According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master-builder I laid a foundation, but someone else builds on it. And each one must be careful how he builds.

For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power.

For even though I am absent physically, ¹  I am present in spirit. And I have already judged the one who did this, just as though I were present. ² 

I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that.

With regard to the question about people who have never married, ¹  I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord.

With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” ¹  Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit? It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest.

For I do not want you to be unaware, ¹  brothers and sisters, ²  that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,

I do not mean yours but the other person’s. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?

and after he had given thanks he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come.

If the foot says, “Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that.

And if the ear says, “Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that.

It is written in the law: “By people with strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, yet not even in this way will they listen to me,” ¹  says the Lord.

Now I want to make clear for you, ¹  brothers and sisters, ²  the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand,

in a moment, in the blinking ¹  of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

For I do not want to see you now in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows.

So then, let no one treat him with contempt. But send him on his way in peace so that he may come to me. For I am expecting him with the brothers. ¹