不认识圣经,就是不认识基督,不认识基督,就是不认识基督所建立的天主教会。
新约·格林多前书
共16章:
第一章(30)
致候与感谢
1:1
因天主的旨意,蒙召为耶稣基督宗徒的保禄和索斯特乃弟兄,
1:2
致书给格林多的天主教会,就是给那些在基督耶稣内受祝圣,与一切在各地呼求我们的主,亦即他们和我们的主耶稣基督之名,一同蒙召为圣的人。
1:3
愿恩宠与平安,由我们的父天主和主耶稣基督赐给你们。
1:4
我时时为你们,对天主在基督耶稣内所赐与你们的恩宠,而感谢我的天主,
1:5
因为借着他,你们在一切事上,在一切言论和知识上,都成了富有的;
1:6
并且我为基督所作的证言,在你们中是这样的坚定,
1:7
以致你们已不缺少任何恩宠,只待我们的主耶稣基督的出现;
1:8
天主必要坚固你们到底,使你们在我们的主耶稣基督的日子上,无瑕可指。
1:9
天主是忠信的,因为你们原是由他所召,为同他的圣子,我们的主耶稣基督,合而为一。
斥分党派之不当
党派使教会分裂
1:10
弟兄们,我因我们的主耶稣基督之名,求你们众人言谈一致,在你们中不要有分裂,但要同心合意,全然相合。
1:11
因为,我的弟兄们,我由黑罗厄的家人听说你们中发生了纷争。
1:12
我的意思是说,你们各自声称:我是属保禄的,我是属阿颇罗的,我是属刻法的,我是属基督的。
1:13
基督被分裂了吗﹖难道保禄为你们被钉死在十字架上吗﹖或者你们受洗是归于保禄名下吗﹖
1:14
我感谢天主,除了克黎斯颇和加约外,我没有给你们中的任何人付过洗,
1:15
免得有人说:你们受洗是归于我的名下。
1:16
我还给斯特法纳一家付过洗;此外我就不记得还给谁付过洗了。
1:17
原来基督派遣我,不是为施洗,而是为宣传福音,且不用巧妙的言辞,免得基督十字架失去效力。
十字架大显天主的德能
1:18
原来十字架的道理,为丧亡的人是愚妄,为我们得救的人,却是天主的德能,
1:19
因为经上记载:『我要摧毁智者的智慧,废除贤者的聪明。』
1:20
智者在哪里?经师在那里?这世代的诡辩者又在那里?天主岂不是使这世上的智慧变成愚妄吗﹖
1:21
因为世人没有凭自己的智慧,认识天主,天主遂以自己的智慧,决意以愚妄的道理来拯救那些相信的人。
1:22
的确,犹太人要求的是神迹,希腊人寻求的智慧,
1:23
而我们所宣讲的,却被钉在十字架上的基督:这为犹太人固然是绊脚石,为外邦人是愚妄,
1:24
但为那些蒙召的,不拘是犹太人或希腊人,基督却是天主的德能和天主的智慧:
1:25
因为天主的愚妄总比人明智,天主的懦弱也总比人坚强。
1:26
弟兄们!你们看看你们是怎样蒙召的:按肉眼来看,你们中有智慧的人并不多,有权势的人也不多,显贵的人也不多;
1:27
天主偏召选了世上愚妄的,为羞辱那有智慧的;召选了世上懦弱的,为羞辱那坚强的;
1:28
甚而天主召选了世上卑贱的和受人轻视的,以及那些一无所有的,为消灭那些有的,
1:29
为使一切有血肉的人,在天主前无所夸耀。
1:30
你们得以结合于基督耶稣内,全是由于天主,也是由于天主,基督成了我们的智慧、正义、圣化者和救赎者,正如经上所记载的:『凡要夸耀的,应因主而夸耀。』
斥分党派之不当
第二章(16)
应回忆保禄怎样宣讲了福音
2:1 弟兄们,就是我从前到你们那里时,也没有用高超的言论或智慧,给你们宣讲天主的奥义,
2:2
因为我曾决定,在你们中不知道别的,只知道耶稣基督,这被钉在十字架上的耶稣基督;
2:3
而且当我到你们那里的时候,又软弱,又恐惧,又战兢不安;
2:4
并且我的言论和我的宣讲,并不在于智慧动听的言辞,而是在于圣神和他德能的表现,
2:5
为使你们的信德不是凭人的智慧,而是凭天主的德能。
天主的智慧
2:6 我们在成全的人中,也讲智慧,不过不是今世的智慧,也不是今世将要消灭的有权势者的智慧;
2:7
我们所讲的,乃是那隐藏的,天主奥秘的智慧,这智慧是天主在万世之前,为使我们获得光荣所预定的;
2:8
今世有权势的人中没有一个认识她,因为如果他们认识了,决不至于将光荣的主钉在十字架上。
2:9
经上这样记载说:『天主为爱他的人所准备的,是眼所未见,耳所未闻,人心所未想到的。』
2:10
可是天主借着圣神将这一切启示给我们了,因为圣神洞察一切,就连天主的深奥事理他也洞悉。
2:11
除了人内里的心神外,有谁能知道那人的事呢﹖同样,除了天主圣神外,谁也不能明了天主的事。
2:12
我们所领受的,不是这世界的精神,而是出于天主的圣神,为使我们能明了天主所赐与我们的一切。
2:13
为此,我们宣讲,并不用人的智慧所教的言词,而是用圣神所教的言词,给属神的人讲论属神的事。
2:14
然而属血气的人,不能领受天主圣神的事,因为为他是愚妄;他也不能领悟,因为这些事只有藉圣神才可审断。
2:15
惟有属神的人能审断一切,但他却不为任何人所审断。
2:16
经上说:『谁知道上主的心意,去指教衪呢﹖』可是我们有基督的心意。
第三章(23)
分党分派是世俗的精神
3:1 所以,弟兄们,我从前对你们说话,还不能把你们当作属神的人,只能当作属血肉的人,当作在基督内的婴孩。
3:2
我给你们喝的是奶,并非饭食,因为那时你们还不能吃,就是如今你们还是不能,
3:3
因为你们还是属血肉的人。你们中既有嫉妒和纷争,你们岂不还是属血肉的人,按照俗人的样子行事吗﹖
3:4
这人说:「我属保禄」,那人说:「我属阿颇罗」,这样,你们岂不成了俗人吗﹖
传道员是天主的仆役
3:5 其实,阿颇罗算什么﹖保禄算什么﹖不过只是仆役,使你们获得信仰,每人照主所指派的而工作:
3:6
我栽种,阿颇罗浇灌,然而使之生长的,却是天主。
3:7
可见,栽种的不算什么,浇灌的也不算什么,只在那使之生长的天主。
3:8
所以栽种的和浇灌的原是一事,不过各人将要按自己的劳苦领受自己的赏报。
3:9
我们原是天主主助手,你们是天主的庄田,是天主的建筑物。
传道员只应受天主的裁判
3:10 按照天主所赐给我的恩宠,我好象一个精明的建筑师,奠定了根基,其他的人在上面建筑;但是各人应该注意怎样在上面建筑,
3:11
因为除已奠立了的根基,即耶稣基督外,任何人不能再奠立别的根基。
3:12
人可用金、银、宝石、木、草、禾秸,在这根基上建筑,
3:13
但各人的工程将来总必显露出来,因为主的日子要把它揭露出来;原来主的日子要在火中出现,这火要试验各人的工程怎样。
3:14
谁在那根基上所建筑的工程,若存得住,他必要获得赏报;
3:15
但谁的工程若被焚毁了,他就要受到损失,他自己固然可得救,可是仍像从火中经过的一样。
信友是天主的宫殿
3:16 你们不知道,你们是天主的宫殿,天主圣神住在你们内吗﹖
3:17
谁若毁坏天主的宫殿,天主必要毁坏他,因为天主的宫殿是圣的,这宫殿就是你们。
3:18
谁也不要自欺:你们中若有人在今世自以为是有智慧的人,该变为一个愚妄的人,为成一个有智慧的人,
3:19
因为这世界的智慧在天主前原是愚昧。经上记载说:『他以智者的计谋捕捉智者;』
3:20
又说:『上主认透智者的思念,原来都是虚幻。』
3:21
所以,谁也不可拿人来夸口,因为一切都是你们的:
3:22
无论是保禄,或是阿颇罗,或是刻法,或是世界,或是生命,或是死亡,或是现在,或是将来,一切都是你们的;
3:23
你们却是基督的,而基督是天主的。
第四章(21)
宗徒只属天主审断
4:1 这样说来,人当以为我们为基督的服务员和天主奥秘的管理人。
4:2
说到管理人,另外要求于衪的,就是要他表现忠信。
4:3
至于我,或受你们的审断,或受人间法庭的审断,为我都是极小的事,就连我自己也不审断自己,
4:4
因为我虽然自觉良心无愧,但我决不因此就自断为义人;那审断我的只是主。
4:5
所以,时候未到,你们什么也不要判断,只等主来,衪要揭发暗中的隐情,且要显露人心的计谋:那时,各人才可由天主那里获得称誉。
宗徒在世间的遭遇
4:6 弟兄们,我为了你们的缘故,把这些事贴在我自己和阿颇罗身上,好叫你们跟我们学习「不可越过所记载的,」免得有人自大,高看这个,鄙视那个。
4:7
谁使你异于别人呢﹖你有什么不是领受的呢﹖既然是领受的,为什么你还夸耀,好象不是领受的呢﹖
4:8
你们已经饱满了,已经富足了,已无需我们,自己可为王了;恨不得你们真为了王,好叫我们与你们一同为王!
