared for you.

Forgiveness

⁵ I don't want to be hard on you. But if one of you has made someone feel bad, I am not really the one who has been made to feel bad. Some of you are the ones. ⁶ Most of you have already pointed out the wrong that person did, and this is punishment enough for what was done.

⁷ When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won't give up in despair. ⁸ You should make them sure of your love for them.

⁹ I also wrote because I wanted to test you and find out if you would follow my instructions. ¹⁰ I will forgive anyone you forgive. Yes, for your sake and with Christ as my witness, I have forgiven whatever needed to be forgiven. ¹¹ I have done this to keep Satan from getting the better of us. We all know what goes on in his mind.

^12 (BE) When I went to Troas to preach the good news about Christ, I found that the Lord had already prepared the way. ¹³ But I was worried when I didn't find my friend Titus there. So I left the other followers and went on to Macedonia.

¹⁴ I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume. ^15-16 In fact, God thinks of us as a perfume that brings Christ to everyone. For people who are being saved, this perfume has a sweet smell and leads them to a better life. But for people who are lost, it has a bad smell and leads them to a horrible death.

No one really has what it takes to do this work. ¹⁷ A lot of people try to get rich from preaching God's message. But we are God's sincere messengers, and by the power of Christ we speak our message with God as our witness.

God's New Agreement

3 Are we once again bragging about ourselves? Do we need letters to you or from you to tell others about us? Some people do need letters telling about them. ² But you are our letter, and you are in our^[s] hearts for everyone to read and understand. ^3 (BF) You are like a letter written by Christ and delivered by us. But you are not written with pen and ink or on tablets made of stone. You are written in our hearts by the Spirit of the living God.

⁴ We are sure about all this. Christ makes us sure in the very presence of God. ⁵ We don't have the right to claim that we have done anything on our own. God gives us what it takes to do all we do. ^6 (BG) He makes us worthy to be the servants of his new agreement that comes from the Holy Spirit and not from a written Law. After all, the Law brings death, but the Spirit brings life.

^7 (BH) The Law of Moses brought only the promise of death, even though it was carved on stones and given in a wonderful way. Still the Law made Moses' face shine so brightly the people of Israel could not look at it, even though it was a fading glory. ⁸ So won't the agreement the Spirit brings to us be even more wonderful? ⁹ If something that brings the death sentence is glorious, won't something that makes us acceptable to God be even more glorious? ¹⁰ In fact, the new agreement is so wonderful that the Law is no longer glorious at all. ¹¹ The Law was given with a glory that faded away. But the glory of the new agreement is much greater, because it will never fade away.

¹² This wonderful hope makes us feel like speaking freely. ^13 (BI) We are not like Moses. His face was shining, but he covered it to keep the people of Israel from seeing the brightness fade away. ¹⁴ The people were stubborn, and something still keeps them from seeing the truth when the Law is read. Only Christ can take away the covering that keeps them from seeing.

¹⁵ When the Law of Moses is read, they have their minds covered over ^16 (BJ) with a covering that is removed only for those who turn to the Lord. ¹⁷ The Lord and the Spirit are one and the same, and the Lord's Spirit sets us free. ^18 (BK) So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord's Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord.

Treasure in Clay Jars

4 God has been kind enough to trust us with this work. This is why we never give up. ² We don't do shameful things that must be kept secret. And we don't try to fool anyone or twist God's message around. God is our witness that we speak only the truth, so others will be sure we can be trusted. ³ If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost.

⁴ The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. ⁵ We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants. ^6 (BL) The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.

⁷ We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. ⁸ We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. ⁹ In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again. ^10-11 We face death every day because of Jesus. Our bodies show what his death was like, so his life can also be seen in us. ¹² This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you.

¹³ In the Scriptures it says, “I spoke because I had faith.” We have this same kind of faith. So we speak ¹⁴ because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. And just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life. Then he will bring us into his presence together with you. ¹⁵ All of this has been done for you, so more and more people will know how kind God is and will praise and honor him.

