1 Corinthians 3-11
21st Century King James Version
3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able,
3 for ye are yet carnal. For if there is among you envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye came to believe, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
7 So then, neither is he that planteth anything, nor he that watereth, but God who giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9 For we are laborers together with God; ye are God’s husbandry; ye are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For no man can lay another foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble,
13 every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall test every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, and ye are that temple.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness”;
20 and again, “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours,
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come — all are yours,
23 and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
4 Let a man so account us as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man’s judgment. Yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified; but He that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God.
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a sense transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye may learn through us not to regard men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou did not receive? Now if thou did receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou had not been given it?
8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich! Ye have reigned as kings without us! And I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you!
9 For I think that God hath set forth us, the apostles, last, as it were approved to death; for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place,
12 and we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it;
13 being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
14 I write these things not to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved sons.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel.
16 Therefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
17 For this cause I have sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and will know, not the speech of those who are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye have? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?
5 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, of such a kind as is not so much as even named among the Gentiles: that one should have his father’s wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, though absent in body but present in spirit, have judged already as though I were present concerning him who hath so done this deed:
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, I being there in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us.
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to keep company with fornicators—
10 yet not meaning altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters, for to do so ye would need to go out of the world.
11 But I now have written unto you not to keep company with any man who is called a brother if he is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. With such a one you are not even to eat.
12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do not ye judge those who are within?
13 But those who are outside, God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
6 Dare any of you, having a complaint against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
4 If then ye have judgments to make on things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church!
5 I speak to shame you! Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, no, not one, who shall be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers!
7 Now therefore, there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one against another. Why do ye not rather accept wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong and defraud, and that your own brethren!
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
12 “All things are lawful unto me,” but all things are not expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats,” but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
14 And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by His own power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid!
16 What? Know ye not that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? “For two,” saith He, “shall be one flesh.”
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every other sin which a man doeth is outside the body, but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you and which ye have from God, and that ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4 The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, unless it be with consent for a time only, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not through your lack of selfrestraint.
6 But I speak this by permission, and not by commandment.
7 For I would that all men were even as I myself am. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one in this manner and another in that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I.
9 But if they cannot contain themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.
10 And unto the married I command (yet not I, but the Lord): let not the wife depart from her husband.
11 But if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.
12 But to the rest I speak (not the Lord): if any brother hath a wife who believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman who hath a husband who believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Else your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15 But if the unbelieving spouse depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases, for God hath called us to peace.
16 For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all churches.
18 Is any man called, being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called, being uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling as when he was called.
21 Art thou a servant when called? Be not concerned; but if thou mayest be made free, then make use of it.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman; likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
23 Ye are bought with a price; be ye not the servants of men.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25 Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord, yet I give my judgment as one who hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.
26 I suppose therefore that in this present distress, I say, it is good for a man so to be.
27 Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.
28 But if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless, such shall have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
29 But this I say, brethren: the time is short. It remaineth that those who have wives should be as though they had none;
30 and those who weep, as though they wept not; and those who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those who buy, as though they possessed not;
31 and those who use this world, as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away.
32 But I would have you be without cares. He that is unmarried careth for the things which belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord;
33 but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34 There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35 And this I speak for your own profit, not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and so that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age and need so require, let him do what he will—he sinneth not: let them marry.
37 Nevertheless, he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well, but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth. But if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, but only in the Lord.
40 But she is happier if she so remain, in my judgment; and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
8 Now concerning things offered unto idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
2 And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 But if any man love God, the same is known by Him.
4 Concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but One.
5 For though there be what are called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many “gods” and many “lords”),
6 yet to us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things, and we by Him.
7 However, there is not in every man that knowledge; for some, with conscience of the idol until this hour, eat it as a thing offered unto an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 But meat commendeth us not to God, for neither are we the better if we eat, nor are we the worse if we eat not.
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.
10 For if any man see thee, who hast knowledge, sitting at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols,
11 and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 For when ye sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
9 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?
2 If I am not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you. For ye are the seal of mine apostleship in the Lord.
3 Mine answer to those who examine me is this:
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as do other apostles and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or is it I only and Barnabas who have not power to forbear working?
7 Who goeth to war at any time at his own expense? Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man, or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn.” Doth God take care for oxen,
10 or doth He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope, and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it so great a thing if we should reap your worldly things?
12 If others are partakers of this power over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this power, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that those who minister concerning holy things live of the things of the temple, and those who wait upon the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel.
15 But I have used none of these things; neither have I written, that these things should be so done unto me. For it would be better for me to die than that any man should make my glorying void.
16 For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory about, for necessity is laid upon me. Yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel!
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensing of the Gospel is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the Gospel.
19 For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;
21 to those who are outside the law, as outside the law (though not outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ), that I might gain those who are outside the law.
22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the Gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that those who run in a race all run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain it.
25 And every man that striveth for mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, but not with uncertainty; I so fight, but not as one that beateth the air.
27 But I keep control of my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
10 Moreover, brethren, I would not have ye ignorant of how all of our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
2 and all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3 And all ate the same spiritual meat,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed — and three and twenty thousand fell in one day.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted — and were destroyed by serpents.
10 Neither should ye murmur, as some of them also murmured — and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them by way of example, and are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful; He will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that which ye are able to bear, but with the temptation will also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14 Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless: is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break: is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one Bread.
18 Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
19 What say I then? That the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?
20 But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God; and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wellbeing.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the meat market, that eat, asking no question for conscience’ sake;
26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
27 If any of those who do not believe bid you to a feast, and ye are disposed to go, whatsoever is set before you eat, asking no question for conscience’ sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, “This is offered in sacrifice unto idols,” then eat it not for his sake who showed it, and for conscience’ sake; for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
29 I do not mean thine own conscience, but the other’s. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why is evil spoken of me for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God,
33 even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things and keep the ordinances as I have delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man who prayeth or prophesieth, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.
5 But every woman who prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head, for that is one and the same as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, inasmuch as he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things are of God.
13 Judge for yourselves: Is it comely that a woman should pray unto God uncovered?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her for a covering.
16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
17 Now in this I declare unto you that I praise you not: that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it.
19 For there must be also heresies among you, that those who are approved may be made manifest among you.
20 When ye therefore come together into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.
21 For in eating, every one taketh his own supper ahead of another, and one is hungry and another is drunken.
22 What? Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God, and shame those who have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not!
23 For I have received from the Lord that which also I delivered unto you: that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped, saying, “This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death until He come.
27 Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home, that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.