4:9
我以为天主把我们作宗徒的列在最后的一等,好象被判死刑的人,因为我们成了供世界、天使和世人观赏的一场戏剧。
4:10
我们为了基督成了愚妄的人,你们在基督内却成了聪明的人;我们软弱,你们却强壮;你们受尊敬,我们受羞辱。
4:11
直到此时此刻,我们仍是忍饥受渴,衣不蔽体,受人拳打,居无定所,
4:12
并且亲手劳碌操作。被人咒骂,我们就祝福;被人迫害,我们就忍受;
4:13
被人诽谤,我们就劝戒;直到现在,我们仍被视为世上的垃圾和人间的废物。
劝格林多人效法自己
4:14 我写这些话,并不是为叫你们羞愧,而是为劝告你们,就如同劝告我所亲爱的孩子一样,
4:15
因为你们纵然在基督内有上万的教师,但为父亲的却不多,因为是我在基督耶稣内藉福音生了你们。
4:16
所以我求你们:你们要效法我!
4:17
为了这个缘故,我打发弟茂德到你们那里去,他在主内是我亲爱和忠信的孩子,他要使你们想起我在基督内怎样行事,和我到处在各教会内所教导的。
斥罪行
预告不久将亲往巡视
4:18 有些人以为我不会到你们那里去,就傲慢自大;
4:19
其实,主若愿意,我必很快就要到你们那里去;并且我所要知道的,并不是那些傲慢自大者的言辞,而是他们的能力,
4:20
因为天主的国并不在于言辞,而是在于德能。
4:21
你们愿意怎样呢﹖愿意我带着棍棒到你们那里去呢﹖还是怀着慈爱和温柔的心情到你们那里去呢﹖
斥罪行
第五章(13)
严斥格林多人的乱伦行为
5:1 我确实听说在你们中间有淫乱的事,且是这样的淫乱,连在外教人中也没有过,以至有人竟同自己父亲的妻子姘居。
5:2
你们竟还傲慢自大!你们岂不更该悲哀,把行这事的人从你们中间除去吗﹖
5:3
至于我,身体虽不在你们那里,但心神却与你们同在,我好象亲自在你们中间一样,因我们的主耶稣的名,已判决了行这样事的人;
5:4
当你们聚会时,我的心神也与你们同在,以我们的主耶稣的大能,
5:5
将这样的人交与撒殚,摧毁他的肉体,为使他的灵魂在主【耶稣】的日子上可以得救。
基督徒应有的圣洁生活
5:6 你们自夸实在不当;你们岂不知道少许的酵母,能使整个面团发酵吗﹖
5:7
你们应把旧酵母除净,好使你们成为新和的面团,正如你们原是无酵饼一样,因为我们的逾越节羔羊基督,已被祭杀作了牺牲。
5:8
所以我们过节,不可用旧酵母,也不可用奸诈和邪恶的酵母,而只可用纯洁和真诚的无酵饼。
应与公开的罪人断绝来往
5:9 我先前在信上给你们写过:不可与淫荡的人交结,
5:10
这话并不是泛指这世上所有淫荡的人,或贪婪的人,或勒索人的人,或拜偶像的人;若是这样,你们就非出离这世界不可。
5:11
其实,我写给你们的,是说:若有称为弟兄的,是淫荡的,或贪婪的,或拜偶像的,或辱骂人的,或酗酒的,或勒索人的,你们就不要同他交结;并且同这样的人,连一起吃饭也不可。
5:12
审断教外的人,关我何事﹖教内的人,岂不该由你们审断吗﹖
5:13
教外的人,自有天主审断他们。你们务要把那坏人从你们中间铲除!
第六章(20)
信友争讼应在教会内求解决
6:1 你们中间有人与另一人有了争讼,怎么竟敢在不义的人面前起诉,而不在圣者面前呢﹖
6:2
你们不知道圣者将要审判世界吗﹖如果世界要受你们审判,难道你们不配审判一些小事吗3 你们不知道我们连天使都要审判吗﹖更何况日常生活的事呢﹖
6:4
所以,若你们在日常生活上有了应审判的事,就请那些在教会内受轻视的人来裁判罢!
6:5
我说这话,是为叫你羞愧,难道你们中间竟没有一个有智慧的人,能在自己弟兄中间分辨是非,
6:6
以致弟兄与弟兄互相控告,且在无信仰的人面前控告﹖
行不义的人不得入天国
6:7 你们彼此有诉讼的事,就各方面讲,已是你们的缺点了;那么你们为什么不宁愿受点屈,为什么不宁愿吃点亏﹖
6:8
你们反而使人受屈,使人吃亏,况且这还是施于弟兄!
6:9
你们岂不知道,不义的人不得承继天主的国吗﹖你们不要自欺:无论是淫荡的、或拜偶像的、犯奸淫的、作娈童的、好男色的、
6:10
偷窃的、贪婪的、酗酒的、辱骂人的、勒索人的,都不能承继天主的国。
6:11
你们中从前也有这样的人,但是你们因着『我们的』主耶稣基督之名,并因我们天主的圣神,已经洗净了,已经祝圣了,已经成了义人。
信友的身体是基督的妙身和圣神的宫殿
6:12 「凡事我都可行,」但不全有益;「凡事我都可行,」但我却不受任何事物的管制。
6:13
「食物是为肚腹,肚腹是为食物,」但天主把这两样都要废弃;人的身体不是为淫乱,而是为主,主也是为身体。
6:14
天主既使主复活了,衪也要以自己的能力使我们复活。
6:15
你们不知道你们的身体是基督的肢体吗﹖我岂可拿基督的肢体作为娼妓的肢体﹖断乎不可!
6:16
你们岂不知道那与娼妓结合的,便是与她成为一体吗﹖因为经上说:『二人成为一体。』
6:17
但那与主给合的,便是与衪成为一神。
6:18
你们务要远避邪淫。人无论犯的是什么罪,都是在身体以外,但是,那犯邪淫的,却是冒犯自己的身体。
6:19
难道你们不知道,你们的身体是圣神的宫殿,这圣神是你们由天主而得的,住在你们内,而你们已不是属于自己的了吗﹖
6:20
你们原是用高价买来的,所以务要用你们的身体光荣天主。
答所问
第七章(40)
当怎样度婚姻生活
7:1 论到你们信上所写的事,我认为男人不亲近女人倒好。
7:2
可是,为了避免淫乱,男人当各有自己的妻子,女人当各有自己的丈夫。
7:3
丈夫对妻子该尽他应尽的义务,妻子对丈夫也是如此。
7:4
妻子对自己的身体没有主权,而是丈夫有;同样,丈夫对自己的身体也没有主权,而是妻子有。
7:5
你们切不要彼此亏负,除非两相情愿,暂时分房,为专务祈祷;但事后仍要归到一处,免得撒殚因你们不能节制,而诱惑你们。
7:6
我说这话,原是出于宽容,并不是出于命令。
7:7
我本来愿意众人都如同我一样,可是,每人都有他各自得自天主的恩宠:有人这样,有人那样。
7:8
我对那些尚未结婚的人,特别对寡妇说:如果她们能止于现状,像我一样,为她们倒好。
7:9
但若她们节制不住,就让她们婚嫁,因为与其欲火中烧,倒不如结婚为妙。
7:10
至于那些已经结婚的,我命令──其实不是我,而是主命令:妻子不可离开丈夫;
7:11
若是离开了,就应该持身不嫁,或是仍与丈夫和好;丈夫也不可离弃妻子。
信教前的婚姻在一定情形下可以解除
7:12 对其余的人,是我说,而不是主说:倘若某弟兄有不信主的妻子,妻子也同意与他同居,就不应该离弃她;
7:13
倘若某妇人有不信主的丈夫,丈夫也同意与她同居,就不应该离弃丈夫,
7:14
因为不信主的丈夫因妻子而成了圣洁的,不信主的妻子也因弟兄而成了圣洁的;不然,你们的儿女就是不洁的,其实他们却是圣洁的。
7:15
但若不信主的一方要离去,就由他离去;在这种情形之下,兄弟或姐妹不必受拘束,天主召叫了我们原是为平安。
7:16
因为妳这为妻子的,怎么知道妳能救丈夫呢﹖或者,你这为丈夫的,怎么知道你能救妻子呢﹖
信友应安于身份
7:17 此外,主怎样分给了各人,天主怎样召选了各人,各人就该怎样生活下去:这原是我在各教会内所训示的。
7:18
有人受割损后蒙召的吗﹖他就不该掩盖割损的记号;有人是未受割损蒙召的吗﹖他就不该受割损。
7:19
受割损算不得什么,不受割损也算不得什么,只该遵守天主的诫命。
7:20
各人在什么身份上蒙召,就该安于这身份。
7:21
你是作奴隶蒙召的吗﹖你不要介意,而且即使你能成为自由人,你也宁要守住你原有的身份,
7:22
因为作奴隶而在主内蒙召的,就是主所释放的人;同样,那有自由而蒙召的人,就是基督的奴隶。
7:23
你们是用高价买来的,切不要做人的奴隶。
7:24
弟兄们,各人在什么身份上蒙召,就在天主前安于这身份罢!