Faith in the Lord

¹⁶ We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. ¹⁷ These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. ¹⁸ Things that are seen don't last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. This is why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.

5 ^(BM) Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. ² While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home. ³ We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked.

⁴ These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don't do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die. ⁵ God is the one who makes all this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain he will do it. ⁶ So always be cheerful!

As long as we are in these bodies, we are away from the Lord. ⁷ But we live by faith, not by what we see. ⁸ We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord. ⁹ But whether we are at home with the Lord or away from him, we still try our best to please him. ^10 (BN) After all, Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies.

Bringing People to God

¹¹ We know what it means to respect the Lord, and we encourage everyone to turn to him. God himself knows what we are like, and I hope you also know what kind of people we are. ¹² We are not trying once more to brag about ourselves. But we want you to be proud of us, when you are with those who are not sincere and brag about what others think of them.

¹³ If we seem out of our minds, it is between God and us. But if we are in our right minds, it is for your good. ¹⁴ We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died. ¹⁵ And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.

¹⁶ We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in this way. ¹⁷ Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. ¹⁸ God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.

¹⁹ What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. ²⁰ We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. ²¹ Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so Christ could make us acceptable to God.

6 We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God's gift of undeserved grace. ^2 (BO) In the Scriptures God says,

“When the time came,
    I listened to you,
and when you needed help,
    I came to save you.”

That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved.

³ We don't want anyone to find fault with our work, and so we try hard not to cause problems. ⁴ But in everything and in every way we show we truly are God's servants. We have always been patient, though we have had a lot of trouble, suffering, and hard times. ^5 (BP) We have been beaten, put in jail, and hurt in riots. We have worked hard and have gone without sleep or food. ⁶ But we have kept ourselves pure and have been understanding, patient, and kind. The Holy Spirit has been with us, and our love has been real. ⁷ We have spoken the truth, and God's power has worked in us. In all our struggles we have said and done only what is right.

⁸ Whether we were honored or dishonored or praised or cursed, we always told the truth about ourselves. But some people said we did not. ⁹ We are unknown to others, but well known to you. We seem to be dying, and yet we are still alive. We have been punished, but never killed, ¹⁰ and we are always happy, even in times of suffering. Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours.

¹¹ Friends in Corinth, we are telling the truth when we say there is room in our hearts for you. ¹² We are not holding back on our love for you, but you are holding back on your love for us. ¹³ I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.

The Temple of the Living God

¹⁴ Stay away from people who are not followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same? ¹⁵ Is Christ a friend of Satan?^[t] Can people who follow the Lord have anything in common with those who don't? ^16 (BQ) Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says,

“I will live with these people
    and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be
    my people.”

^17 (BR) The Lord also says,

“Leave them and stay away!
Don't touch anything
    that isn't clean.
Then I will welcome you
^{18     (BS)} and be your Father.
You will be my sons
    and my daughters,
as surely as I am God,
    the All-Powerful.”

7 My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him.

The Church Makes Paul Happy

² Make a place for us in your hearts! We haven't mistreated or hurt anyone. We haven't cheated anyone. ³ I am not saying this to be hard on you. But, as I have said before, you will always be in our thoughts, whether we live or die. ⁴ I trust you completely.^[u] I am always proud of you, and I am greatly encouraged. In all my trouble I am still very happy.

^5 (BT) After we came to Macedonia, we didn't have any chance to rest. We were faced with all kinds of problems. We were troubled by enemies and troubled by fears. ⁶ But God cheers up people in need, and this is what he did when he sent Titus to us. ⁷ Of course, we were glad to see Titus, but what really made us glad is the way you cheered him up. He told how sorry you were and how concerned you were about me. And this made me even happier.

