1Cor 4-8 | ESV | STEP | This is how one should regard us , as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God .

1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and ^astewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 ^bFor I am not aware of anything against myself, ^cbut I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore ^ddo not pronounce judgment before the time, ^ebefore the Lord comes, ^fwho will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. ^gThen each one will receive his commendation from God.

6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters} that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may ⁱbe puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? ^jWhat do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, ^klike men sentenced to death, because we ^lhave become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 ^mWe are fools for Christ’s sake, but ⁿyou are wise in Christ. ^oWe are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour ^pwe hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and ^qbuffeted and ^rhomeless, 12 and we ^slabor, working with our own hands. ^tWhen reviled, we bless; ^uwhen persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. ^vWe have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, ^wthe refuse of all things.

14 I do not write these things ^xto make you ashamed, but to admonish you ^yas my beloved children. 15 For ^zthough you have countless ^{▼▼Greek you have ten thousand} guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For ^abI became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, ^acbe imitators of me. 17 That is why ^adI sent ^{▼▼Or am sending} you Timothy, ^afmy beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts add Jesus} ^ahas I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are ^aiarrogant, ^ajas though I were not coming to you. 19 But ^akI will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For ^althe kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? ^amShall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

1 Corinthians 5

Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church

1 It is actually reported that there is ^ansexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, ^aofor a man has his father’s wife. 2 And ^apyou are arrogant! Ought you ^aqnot rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

3 For though ^arabsent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled ^asin the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are ^atto deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so ^authat his spirit may be saved ^avin the day of the Lord. ^{▼▼Some manuscripts add Jesus}

6 ^axYour boasting is not good. Do you not know that ^aya little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, ^aznot with the old leaven, ^bathe leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote to you in my letter ^bbnot to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 ^bcnot at all meaning ^bdthe sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, ^besince then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone ^bfwho bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging ^bgoutsiders? ^bhIs it not those inside the church ^{▼▼Greek those inside} whom you are to judge? 13 God judges ^{▼▼Or will judge} those outside. ^bk“Purge the evil person from among you.”

1 Corinthians 6

Lawsuits Against Believers

1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous ^blinstead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that ^bmthe saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, ^bnwhy do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 ^boI say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. ^bpWhy not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even ^bqyour own brothers! ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters}

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous ^{▼▼Or wrongdoers} will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: ^btneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, ^{▼▼The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts} 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And ^bvsuch were some of you. But ^bwyou were washed, ^bxyou were sanctified, ^byyou were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Flee Sexual Immorality

12 ^bz“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 ^ca“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one ^cband the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but ^ccfor the Lord, and ^cdthe Lord for the body. 14 And ^ceGod raised the Lord and ^cfwill also raise us up ^cgby his power. 15 Do you not know that ^chyour bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined ^{▼▼Or who holds fast (compare Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 10:20); also verse 17} to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, ^cj“The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord ^ckbecomes one spirit with him. 18 ^clFlee from sexual immorality. Every other sin ^{▼▼Or Every sin} a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person ^cnsins against his own body. 19 Or ^codo you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? ^cpYou are not your own, 20 ^cqfor you were bought with a price. ^crSo glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 7

Principles for Marriage

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ^cs“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 ^ctThe husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 ^cuDo not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, ^cvso that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Now as a concession, ^cwnot a command, I say this. ^{▼▼Or I say this:} 7 ^cyI wish that all were ^czas I myself am. But ^daeach has his own gift from God, ^dbone of one kind and one of another.

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that ^dcit is good for them to remain single ^ddas, I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, ^dethey should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married ^dfI give this charge (not I, but the Lord): ^dgthe wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, ^dhshe should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and ^dithe husband should not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. ^djOtherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you ^{▼▼Some manuscripts us} ^dlto peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, ^dmwhether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

17 Only let each person lead the life ^{▼▼Or each person walk in the way} ^dothat the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. ^dpThis is my rule in ^dqall the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? ^drLet him not seek circumcision. 19 ^dsFor neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but ^dtkeeping the commandments of God. 20 ^duEach one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant ^{▼▼Or slave; also twice in verse 22 (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)} when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is ^dwa freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is ^dxa bondservant of Christ. 23 ^dyYou were bought with a price; ^dzdo not become bondservants ^{▼▼Or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)} of men. 24 So, brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29} ^ecin whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

The Unmarried and the Widowed

25 Now concerning ^{▼▼The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1} the betrothed, ^{▼▼Greek virgins} ^efI have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as ^egone who by the Lord’s mercy is ^ehtrustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present ^{▼▼Or impending} distress ^ejit is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman ^{▼▼Greek virgin; also verse 34} marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: ^elthe appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy ^emas though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For ^enthe present form of this world is passing away.

32 I want you to be ^eofree from anxieties. ^epThe unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, ^eqnot to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, ^{▼▼Greek virgin; also verses 37, 38} if his ^{▼▼Or her} passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed ^etdoes well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

39 ^euA wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only ^evin the Lord. 40 Yet ^ewin my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think ^exthat I too have the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 8

Food Offered to Idols

1 Now concerning ^{▼▼The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1} ^ezfood offered to idols: we know that ^fa“all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” ^fbpuffs up, ^fcbut love builds up. 2 ^fdIf anyone imagines that he knows something, ^fehe does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, ^ffhe is known by God. ^{▼▼Greek him}

4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ^fh“an idol has no real existence,” and that ^fi“there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be ^fjso-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet ^fkfor us there is one God, the Father, ^flfrom whom are all things and for whom we exist, and ^fmone Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and ^fnthrough whom we exist.

7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, ^fothrough former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and ^fptheir conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 ^fqFood will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care ^frthat this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block ^fsto the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating ^{▼▼Greek reclining at table} in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, ^{▼▼Or fortified; Greek built up} if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is ^fvdestroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters} and ^fxwounding their conscience when it is weak, ^fyyou sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, ^fzif food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.