宗徒推荐童贞生活
7:25 论到童身的人,我没有主的命令,只就我蒙主的仁慈,作为一个忠信的人,说出我的意见:
7:26
为了现时的急难,依我看来,为人这样倒好。
7:27
你有妻子的束縳吗﹖不要寻求解脱;你没有妻子的束縳吗﹖不要寻求妻室。
7:28
但是你若娶妻,你并没有犯罪,童女若出嫁,也没有犯罪;不过这等人要遭受肉身上的痛苦,我却愿意你们免受这些痛苦。
7:29
弟兄们,我给你们说:时限是短促的,今后有妻子的,要像没有一样;
7:30
哭泣的,要像不哭泣的;欢乐的,要像不欢乐的;购买的,要像一无所得的;
7:31
享用这世界的,要像不享用的,因为这世界的局面正在逝去。
7:32
我愿你们无所挂虑:没有妻子的,所挂虑的是主的事,想怎样悦乐主;
7:33
娶了妻子的,所挂虑的是世俗的事,想怎样悦乐妻子:这样他的心就分散了。
7:34
没有丈夫的妇女和童女,所挂虑的是主的事,一心使身心圣洁;至于已出嫁的,所挂虑的是世俗的事,想怎样悦乐丈夫。
7:35
我说这话,是为你们的益处,并不是要设下圈套陷害你们,而只是为叫你们更齐全,得以不断地专心事主。
7:36
若有人以为对自己的童女待的不合宜,怕她过了韶华年龄,而事又在必行,他就可以随意办理,让她们成亲,不算犯罪。
7:37
但是谁若心意坚定,没有不得已的事,而又能随自己的意愿处置,这样心里决定了要保存自己的童女,的确做的好;
7:38
所以,谁若叫自己的童女出嫁,作得好;谁若不叫她出嫁,作得更好。
寡妇的问题
7:39 丈夫活着的时候,妻子是被束縳的;但如果丈夫死了,她便自由了,可以随意嫁人,只要是在主内的人。
7:40
可是,按我的意见,如果她仍能这样守下去,她更为有福:我想我也有天主的圣神。
第八章(27)
爱德比知识更有价值
8:1 至论祭邪神的肉,我们知道「我们都有知识。」但知识只会使人傲慢自大,爱德才能立人。
8:2
若有人自以为知道什么,这是他还不知道他该怎样知道。
8:3
然而,谁若爱天主,这人才为天主所认识。
祭肉本无好坏之别
8:4 至论吃祭邪神的肉,我们知道:世上并没有什么邪神;也知道:除了一个天主外,没有什么神。
8:5
因为虽然有称为神的,或在天上,或在地下,就如那许多「神」和许多「主」,
8:6
可是为我们只有一个天主,就是圣父,万物都出于他,而我们也归于他;也只有一个主,就是耶稣基督,万物借他而有,我们也借他而有。
应顾及软弱的弟兄
8:7 不过这种知识不是人人都有的;有些人直到如今因拜惯了邪神,以为所吃的是祭邪神的肉,因为他们的良心软弱,就受了玷污。
8:8
其实,食物不能使我们取悦于天主:我们不吃也无损,吃也无益。
8:9
但你们要慬慎,免得你们这自由的抉择,成了软弱人的绊脚石。
8:10
因为,如果有人看见你这有知识的,在邪神庙里坐席,他的良心若是软弱,岂不受到鼓励而去吃祭邪神的肉吗﹖
8:11
那么,这软弱的人,基督为他而死的弟兄,也就因了你的知识而丧亡!
8:12
你们这样得罪了弟兄们,伤了他们软弱的良心,就是得罪基督。
8:13
为此,倘若食物使我的弟兄跌倒,我就永远不吃肉,免得叫我的弟兄跌倒。
第九章
保禄证明自己享有宗徒的权利
9:1 我不是自由的吗﹖我不是宗徒吗﹖我不是见过我们的主耶稣吗﹖你们不是我在主内所建的工程吗﹖
9:2
纵然我为别人不是宗徒,为你们我总是,因为你们在主内正是我任宗徒职分的印证。
9:3
这也就是我对那些质问我的人的答辨。
9:4
难道我们没有取得饮食的权利吗﹖
9:5
难道我们没有权利携带一位为姐妹的妇人,如其它的宗徒及主的弟兄并刻法一样吗﹖
9:6
或者,惟有我和巴尔纳伯没有不劳作的权利吗﹖
9:7
谁当兵而自备粮饷呢﹖谁种植葡萄园而不吃它的出产呢﹖或者,谁牧放羊群而不吃羊群的奶呢﹖
9:8
我说这话,难道是按人之常情﹖法律不是也这样说吗﹖
9:9
原来梅瑟法律上记载说:『牛在打埸的时候,不可笼住它的嘴。』难道天主所关心的是牛吗﹖
9:10
岂不是完全为我们说的吗﹖的确是为我们记载的,因为犁地的当怀着希望去犁,打场的也当怀着有份的希望去打场。
9:11
若是我们给你们散播神圣的恩惠,而收割你们那属物质的东西,还算什么大事﹖
9:12
如果别人在你们身上尚且分享权利,我们岂不更该吗﹖可是我们没有用过这权利,反倒忍受了一切,免得基督的福音受到妨碍。
9:13
你们岂不知道为圣事服务的,就靠圣殿生活;供职于祭坛的,就分享祭坛上的物品吗﹖
9:14
主也这样规定了,传福音的人,应靠福音而生活。
放弃权利为传福音
9:15 可是,这些权利我一样也没有用过;我写这话,并非要人这样对待我,因为我宁愿死,也不愿让人使我这夸耀落了空。
9:16
我若传福音,原没有什么可夸耀的,因为这是我不得已的事;我若不传福音,我就有祸了。
9:17
假使我自愿作这事,便有报酬;若不自愿,可是责任已委托给我。
9:18
这样看来,我的报酬是什么呢﹖就是传布福音时白白地去传,不享用我在传福音上所有的权利。
9:19
我原是自由的,不属于任何人;但我却使自己成了众人的奴仆,为赢得更多的人。
9:20
对犹太人,我就成为犹太人,为赢得犹太人;对于在法律下的人,我虽不在法律下,仍成为在法律下的人,为赢得那在法律下的人;
9:21
对那些法律以外的人,我就成为法律以外的人,为赢得那些法律以外的人;其实,我并不在天主的法律以外,而是在基督的法律之下。
9:22
对软弱的人,我就成为软弱的,为赢得那软弱的人;对一切人,我就成为一切,为的是总要救些人。
9:23
我所行的一切,都是为了福音,为能与人共沾福音的恩许。
克己苦身为使自己得救
9:24 你们岂不知道在运动埸上赛跑的,固然都跑,但只有一个得奖赏吗﹖你们也应该这样跑,好能得到奖赏。
9:25
凡比武竞赛的,在一切事上都有节制;他们只是为得到可朽坏的花冠,而我们却是为得到不朽坏的花冠。
9:26
所以我总是这样跑,不是如同无定向的;我这样打拳,不是如同打空气的;
9:27
我痛击我身,使它为奴,免得我给别人报捷,自己反而落选。
第十章(33)
以色列人的历史可资鉴戒
10:1 弟兄们,我愿意提醒你们,我们的祖先都曾在云柱下,都从海中走过,
10:2
都曾在云中和海中受了洗而归于梅瑟,
10:3
都吃过同样的神粮,
10:4
都饮过同样的神饮;原来他们所饮的,是来自伴随他们的神盘石:那盘石是基督。
10:5
可是,他们中多数不是天主所喜悦的,因而倒毙在旷野里了。
10:6
这些事都是我们的鉴戒,为叫我们不贪恋恶事,就如他们贪恋过一样。
10:7
你们也不可崇拜邪神,就如他们中有些人敬拜过一样,如同经上记载说:『百姓坐下吃喝,起来玩乐。』
10:8
我们也不可淫乱,就如他们中有些人淫乱过,一天内就倒毙了二万三千人。
10:9
我们也不可试探主,就如他们中有些人试探过,为蛇所歼灭。
10:10
你们也不可抱怨,就如他们中有些人抱怨过,为毁灭者所消灭。
10:11
发生在他们身上的这一切事,都是为给人作鉴戒,并记录了下来,为劝戒我们这些生活在世末的人。
10:12
所以,凡自以为站得稳的,务要小心,免得跌倒。
10:13
你们所受的试探,无非是普通人所能受的试探,天主是忠信的,他决不许你们受那超过你们能力的试探;天主如加给人试探,也必开一条出路,叫你们能够承担。
凡结合于主的不得再参与教外的祭献
10:14 为此,我亲爱的诸位,你们要逃避崇拜邪神的事。
10:15
我想我是对明白人说话;你们自己审断我所说的罢!