⁸ I don't feel bad anymore, even though my letter^[v] hurt your feelings. I did feel bad at first, but I don't now. I know that the letter hurt you for a while. ⁹ Now I am happy, but not because I hurt your feelings. It is because God used your hurt feelings to make you turn back to him, and none of you were harmed by us. ¹⁰ When God makes you feel sorry enough to turn to him and be saved, you don't have anything to feel bad about. But when this world makes you feel sorry, it can cause your death.

¹¹ Just look what God has done by making you feel sorry! You sincerely want to prove you are innocent. You are angry. You are shocked. You are eager to see that justice is done. You have proved that you were completely right in this matter. ¹² When I wrote you, it wasn't to accuse the one who was wrong or to take up for the one who was hurt. I wrote, so God would show you how much you do care for us. ¹³ And we were greatly encouraged.

Although we were encouraged, we felt even better when we saw how happy Titus was, because you had shown he had nothing to worry about. ¹⁴ We had told him how much we thought of you, and you did not disappoint us. Just as we have always told you the truth, so everything we told him about you has also proved to be true. ¹⁵ Titus loves all of you very much, especially when he remembers how you obeyed him and how you trembled with fear when you welcomed him. ¹⁶ It makes me really glad to know I can depend on you.

Generous Giving

8 ^(BU) My friends, we want you to know that the churches in Macedonia^[w] have shown others God's gift of undeserved grace. ² Although they were going through hard times and were very poor, they were glad to give generously. ³ They gave as much as they could afford and even more, simply because they wanted to. ⁴ They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God's people. ⁵ And they did more than we had hoped. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.

⁶ Titus was the one who got you started doing this good thing, so we begged him to help you finish what you had begun. ⁷ You do everything better than anyone else. You have stronger faith. You speak better and know more. You are eager to give, and you love us better.^[x] Now you must give more generously than anyone else.

⁸ I am not ordering you to do this. I am simply testing how real your love is by comparing it with the concern that others have shown. ⁹ You know our Lord Jesus Christ treated us with undeserved grace by giving up all his riches, so you could become rich.

¹⁰ A year ago you were the first ones to give, and you gave because you wanted to. So listen to my advice. ¹¹ I think you should finish what you started. If you give according to what you have, you will prove you are as eager to give as you were to think about giving. ¹² It doesn't matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have.

¹³ I am not trying to make life easier for others by making life harder for you. But it is only fair ¹⁴ for you to share with them when you have so much, and they have so little. Later, when they have more than enough, and you are in need, they can share with you. Then everyone will have a fair share, ^15 (BV) just as the Scriptures say,

“Those who gathered
too much
    had nothing left.
Those who gathered
only a little
    had all they needed.”

Titus and His Friends

¹⁶ I am grateful that God made Titus care as much about you as we do. ¹⁷ When we begged Titus to visit you, he said he would. He wanted to because he cared so much for you. ¹⁸ With Titus we are also sending one of the Lord's followers who is well known in every church for spreading the good news. ¹⁹ The churches chose this follower to travel with us while we carry this gift that will bring praise to the Lord and show how much we hope to help. ²⁰ We don't want anyone to find fault with the way we handle your generous gift. ^21 (BW) But we want to do what pleases the Lord and what people think is right.

²² We are also sending someone else with Titus and the other follower. We approve of this man. In fact, he has already shown us many times that he wants to help. And now he wants to help even more than ever, because he trusts you so much. ²³ Titus is my partner, who works with me to serve you. The other two followers are sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ. ²⁴ Treat them in such a way that the churches will see your love and will know why we bragged about you.

The Money for God's People

9 I don't need to write you about the money you plan to give for God's people. ² I know how eager you are to give. And I have proudly told the Lord's followers in Macedonia that you people in Achaia have been ready for a whole year. Now your desire to give has made them want to give. ³ This is why I am sending Titus and the two others to you. I want you to be ready, just as I promised. This will prove we were not wrong to brag about you.

⁴ Some followers from Macedonia may come with me, and I want them to find that you have the money ready. If you don't, I would be embarrassed for trusting you to do this. But you would be embarrassed even more. ⁵ So I have decided to ask Titus and the others to spend some time with you before I arrive. This way they can arrange to collect the money you have promised. Then you will have the chance to give because you want to, and not because you feel forced to.

⁶ Remember this saying,

“A few seeds make
    a small harvest,
but a lot of seeds make
    a big harvest.”

^7 (BX) Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don't feel sorry that you must give and don't feel you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. ⁸ God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. ^9 (BY) The Scriptures say,

“God freely gives his gifts
to the poor,
    and always does right.”

^10 (BZ) God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so you can give even more to those in need. ¹¹ You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.

¹² What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God's people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God. ¹³ The way in which you have proved yourselves by this service will bring honor and praise to God. You believed the message about Christ, and you obeyed it by sharing generously with God's people and with everyone else. ¹⁴ Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much. ¹⁵ Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words!

Paul Defends His Work for Christ

10 Do you think I am a coward when I am with you and brave when I am far away? Well, I ask you to listen, because Christ himself was humble and gentle. ² Some people have said we act like the people of this world. So when I arrive, I expect I will have to be firm and forceful in what I say to them. Please don't make me treat you that way. ³ We live in this world, but we don't act like its people ⁴ or fight our battles with the weapons of this world. Instead, we use God's power that can destroy fortresses. We destroy arguments ⁵ and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people's thoughts and make them obey Christ. ⁶ And when you completely obey him, we will punish anyone who refuses to obey.

⁷ You judge by appearances.^[y] If any of you think you are the only ones who belong to Christ, then think again. We belong to Christ as much as you do. ⁸ Maybe I brag a little too much about the authority that the Lord gave me to help you and not to hurt you. Yet I am not embarrassed to brag. ⁹ And I am not trying to scare you with my letters. ¹⁰ Some of you are saying, “Paul's letters are harsh and powerful. But in person, he is a weakling and has nothing worth saying.” ¹¹ Those people had better understand that when I am with you, I will do exactly what I say in my letters.

¹² We won't dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves. ¹³ We won't brag about something we don't have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work. ¹⁴ We are not bragging more than we should. After all, we did bring the message about Christ to you.

¹⁵ We don't brag about what others have done, as if we had done those things ourselves. But I hope as you become stronger in your faith, we will be able to reach many more of the people around you.^[z] That has always been our goal. ¹⁶ Then we will be able to preach the good news in other lands where we cannot take credit for work someone else has already done. ^17 (CA) The Scriptures say, “If you want to brag, then brag about the Lord.” ¹⁸ You may brag about yourself, but the only approval that counts is the Lord's approval.

Paul and the False Apostles

11 Please put up with a little of my foolishness. ² I am as concerned about you as God is. You were like a virgin bride I had chosen only for Christ. ^3 (CB) But now I fear that you will be tricked, just as Eve was tricked by that lying snake. I am afraid that you might stop thinking about Christ in an honest and sincere way. ⁴ We told you about Jesus, and you received the Holy Spirit and accepted our message. But you let some people tell you about another Jesus. Now you are ready to receive another spirit and accept a different message. ⁵ I think I am as good as any of those super apostles. ⁶ I may not speak as well as they do, but I know as much. And this has already been made perfectly clear to you.

⁷ Was it wrong for me to lower myself and honor you by preaching God's message free of charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by taking money from them to serve you. ^9 (CC) Even when I was in need, I still didn't bother you. In fact, some of the Lord's followers from Macedonia brought me what I needed. I have not been a burden to you in the past, and I will never be a burden. ¹⁰ As surely as I speak the truth about Christ, no one in Achaia can stop me from bragging about this. ¹¹ And it isn't because I don't love you. God himself knows how much I do love you.