10:16
我们所祝福的那祝福之杯,岂不是共结合于基督的血吗﹖我们所擘开的饼,岂不是共结合于基督的身体吗﹖
10:17
因为饼只是一个,我们虽多,只是一个身体,因为我们众人都共享这一个饼。
10:18
你们且看按血统做以色列的,那些吃祭物的,不是与祭坛有分子的人吗﹖
10:19
那么,我说什么呢﹖是说祭邪神的肉算得什么吗﹖或是说邪神算得什么吗﹖
10:20
不是,我说的是:外教人所祭祀的,是祭祀邪魔,而不是祭祀真神。我不愿意你们与邪魔有分子。
10:21
你们不能喝主的杯,又喝邪魔的杯;你们不能共享主的筵席,又共享邪魔的筵席。
10:22
难道我们要惹主发怒吗﹖莫非我们比他还强吗﹖
吃祭肉的规则
10:23 「凡事都可行,」但不全有益;「凡事都可行,」但不全助人建树。
10:24
人不要只求自己的利益,也该求别人的利益。
10:25
凡在肉市上买来的,为了良心的缘故,不必查问什么,你们只管吃罢!
10:26
『因为大地和其中的万物,属于上主。』
10:27
若有一个无信仰的人宴请你们,你们也愿意去,凡给你们摆上的,为了良心的缘故,不必查问什么,你们只管吃罢!
10:28
但若有人向你们说:「这是祭过神的肉,」为了那指点的人,和为了良心的原故,你们就不可吃。
10:29
我说的良心不是自己的,而是他人的良心。那么,我的自由为什么要受他人良心的束缚呢﹖
10:30
我若以谢恩之心参加,为什么我要因谢恩之物而受人责骂呢﹖
10:31
所以,你们或吃或喝,或无论作什么,一切都要为光荣天主而作。
10:32
你们不可成为犹太人,或希腊人,或天主教会跌倒的原因,
10:33
但要如我一样,在一切事上使众人喜欢,不求我自己的利益,只求大众的利益,为使他们得救。
第十一章(34)
11:1 你们该效法我,如我效法了基督一样。
妇女集会时当蒙首帕
11:2 我称赞你们在一切事上记念我,并照我所传授给你们的,持守那些传授。
11:3
但我愿意你们知道:男人的头是基督,而女人的头是男人,基督的头却是天主。
11:4
凡男人祈祷或说先知话,若蒙着头,就是羞辱自己的头;
11:5
但凡女人祈祷或说先知话,若不蒙头,就是羞辱自己的头,因为她跟那剃了头发的完全一样。
11:6
女人若不蒙头,就让她剪发罢!但若剪发或剃头为女人算是耻辱,她就该蒙头!
11:7
男人当然不该蒙头,因为他是天主的肖像和光荣,而女人却是男人的光荣:
11:8
原来不是男人出于女人,而是女人出于男人;
11:9
而且男人不是为女人造的,女人乃是为男人造的。
11:10
为此,女人为了天使的缘故,在头上应该有属于权下的表记,
11:11
然而在主内,女不可无男,男也不可无女,
11:12
因为就如女人是出于男人,同样男人也是藉女人而生;但一切都出于天主。
11:13
你们自己评断罢!女人不蒙头向天主祈祷相宜吗﹖
11:14
不是本性也教训你们:男人若蓄发,为他就是羞辱,
11:15
但是女人若蓄发,为她倒是光荣吗﹖因为头发是给她当作首帕的。
11:16
若有人想强辩,那么他该知道:我们没有这样的风俗,天主的各教会也没有。
谴责举行主宴之不恭
11:17 我要嘱咐你们,并不称赞你们,因为你们聚会不是为得益,而是为受害。
11:18
首先,我听说你们聚会时,你们中间有分裂的事,我也有几分相信,
11:19
因为在你们中间原免不了分党分派的事,好叫那些经得起考验的人,在你们中显出来。
11:20
你们聚集在一处,并不是为吃主的晚餐,
11:21
因为你们吃的时候,各人先吃自己的晚餐,甚至有的饥饿,有的却醉饱。
11:22
难道你们没有家可以吃喝吗﹖或是你们想轻视天主的教会,叫那些没有的人羞惭吗﹖我可给你们说什么﹖要我称赞你们吗﹖在这事上,我决不称赞。
主的晚餐是记念主的死
11:23 这是我从主所领受的,我也传授给你们了:主耶稣在他被交付的那一夜,拿起饼来;
11:24
祝谢了,擘开说:「这是我的身体,为你们而舍的,你们应这样行,为记念我。」
11:25
晚餐后,又同样拿起杯来说:「这杯是用我的血所立的新约,你们每次喝,应这样行,为记念我。」
11:26
的确,直到主再来,你们每次吃这饼,喝这杯,你们就是宣告主的死亡。
冒行圣体晚餐必遭天主降罚
11:27 为此,无论谁,若不相称地吃主的饼,或喝主的杯,就是干犯主体和主血的罪人。
11:28
所以人应省察自己,然后才可以吃这饼,喝这杯。
11:29
因为那吃喝的人,若不分辨主的身体,就是吃喝自己的罪案。
11:30
为此,在你们中有许多有病和软弱的人,死的也不少。
11:31
但是,若我们先省察自己,我们就不至于受罚了。
11:32
我们即使受罚,只是受主的惩诫,免得我们和这世界一同被定罪。
11:33
所以,我的弟兄们,当你们聚集吃晚餐时,要彼此等待。
11:34
谁若饿了,在家里先吃,免得你们聚集自遭判决。其余的事,等我来了再安排。
第十二章(31)
神恩的来源与作用
12:1 弟兄们,至论神恩的事,我切愿你们明了。
12:2
你们记得:当你们还是外教人的时候,好象着了迷,常被勾引到那些不会出声的偶像前。
12:3
为此,我告诉你们,没有一个受天主圣神感动的会说:「耶稣是可诅咒的;」除非受圣神感动,也没有一个能说:「耶稣是主」的。
12:4
神恩虽有区别,却是同一的圣神所赐;
12:5
职份虽有区别,却是同一的主所赐;
12:6
功效虽有区别,却是同一的天主,在一切人身上行一切事。
12:7
圣神显示在每人身上虽不同,但全是为人的好处。
12:8
这人从圣神蒙受了智慧的言语,另一人却由同一圣神蒙受了知识的言语;
12:9
有人在同一圣神内蒙受了信心,另有人在同一圣神内却蒙受了治病的奇恩;
12:10
有的能行奇迹,有的能说先知话,有的能辨别神恩,有的能说各种语言,有的能解释语言,
12:11
可是,这一切都是这唯一而同一的圣神所行的,随他的心愿,个别分配与人。
教会犹如一身
12:12 就如身体只是一个,却有许多肢体;身体所有的肢体虽多,仍是一个身体:基督也是这样。
因为我们众人,不论是犹太人,或是希腊人,或是为奴的,或是自主的,都因一个圣神受了洗,成为一个身体,又都为一个圣神所滋润。
12:14 原来身体不只有一个肢体,而是有许多。
12:15
如果脚说:「我既然不是手,便不属于身体;」它并不因此就不属于身体。
12:16
如果耳说:「我既然不是眼,便不属于身体;」它并不因此不属于身体。
12:17
若全身是眼,哪里有听觉﹖若全身是听觉,哪里有嗅觉﹖
12:18
但如今天主却按自己的意思,把肢体个个都安排在身体上了。
12:19
假使全都是一个肢体,哪里还算身体呢﹖
12:20
但如今肢体虽多,身体却是一个。
12:21
眼不能对手说:「我不需要你;」同样,头也不能对脚说:「我不需要你们。」
12:22
不但如此,而且那些似乎是身体上比较软弱的肢体,却更为重要,
12:23
并且那些我们以为是身体上比较欠尊贵的肢体,我们就越发加上尊贵的装饰,我们不端雅的肢体,就越发显得端雅。
12:24
至于我们端雅的肢体,就无需装饰了。天主这样配置了身体,对那缺欠的,赐以加倍的尊贵,
12:25
免得在身体内发生分裂,反使各肢体彼此互相关照。
12:26
若是一个肢体受苦,所有的肢体都一同受苦,若是一个肢体蒙受尊荣,所有的肢体都一同欢乐。
神恩各有其作用
12:27 你们便是基督的身体,各自都是肢体。
12:28
天主在教会内所设立的:第一是宗徒,第二是先知,第三是教师,其次是行异能的,再次是有治病奇恩的、救助人的、治理人的、说各种语言的。
12:29
众人岂能都作宗徒?岂能都做先知?岂能都做教师?岂能都行异能?