¹² I plan to go on doing just what I have always done. Then those people won't be able to brag about doing the same things we are doing. ¹³ Anyway, they are no more than false apostles and dishonest workers. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And it is no wonder. Even Satan tries to make himself look like an angel of light. ¹⁵ So why does it seem strange for Satan's servants to pretend to do what is right? Someday they will get exactly what they deserve.

Paul's Sufferings for Christ

¹⁶ I don't want any of you to think I am a fool. But if you do, then let me be a fool and brag a little. ¹⁷ When I do all this bragging, I do it as a fool and not for the Lord. ¹⁸ Yet if others want to brag about what they have done, so will I.

Footnotes

1. 7.25 people who have never been married: Or “virgins.”
2. 7.29 the Lord will soon come: Or “there's not much time left” or “the time for decision comes quickly.”
3. 7.34 women who have never been married: Or “virgins.”
4. 7.36 But suppose you are engaged … go ahead and marry: Verses 36-38 may also be translated: ³⁶ “If you feel that you are not treating your grown daughter right by keeping her from getting married, then let her marry. You won't be doing anything wrong. ³⁷ But it is better to have self-control and make up your mind not to let your daughter get married. ³⁸ It is all right for you to let her marry. But it is better if you don't let her marry at all.”
5. 9.5 Peter: See the note at 1.12.
6. 10.9 Christ: Some manuscripts have “the Lord.”
7. 11.5 she may as well shave her head: A woman's hair was a mark of beauty, and it was shameful for a woman to cut her hair short or to shave her head, so that she looked like a man.
8. 11.10 as a sign of her authority: Or “as a sign that she is under someone's authority.”
9. 11.16 This is how things are done in all of God's churches: Or “There is no set rule for this in any of God's churches.”
10. 12.10 and some of us … present: Or “and some of us recognize the difference between God's Spirit and other spirits.”
11. 12.13 Some of us are Jews … that same Spirit: Verse 13 may also be translated, “God's Spirit is inside each of us, and all around us as well. So it doesn't matter that some of us are Jews and others are Gentiles and that some are slaves and others are free. Together we are one body.”
12. 12.31 I want you to desire the best gifts: Or “You desire the best gifts.”
13. 13.3 and let myself be burned alive: Some manuscripts have “so that I could brag.”
14. 15.5 Peter: See the note at 1.12.
15. 15.8 who was born at the wrong time: The meaning of these words in Greek is not clear.
16. 1.10 the threat of death: Some manuscripts have “many threats of death.”
17. 1.19 Silas: The Greek text has “Silvanus,” which is another form of the name Silas.
18. 1.20 Amen: The word “amen” is used here with the meaning of “yes.”
19. 3.2 our: Some manuscripts have “your.”
20. 6.15 Satan: The Greek text has “Beliar,” which is another form of the Hebrew word “Belial,” meaning “wicked” or “useless.” The Jewish people sometimes used this as a name for Satan.
21. 7.4 I trust you completely: Or “I have always spoken the truth to you” or “I can speak freely to you.”
22. 7.8 my letter: There is no copy of this letter that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth.
23. 8.1 churches in Macedonia: The churches that Paul had started in Philippi and Thessalonica. The church in Berea is probably also meant.
24. 8.7 you love us better: Some manuscripts have “we love you better.”
25. 10.7 You judge by appearances: Or “Take a close look at yourselves.”
26. 10.15 we will be able to reach many more of the people around you: Or “you will praise us even more because of our work among you.”