12:30
岂能都有治病的奇恩?岂能都说各种语言?岂能都解释语言?
12:31
你们该热切追求那更大的恩赐。我现在把一条更高超的道路指给你们。
第十三章(13)
爱超越一切
13:1 我若能说人间的语言,和能说天使的语言;但我若没有爱,我就成了个发声的锣,或发响的钹。
13:2
我若有先知之恩,又明白一切奥秘和各种知识;我若有全备的信心,甚至能移山,但我若没有爱,我什么也不算。
13:3
我若把我所有的财产全施舍了,我若舍身投火被焚;但我若没有爱,为我毫无益处。
爱是诸德的灵魂
13:4 爱是含忍的,爱是慈祥的,爱不嫉妒,不夸张,不自大,
13:5
不作无礼的事,不求己益,不动怒,不图谋恶事,
13:6
不以不义为乐,却与真理同乐:
13:7
凡事包容,凡事相信,凡事盼望,凡事忍耐。
爱永存不朽
13:8 爱永存不朽,而先知之恩,终必消失;语言之恩,终必停止;知识之恩,终必消逝。
13:9
因为我们现在所知道的,只是局部的;我们作先知所讲的,也只是局部的;
13:10
及至那圆满的一来到,局部的,就必要消逝。
13:11
当我是孩子的时候,说话像孩子,看事像孩子,思想像孩子;几时我一成了人,就把孩子的事丢弃了。
13:12
我们现在是借着镜子观看,模糊不清,到那时,就要面对面的观看了。我现在所认识的,只是局部的,那时我就要全认清了,如同我全被认清一样。
13:13
现今存在的,有信、望、爱这三样,但其中最大的是爱。
第十四章(40)
先知与语言二神恩的比较
14:1 你们要追求爱,但也要渴慕神恩,尤其是要渴慕做先知之恩。
14:2
原来那说语言的,不是对人,而是对天主说话,因为没有人听得慬,他是由于神魂讲论奥秘的事;
14:3
但那做先知的,却是向人说建树、劝慰和鼓励的话。
14:4
那说语言的,是建立自己;那讲先知话的,却是建立教会。
14:5
我愿意你们都有说语言之恩,但我更愿意你们都做先知,因为讲先知话的比说语言的更大,除非他也解释,使教会获得建立。
14:6
弟兄们!假使我来到你们那里,只说语言,若不以启示,或以知识,或以先知话,或以训诲向你们讲论,我为你们有什么益处﹖
14:7
就连那些无灵而发声之物,箫也罢,琴也罢,若分不清声调,怎能知道所吹所弹的是什么呢﹖
14:8
若号筒吹的音调不准确,谁还准备作战呢﹖
14:9
同样,你们若不用舌头说出明晰的话,人怎能明白你说的是什么﹖那么,你们就是向空气说话。
14:10
谁也知道世界上有很多语言,但没有一种是没有意义的。
14:11
假使我不明白那语言的意义,那说话的人必以我为蛮夷,我也以那说话的人为蛮夷。
14:12
你们也当这样:你们既然渴慕神恩,就当祈求多得建立教会的恩赐。
语言之恩不如先知之恩
14:13 为此,那说语言的应当祈求解释之恩,
14:14
因为我若以语言之恩祈祷,是我的神魂祈祷,我的理智却得不到效果。
14:15
那么怎样才行呢﹖我要以神魂祈祷,也要以理智祈祷,我要以神魂歌咏,也要以理智歌咏;
14:16
不然,假使你以神魂赞颂,那在埸不通语言的人,既不明白你说什么,对你的祝谢词,怎能答应「阿们」呢﹖
14:17
你固然祝谢的很好,可是不能建立别人。
14:18
我感谢天主,我说语言胜过你们众人;
14:19
可是在集会中,我宁愿以我的理智说五句训诲人的话,而不愿以语言之恩说一万句话。
14:20
弟兄们!你们在见识上不应做孩子,但应在邪恶上做婴孩,在见识上应做成年人。
14:21
法律上记载:『上主说:我要借说外方话的人和外方人的嘴唇向这百姓说话,虽然这样,他们还是不听从我。』
14:22
这样看来,语言之恩不是为信的人作证据,而是为不信的人;但先知之恩不是为不信的人,而是为信的人。
14:23
所以全教会共同聚在一起时,假使众人都说起语言来,如有不通的人,或有不信的人进来,岂不要说:你们疯了吗﹖
14:24
但是,如果众人都说先知话,既便有不信的人或不通的人进来,他必被众人说服,也必被众人所审察,
14:25
他心内的隐秘事也必会显露出来:这样他就必俯首至地朝拜天主,声称天主实在是在你们中间。
善用神恩当守秩序
14:26 弟兄们!那么怎样做呢﹖当你们聚会的时候,每人不论有什么神恩,或有歌咏,或有训诲,或有启示,或有语言,或有解释之恩:一切都应为建立而行。
14:27
倘若有说语言的,只可两个人,或至多三个人,且要轮流讲话,也要有一个人解释;
14:28
如没有解释的人,在集会中就该缄默,只可对自己和对天主说话。
14:29
至于先知,可以两个人或三个人说话,其余的人要审辨。
14:30
若在坐的有一位得了启示,那先说话的,就不应该再发言,
14:31
因为你们都可以一个一个的说先知话,为使众人学习,为使众人受到鼓励。
14:32
并且先知的神魂是由先知自己作主,
14:33
因为天主不是混乱的天主,而是平安的天主。
公共集会中女人应缄默
14:犹如在圣徒的众教会内,
14:34 妇女在集会中应当缄默;她们不准发言,只该服从,正如法律所说的。
14:35
她们若愿意学什么,可以在家里问自己的丈夫;因为在集会中发言,为女人不是体面事。
再劝信友应守秩序
14:36 莫非天主的道理是从你们来的吗﹖或是惟独临到了你们身上吗﹖
14:37
若有人自以为是先知,或受神感的人,就该承认我给你们所写的,是主的诫命。
14:38
谁若不承认,也不要承认他。
14:39
所以,我的弟兄们,你们应当渴慕说先知话,可是也不要禁止人说语言。
14:40
一切都该照规矩按次序而行。
第十五章(58)
基督复活是信仰的根基
15:1 弟兄们!我愿意你们认清,我们先前给你们传报的福音,这福音你们已接受了,且在其上站稳了,
15:2
假使你们照我给你们所传报的话持守了福音,就必因这福音得救,否则,你们就白白地信了。
15:3
我当日把我所领受而又传给你们的,其中首要的是:基督照经上记载的,为我们的罪死了,
15:4
被埋葬了,且照经上记载的,第三天复活了,
15:5
并且显现给刻法,以后显现给那十二位;
15:6
此后,又一同显现给五百多弟兄,其中多半到现在还活着,有些已经死了。
15:7
随后,显现给雅各伯,以后,显现给众宗徒;
15:8
最后,也显现了给我这个像流产儿的人。
15:9
我原是宗徒中最小的一个,不配称为宗徒,因为我迫害过天主的教会。
15:10
然而,因天主的恩宠,我成为今日的我;天主赐给我的恩宠没有落空,我比他们众人更劳碌;其实不是我,而是天主的恩宠偕同我。
15:11
总之,不拘是我,或是他们,我们都这样传了,你们也都这样信了。
基督复活与信友的关系
15:12 我们既然传报了基督已由死者中复活了,怎么你们中还有人说:死人复活是没有的事呢﹖
15:13
假如死人复活是没有的事,基督也就没有复活;
15:14
假如基督没有复活,那么,我们的宣讲便是空的,你们的信仰也是空的。
15:15
此外,如果死人真不复活,我们还被视为天主的假证人,因为我们相反天主作证,说天主使基督复活了,其实并没有使衪复活,
15:16
因为如果死人不复活,基督也就没有复活;
15:17
如果基督没有复活,你们的信仰便是假的,你们还是在罪恶中。
15:18
那么,那些在基督内死了的人,就丧亡了。
15:19
如果我们在今生只寄望于基督,我们就是众人中最可怜的了。
15:20
但是,基督从死者中实在复活了,做了死者的初果。
15:21
因为死亡既因一人而来,死者的复活也因一人而来;
15:22
就如在亚当内,众人都死了,照样在基督内,众人都要复活;
15:23
不过各人要依照自己的次第:首先是为初果的基督,然后是在基督再来时属于基督的人,
15:24
再后才是结局;那时,基督将消灭一切率领者、一切掌权者和大能者,把自己的王权交于天主父。
15:25
因为基督必须为王,直到把一切仇敌屈伏在他的脚下。
15:26
最后被毁灭的仇敌便是死亡;
15:27
因为天主使万物都屈伏在他的脚下。既然说万物都已屈伏了,显然那使万物屈伏于他的不在其内。
15:28
万物都屈伏于他以后,子自己也要屈伏于那使万物屈伏于自己的父,好叫天主成为万物之中的万有。
否认复活的后果
15:29 不然,那些代死人受洗的是作什么呢﹖如果死人总不复活,为什么还代他们受洗呢﹖
15:30
我们又为什么时时冒险呢﹖
15:31
弟兄们,我指着我在我们的主基督耶稣内,对你们所有的荣耀,起誓说:我是天天冒死的。
15:32
我若只凭人的动机,当日在厄弗所与野兽搏斗,为我有什么益处﹖如果死人不复活,「我们吃喝罢,明天就要死了。」
15:33
你们不可为人所误:「交结恶友必败坏善行。」你们当彻底醒寤,别再犯罪了。
15:34
你们中有些人实在不认识天主了:我说这话是为叫你们羞愧。
复活后的身体
15:35 可是有人要说:死人将怎样复活呢﹖他们将带着什么样的身体回来呢﹖
15:36
糊涂人哪!你所播的种子,若不先死了,决不得生出来;
15:37
并且你所播种的,并不是那将要生出的形体,而是一颗赤裸的籽粒,譬如一颗麦粒,或者别的种粒;
15:38
但天主随自己的心意给它一个形体,使每个种子各有各的本体。
15:39
不是所有的肉体都是同样的肉体:人体是一样,兽体又是一样,鸟体另是一样,鱼体却又另是一样。
15:40
还有天上的物体和地上的物体:天上物体的华丽是一样,地上物体的华丽又是一样;
15:41
太阳的光辉是一样,月亮的光辉又是一样,星辰的光辉另是一样;而且星辰与星辰的光辉又有分别。
15:42
死人的复活也是这样:播种的是可朽坏的,复活起来的是不可朽坏的;
15:43
播种的是可羞辱的,复活起来的是光荣的;播种的是软弱的,复活起来的是强健的;
15:44
播种的是属生灵身体,复活起来的是属神的身体;既有属生灵的身体,也就有属神的身体。
15:45
经上也这样记载说:『第一个人亚当成了生灵,』最后的亚当成了使人生活的神。
15:46
但属神的不是在先,而是属生灵的,然后才是属神的。
15:47
第一个人出于地,属于土,第二个人出于天。
15:48
那属于土的怎样,凡属于土的也怎样;那属天上的怎样,凡属天上的也怎样。
15:49
我们怎样带了那属于土的肖像,也要怎样带那属于天上的肖像。
基督战胜了死亡
15:50 弟兄们,我告诉你们:肉和血不能承受天主的国,可朽坏的也不能承受不可朽坏的。
15:51
看,我告诉你们一件奥秘的事:我们众人不全死亡,但我们众人却全要改变,
15:52
这是在顷刻眨眼之间,在末次吹号筒时发生的。的确,号筒一响,死人必要复活,成为不朽的,我们也必要改变,
15:53
因为这可朽坏的,必须穿上不可朽坏的;这可死的,必须穿上不可死的。
15:54
几时这可朽坏的,穿上了不可朽坏的;这可死的,穿上了不可死的,那时就要应验经上所记载的这句话:『在胜利中,死亡被吞灭了。』
15:55
『死亡!你的胜利在哪里﹖死亡!你的刺在哪里﹖』
15:56
死亡的刺就是罪过,罪过的权势就是法律。
15:57
感谢天主赐给了我们因我们的主耶稣基督所获得的胜利。
15:58
所以,我亲爱的弟兄,你们要坚定不移,在主的工程上该时常发愤勉力,因为你们知道,你们的勤劳在主内决不会落空。
结 论
第十六章(24)
应捐助耶路撒冷教会
16:1 关于为圣徒捐款的事,我怎样给迦拉达各教会规定了,你们也该照样做。
16:2
每周的第一日,你们每人要照自己的能力积蓄一点,各自存放着,免得我来到时才现凑。
16:3
几时我一来到,就派你们所认可的人,带着信,把你们的恩赐送到耶路撒冷去;
16:4
若是值得我也去,他们就同我一起去。
通知行期
16:5 我巡行了马其顿以后,就往你们那里去,因为我只愿巡行马其顿;
16:6
但在你们那里,可能我要住下,甚至过冬,以后我无论往那里去,你们可以给我送行,
16:7
因为这次我不愿只路过时见见你们;主若准许,我就希望在你们那里多住一些时候;
16:8
但我仍要在厄弗所逗留到五旬节,
16:9
因为有成效的大门已给我敞开了,但也有许多敌对的人。
托付与劝告
16:10 若是弟茂德到了,你们要留意,叫他在你们那里无恐无惧,因为他是办理主的工作,如同我一样,
16:11
所以谁也不可轻视他。以后,你们当送他平安起程,回到我这里,因为我与弟兄们等候着他。
16:12
关于阿颇罗弟兄,我多次恳求他,要他同弟兄们一起到你们那里去,但他决没有意思如今去;一有好机会,他一定会去。
16:13
你们应该儆醒,应屹立在信德上,应有丈夫气概,应刚强有力。
16:14
你们的一切事,都应以爱而行。
16:15
弟兄们,我还要劝告你们:你们知道斯特法纳一家原是阿哈雅的初果,且自愿委身服事圣徒;
16:16
对这样的人,和一切合作劳苦的人,你们应表示服从。
16:17
斯特法纳和福突纳托及阿哈依科来了,我很喜欢,因为他们填补了你们的空缺;
16:18
他们使我和你们的心神都感到了快慰。对他们这样的人,你们应知敬重。
问候与祝福
16:19 亚细亚各教会问候你们;阿桂拉和普黎史拉以及他们家内的教会,在主内多多问候你们。
16:20
所有的弟兄都问候你们;你们也该以圣吻彼此问候。
16:21
我保禄亲笔问候。
16:22
若有人不爱主,该受诅咒!吾主,来罢!
16:23
愿主耶稣的恩宠与你们同在!
16:24
愿我的爱在基督耶稣内与你们众人同在!
BOOK ENDS. Seraphim, April 2009.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 1
THE FIRST LETTER OF
PAUL TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH
INTRODUCTION
Address
and greetings. Thanksgiving
1:1 I, Paul, appointed by God
to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes,
send greetings
1:2 to the church of God in
Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place
among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is
their Lord no less than ours.
1:3 May God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.
1:4 I
never stop thanking God for all the graces you have received through Jesus
Christ.
1:5 I thank him that you have
been enriched in so many ways, especially in your teachers and preachers;
1:6 the witness to Christ has
indeed been strong among you
1:7 so that you will not be
without any of the gifts of the Spirit while you are waiting for our Lord Jesus
Christ to be revealed;
1:8 and he will keep you
steady and without blame until the last day, the day of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1:9 because God by calling you
has joined you to his Son, Jesus Christ; and God is faithful.
I. DIVISIONS AND
SCANDALS
A. FACTIONS IN THE
CORINTHIAN CHURCH
Dissensions among
the faithful
1:10 All the same, I do appeal
to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the
differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be
united again in your belief and practice.
1:11 From
what Chloe's people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that
there are serious differences among you.
1:12 What
I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: 'I am for Paul', 'I am for Apollos', 'I am for Cephas'[*a],
'I am for Christ'.
1:13 Has
Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was
crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of
Paul?
1:14 I am thankful that I
never baptised any of you after Crispus
and Gaius
1:15 so none of you can say he
was baptised in my name.
1:16 Then
there was the family of Stephanas, of course, that I baptised too, but no one else as far as I can remember.
The true wisdom and
the false
1:17 For Christ did not send
me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not
to preach that in the terms of philosophy[*b] in which
the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.
1:18 The language of the cross
may be illogical to those who are not on the way to salvation, but those of us
who are on the way see it as God's power to save.
1:19 As
scripture says: I shall destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing all
the learning of the learned.
1:20 Where are the
philosophers now? Where are the scribes?[*c] Where are
any of our thinkers today? Do you see now how God has shown up the foolishness
of human wisdom?
1:21 If
it was God's wisdom that human wisdom should not know God, it was because God
wanted to save those who have faith through the foolishness of the message that
we preach.
1:22 And
so, while the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks look for wisdom,
1:23 here are we preaching a
crucified Christ; to the Jews an obstacle that they cannot get over, to the
pagans madness,
1:24 but to those
who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the
power and the wisdom of God.
1:25 For God's foolishness is
wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
1:26 Take yourselves for
instance, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise
in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came
from noble families?
1:27 No, it was to shame the
wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is
strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning;
1:28 those whom the world
thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen - those who are
nothing at all to show up those who are everything.
1:29 The
human race has nothing to boast about to God,
1:30 but you, God has made
members of Christ Jesus and by God's doing he has become our wisdom, and our
virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom.
1:31 As scripture says: if
anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.[*d]
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 2
2:1 As
for me, brothers, when I came to you, it was not with any show of oratory or
philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed.
2:2 During
my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and
only about him as the crucified Christ.
2:3 Far from relying on any
power of my own, I came among you in great 'fear and trembling'[*a]
2:4 and in my speeches and the
sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to
philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit.
2:5 And I did this so that
your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.
2:6 But
still we have a wisdom to offer those who have reached maturity: not a
philosophy of our age, it is true, still less of the masters of our age, which
are coming to their end.