Cross references

1. 7.18 : 1 Macc 1.15.
2. 9.8,9 : Dt 25.4; 1 Ti 5.18.
3. 9.11 : Ro 15.27.
4. 9.13 : Dt 18.1.
5. 9.14 : Mt 10.10; Lk 10.7.
6. 9.24-27 : 4 Macc 6.10.
7. 9.25 : Ws 4.2; 5.16.
8. 10.1 a : Ex 13.21,22; b Ex 14.22-29.
9. 10.3 : Ex 16.35,36.
10. 10.4 : Ex 17.6; Nu 20.11.
11. 10.5 : Nu 14.29,30.
12. 10.7 : Ex 32.6.
13. 10.8 : Nu 25.1-18.
14. 10.9 : Nu 21.5,6.
15. 10.10 : Nu 16.41-49.
16. 10.13 : Jdt 8.25-27; Si 15.11-20.
17. 10.16 : Mt 26.26-28; Mk 14.22-24; Lk 22.19,20.
18. 10.18 : Lv 7.6.
19. 10.18-22 : 4 Macc 5.2.
20. 10.20 : Dt 32.17 (LXX).
21. 10.22 : Dt 32.21.
22. 10.23 : 1 Co 6.12.
23. 10.26 : Ps 24.1.
24. 11.1 : 1 Co 4.16; Phil 3.17.
25. 11.7 : Gn 1.26,27.
26. 11.8,9 : Gn 2.18-23.
27. 11.25 a : Ex 24.8; Jr 31.31-34; b Ex 24.6-8.
28. 12.4-11 : Ro 12.6-8.
29. 12.12 : Ro 12.4,5.
30. 12.28 : Eph 4.11.
31. 13.2 : Mt 17.20,21; 21.21; Mk 11.23.
32. 14.21 : Is 28.11,12.
33. 15.3 : Is 53.5-12.
34. 15.4 : Ps 16.8-10; Mt 12.40; Ac 2.24-32.
35. 15.5 a : Lk 24.34; b Mt 28.16,17; Mk 16.14; Lk 24.36; Jn 20.19.
36. 15.8 : Ac 9.3-6.
37. 15.9 : Ac 8.3.
38. 15.25 : Ps 110.1.
39. 15.27 : Ps 8.6.
40. 15.29 : 2 Macc 12.44.
41. 15.32 : Is 22.13; 4 Macc 9.28.
42. 15.45 : Gn 2.7.
43. 15.51,52 : 2 Esd 6.23; 1 Th 4.15-17.
44. 15.54 : Is 25.8.
45. 15.55 : Ho 13.14 (LXX).
46. 16.1 : Ro 15.25,26.
47. 16.5 : Ac 19.21.
48. 16.8 : Lv 23.15-21; Dt 16.9-11.
49. 16.8,9 : Ac 19.8-10.
50. 16.10 : 1 Co 4.17.
51. 16.15 : 1 Co 1.16.
52. 16.19 : Ac 18.2.
53. 1.1 : Ac 18.1.
54. 1.8 : 1 Co 15.32.
55. 1.16 : Ac 19.21.
56. 1.19 : Ac 18.5.
57. 2.12,13 : Ac 20.1.
58. 3.3 a : Ex 24.12; b Jr 31.33; Ez 11.19; 36.26.
59. 3.6 : Jr 31.31.
60. 3.7 : Ex 34.29.
61. 3.13 : Ex 34.33.
62. 3.16 : Ex 34.34.
63. 3.18 : 4 Macc 9.22.
64. 4.6 : Gn 1.3.
65. 5.1 : Ws 9.15.
66. 5.10 : Ro 14.10.
67. 6.2 : Is 49.8 (LXX).
68. 6.5 : Ac 16.23.
69. 6.16 a : 1 Co 3.16; 6.19; b Lv 26.12; Ez 37.27.
70. 6.17 : Is 52.11.
71. 6.18 : 2 S 7.14; 1 Ch 17.13; Is 43.6; Jr 31.9.
72. 7.5 : 2 Co 2.13.
73. 8.1-4 : Ro 15.25,26.
74. 8.15 : Ex 16.18.
75. 8.21 : Pr 3.4 (LXX).
76. 9.7 : Si 20.10-15.
77. 9.9 : Ps 112.9.
78. 9.10 : Is 55.10.
79. 10.17 : Jr 9.24.
80. 11.3 : Gn 3.1-5,13.
81. 11.9 : Phil 4.15-18.