2:7 The
hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God
predestined to be for our glory before the ages began.
2:8 lt
is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would
not have crucified the Lord of Glory;
2:9 we teach what scripture
calls: the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the
mind of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.[*b]
2:10 These
are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the
Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God.
2:11 After all, the depths of
a man can only be known by his own spirit, not by any other man, and in the
same way the depths of God can only be known by the Spirit of God.
2:12 Now instead of the spirit
of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to
understand the gifts that he has given us.
2:13 Therefore
we teach, not in the way in which philosophy is taught, but in the way that the
Spirit teaches us: we teach spiritual things spiritually.
2:14 An
unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he
sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be
understood by means of the Spirit.
2:15 A spiritual man, on the
other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not
to be judged by other men.
2:16 As scripture says: Who
can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him ?[*c]
But we are those who have the mind of Christ.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 3
3:1 Brothers, I myself was
unable to speak to you as people of the Spirit: I treated you as sensual men,
still infants in Christ.
3:2 What
I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it; and
indeed, you are still not ready for it
3:3 since you are still
unspiritual. Isn't that obvious from all the jealousy and wrangling that there
is among you, from the way that you go on behaving like ordinary people?
3:4 What
could be more unspiritual than your slogans, 'I am for Paul' and 'I am for Apollos'?
The place of the
Christian preacher
3:5 After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the
faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to
them by the Lord.
3:6 I
did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God
made things grow.
3:7 Neither
the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who
makes things grow.
3:8 It
is all one who does the planting and who does the watering, and each will duly
be paid according to his share in the work.
3:9 We
are fellow workers with God; you are God's farm, God's building.
3:10 By
the grace God gave me, I succeeded as an architect and laid the foundations, on
which someone else is doing the building. Everyone doing the building must work
carefully.
3:11 For
the foundation, nobody can lay any other than the one which has already been
laid, that is Jesus Christ.
3:12 On
this foundation you can build in gold, silver and jewels, or in wood, grass and
straw,
3:13 but whatever the
material, the work of each builder is going to be clearly revealed when the day
comes. That day will begin with fire, and the fire will test the quality of
each man's work.
3:14 If
his structure stands up to it, he will get his wages;
3:15 if it is burnt down, he
will be the loser, and though he is saved himself, it will be as one who has
gone through fire.
3:16 Didn't
you realise that you were God's temple and that the
Spirit of God was living among you?
3:17 If
anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the
temple of God is sacred; and you are that temple.
Conclusions
3:18 Make
no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the
ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really
can be wise.
3:19 Why? Because
the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As scripture says: The
Lord knows wise men's thoughts: he knows how useless they are:[*a]
3:20 or again: God is not
convinced by the arguments of the wise[*b]
3:21 So
there is nothing to boast about in anything human:
3:22 Paul, Apollos,
Cephas, the world, life and death, the present and
the future, are all your servants;
3:23 but you belong to Christ
and Christ belongs to God.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 4
4:1 People must think of us as
Christ's servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.
4:2 What
is expected of stewards is that each one should be found worthy of his trust.
4:3 Not that it makes the
slightest difference to me whether you, or indeed any human tribunal, find me worthy
or not. I will not even pass judgement on myself.
4:4 True, my conscience does
not reproach me at all, but that does not prove that I am acquitted: the Lord
alone is my judge.
4:5 There
must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes; he will light up all that is
hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men's hearts.
Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from
God.
4:6 Now in everything I have
said here, brothers, I have taken Apollos and myself
as an example (remember the maxim: 'Keep to what is written'); it is not for
you, so full of your own importance, to go taking sides for one man against
another.
4:7 In
any case, brother, has anybody given you some special right? What do you have
that was not given to you? And if it was given, how can you boast as though it
were not?
4:8 Is it that you have
everything you want - that you are rich already, in possession of your kingdom,
with us left outside? Indeed I wish you were really kings, and we could be
kings with you!
4:9 But instead, it seems to
me, God has put us apostles at the end of his parade, with the men sentenced to
death; it is true - we have been put on show in front of the whole universe,
angels as well as men.
4:10 Here we are, fools for
the sake of Christ, while you are the learned men in Christ; we have no power,
but you are influential; you are celebrities, we are nobodies.
4:11 To this day, we go
without food and drink and clothes; we are beaten and have no homes;
4:12 we work for our living
with our own hands. When we are cursed, we answer with a blessing; when we are
hounded, we put up with it;
4:13 we are insulted and we
answer politely. We are treated as the offal of the world, still to this day,
the scum of the earth.
An appeal
4:14 I am saying all this not
just to make you ashamed but to bring you, as my dearest children, to your
senses.
4:15 You
might have thousands of guardians in Christ, but not more than one father and
it was I who begot you in Christ Jesus by preaching the Good News.
4:16 That
is why I beg you to copy me
4:17 and why I have sent you
Timothy, my dear and faithful son in the Lord: he will remind you of the way
that I live in Christ, as I teach it everywhere in all the churches.
4:18 When it seemed that I was
not coming to visit you, some of you became self-important,
4:19 but I will be visiting
you soon, the Lord willing, and then I shall want to know not what these
self-important people have to say, but what they can do,
4:20 since the kingdom of God
is not just words, it is power.
4:21 It
is for you to decide: do I come with a stick in my hand or in a spirit of love
and goodwill?
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 5
B. INCEST IN
CORINTH
5:1 I have been told as an
undoubted fact that one of you is living with his father's wife.[*a] This is a case of sexual immorality among you that
must be unparalleled even among pagans.
5:2 How
can you be so proud of yourselves? You should be in mourning. A man who does a thing like that ought to have been expelled from
the community.
5:3 Though I am far away in
body, I am with you in spirit, and have already condemned the man who did this
thing as if I were actually present.
5:4 When
you are assembled together in the name of the Lord Jesus, and I am spiritually
present with you, then with the power of our Lord Jesus
5:5 he is to be handed over to
Satan so that his sensual body may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day
of the Lord.
5:6 The
pride that you take in yourselves is hardly to your credit. You must know how
even a small amount of yeast is enough to leaven all the dough,
5:7 so get rid of all the old
yeast, and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread, unleavened as
you are meant to be. Christ, our passover,
has been sacrificed;
5:8 let us celebrate the
feast, then, by getting rid of all the old yeast of evil and wickedness, having
only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.[*b]
5:9 When
I wrote in my letter to you not to associate with people living immoral lives,
5:10 I was not meaning to
include all the people in the world who are sexually immoral, any more than I
meant to include all usurers and swindlers or idol worshippers. To do that, you
would have to withdraw from the world altogether.
5:11 What
I wrote was that you should not associate with a brother Christian who is
leading an immoral life, or is a usurer, or idolatrous, or a slanderer, or a
drunkard, or is dishonest; you should not even eat a meal with people like
that.
5:12 It
is not my business to pass judgement on those outside.
Of those who are inside, you can surely be the judges.
5:13 But of those who are
outside, God is the judge. You must drive out this evil-doer from among you.[*c]
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 6
C. RECOURSE TO THE
PAGAN COURTS
6:1 How dare one of your members
take up a complaint against another in the lawcourts
of the unjust[*a] instead of before the saints?
6:2 As
you know, it is the saints who are to 'judge the world'; and if the world is to
be judged by you, how can you be unfit to judge trifling cases?
6:3 Since
we are also to judge angels, it follows that we can judge matters of everyday
life;
6:4 but when you have had
cases of that kind, the people you appointed to try them were not even
respected in the Church.
6:5 You
should be ashamed: is there really not one reliable man among you to settle
differences between brothers
6:6 and so one brother brings
a court case against another in front of unbelievers?
6:7 It
is bad enough for you to have lawsuits at all against one another: oughtn't you
to let yourselves be wronged, and let yourselves be cheated?
6:8 But you are doing the
wronging and the cheating, and to your own brothers.
6:9 You
know perfectly well that people who do wrong will not inherit the kingdom of
God: people of immoral lives, idolaters, adulterers, catamites, sodomites,
6:10 thieves, usurers,
drunkards, slanderers and swindlers will never inherit the kingdom of God.
6:11 These are the sort of
people some of you were once, but now you have been washed clean, and
sanctified, and justified through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through
the Spirit of our God.
D. FORNICATION
6:12 'For me there are no
forbidden things';[*b] maybe, but not everything does
good. I agree there are no forbidden things for me, but I am not going to let
anything dominate me.
6:13 Food is only meant for
the stomach, and the stomach for food; yes, and God is going to do away with
both of them. But the body - this is not meant for fornication; it is for the
Lord, and the Lord for the body.
6:14 God, who raised the Lord
from the dead, will by his power raise us up too.
6:15 You
know, surely, that your bodies are members making up the body of Christ; do you
think I can take parts of Christ's body and join them to the body of a
prostitute? Never!
6:16 As
you know, a man who goes with a prostitute is one body with her, since the two,
as it is said, become one flesh.
6:17 But anyone who is joined
to the Lord is one spirit with him.
6:18 Keep away from
fornication. All the other sins are committed outside the body; but to
fornicate is to sin against your own body.
6:19 Your
body, you know, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you since you
received him from God. You are not your own property;
6:20 you have been bought and
paid for. That is why you should use your body for the glory of God.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 7
II. ANSWERS TO
VARIOUS QUESTIONS
A. MARRIAGE AND
VIRGINITY
7:1 Now
for the questions about which you wrote. Yes, it is a good thing for a man not
to touch a woman;
7:2 but since sex is always a danger,
let each man have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
7:3 The
husband must give his wife what she has the right to expect, and so too the
wife to the husband.
7:4 The
wife has no rights over her own body; it is the husband who has them. In the
same way, the husband has no rights over his body; the wife has them.
7:5 Do not refuse each other
except by mutual consent, and then only for an agreed time, to leave yourselves
free for prayer; then come together again in case Satan should take advantage
of your weakness to tempt you.
7:6 This
is a suggestion, not a rule:
7:7 I should like everyone to
be like me, but everybody has his own particular gifts from God, one with a
gift for one thing and another with a gift for the opposite.
7:8 There is something I want
to add for the sake of widows and those who are not married: it is a good thing
for them to stay as they are, like me,
7:9 but if they cannot control
the sexual urges, they should get married, since it is better to be married
than to be tortured.
7:10 For
the married I have something to say, and this is not from me but from the Lord:
a wife must not leave her husband -
7:11 or if she does leave him,
she must either remain unmarried or else make it up with her husband - nor must
a husband send his wife away.
7:12 The
rest is from me and not from the Lord. If a brother has a wife who is an
unbeliever, and she is content to live with him, he must not send her away;
7:13 and if a woman has an
unbeliever for her husband, and he is content to live with her, she must not
leave him.
7:14 This
is because the unbelieving husband is made one with the saints through his
wife, and the unbelieving wife is made one with the saints through her husband.
If this were not so, your children would be unclean, whereas in fact they are
holy.
7:15 However,
if the unbelieving partner does not consent, they may separate; in these
circumstances, the brother or sister is not tied: God has called you to a life
of peace.
7:16 If you are a wife, it may
be your part to save your husband, for all you know; if a husband, for all you
know, it may be your part to save your wife.
7:17 For
the rest, what each one has is what the Lord has given him and he should
continue as he was when God's call reached him. This is the ruling that I give
in all the churches.
7:18 If
anyone had already been circumcised at the time of his call, he need not
disguise it, and anyone who was uncircumcised at the time of his call need not
be circumcised;
7:19 because to be circumcised
or uncircumcised means nothing: what does matter is to keep the commandments of
God.
7:20 Let
everyone stay as he was at the time of his call.
7:21 If,
when you were called, you were a slave, do not let this bother you; but if you
should have the chance of being free, accept it.
7:22 A
slave, when he is called in the Lord, becomes the Lord's freedman, and a
freeman called in the Lord becomes Christ's slave.
7:23 You
have all been bought and paid for; do not be slaves of other men.
7:24 Each
one of you, my brothers, should stay as he was before God at the time of his
call.
7:25 About
remaining celibate, I have no directions from the Lord but give my own opinion
as one who, by the Lord's mercy, has stayed faithful.
7:26 Well
then, I believe that in these present times of stress this is right: that it is
good for a man to stay as he is.
7:27 If
you are tied to a wife, do not look for freedom; if you are free of a wife,
then do not look for one.
7:28 But if you
marry, it is no sin, and it is not a sin for a young girl to get married. They will have
their troubles, though, in their married life, and I should like to spare you
that.
7:29 Brothers, this is what I
mean: our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though
they had none,
7:30 and those who mourn
should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying
life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life
is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own;
7:31 and those who have to
deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the
world as we know it is passing away.
7:32 I would like to see you
free from all worry. An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord's affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord;
7:33 but a married man has to
bother about the world's affairs and devote himself to
pleasing his wife:
7:34 he is torn two ways. In
the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the
Lord's affairs; all she need worry about is being holy
in body and spirit. The married woman, on the other hand, has to worry about
the world's affairs and devote herself to pleasing her husband.
7:35 I say this only to help
you, not to put a halter round your necks, but simply to make sure that
everything is as it should be, and that you give your undivided attention to
the Lord.
7:36 Still,
if there is anyone who feels that it would not be fair to his daughter to let
her grow too old for marriage, and that he should do something about it, he is
free to do as he likes: he is not sinning if there is a marriage.
7:37 On the other hand, if
someone has firmly made his mind up, without any compulsion and in complete
freedom of choice, to keep his daughter as she is, he will be doing a good
thing.
7:38 In other words, the man
who sees that his daughter is married has done a good thing but the man who
keeps his daughter unmarried has done something even better.[*a]
7:39 A
wife is tied as long as her husband is alive. But if the husband dies, she is
free to marry anybody she likes, only it must be in
the Lord.
7:40 She
would be happier, in my opinion, if she stayed as she is - and I too have the
Spirit of God, I think.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 8
B. FOOD OFFERED TO
IDOLS
General principles
8:1 Now
about food sacrificed to idols. 'We all have knowledge'; yes, that is so, but
knowledge gives self-importance - it is love that makes the building grow.
8:2 A
man may imagine he understands something, but still not understand anything in
the way that he ought to.
8:3 But
any man who loves God is known by him.
8:4 Well then, about eating
food sacrificed to idols:[*a] we know that idols do
not really exist in the world and that there is no god but the One.
8:5 And even if there were things
called gods, either in the sky or on earth - where there certainly seem to be
'gods' and 'lords' in plenty -
8:6 still for us there is one
God, the Father, from whom all things come and for whom we exist; and there is
one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things come and through whom we exist.
The claims of love
8:7 Some
people, however, do not have this knowledge. There are some who have been so
long used to idols that they eat this food as though it really had been
sacrificed to the idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled by it.
8:8 Food,
of course, cannot bring us in touch with God: we lose nothing if we refuse to
eat, we gain nothing if we eat.
8:9 Only
be careful that you do not make use of this freedom in a way that proves a pitfall
for the weak.
8:10 Suppose someone sees you,
a man who understands, eating in some temple of an idol; his own conscience,
even if it is weak, may encourage him to eat food which has been offered to
idols.
8:11 In
this way your knowledge could become the ruin of someone weak, of a brother for
whom Christ died.
8:12 By
sinning in this way against your brothers, and injuring their weak consciences,
it would be Christ against whom you sinned.
8:13 That
is why, since food can be the occasion of my brother's downfall, I shall never
eat meat again in case I am the cause of a brother's downfall.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 9
Paul invokes his
own example
9:1 I, personally, am free: I am an apostle and I have seen Jesus our Lord. You
are all my work in the Lord.
9:2 Even
if I were not an apostle to others, I should still be an apostle to you who are
the seal of my apostolate in the Lord.
9:3 My
answer to those who want to interrogate me is this:
9:4 Have we not every right to
eat and drink?[*a]
9:5 And the right to take a
Christian woman round with us, like all the other apostles and the brothers of
the Lord and Cephas?
9:6 Are Barnabas and I the only
ones who are not allowed to stop working?
9:7 Nobody ever paid money to
stay in the army, and nobody ever planted a vineyard and refused to eat the
fruit of it. Who had there ever been that kept a flock and did not feed on the
milk from his flock?
9:8 These
may be only human comparisons, but does not the Law itself say the same thing?
9:9 It is written in the Law
of Moses: You must not put a muzzle on the ox when it is treading out the corn.[*b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned,
9:10 or is there not an
obvious reference to ourselves? Clearly this was written for our sake to show
that the ploughman ought to plough in expectation, and the thresher to thresh
in the expectation of getting his share.
9:11 If
we have sown spiritual things for you, why should you be surprised if we
harvest your material things?
9:12 Others
are allowed these rights over you and our right is surely greater? In fact we
have never exercised this right. On the contrary we have put up with anything
rather than obstruct the Good News of Christ in any way.
9:13 Remember
that the ministers serving in the Temple get their food from the Temple and
those serving at the altar can claim their share from the altar itself.
9:14 In
the same sort of way the Lord directed that those who preach the gospel should
get their living from the gospel.
9:15 However, I have not
exercised any of these rights, and I am not writing all this to secure this
treatment for myself. I would rather die than let anyone take away something
that I can boast of.
9:16 Not that I do boast of
preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be
punished if I did not preach it!
9:17 If
I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have
not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands.
9:18 Do you know what my
reward is? It is this in my preaching, to be able to offer the Good News free,
and not insist on the rights which the gospel gives me.
9:19 So
though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so
as to win as many as I could.
9:20 I made myself a Jew to the
Jews, to win the Jews; that is, I who am not a subject of the Law made myself a
subject of the Law to those who are the subjects of the Law, to win those who
are subject to the Law.
9:21 To
those who have no Law, I was free of the Law myself (though not free from God's
law, being under the law of Christ) to win those who have no Law.
9:22 For
the weak I made myself weak. I made myself all things to all men in order to
save some at any cost;
9:23 and I still do this, for
the sake of the gospel, to have a share in its blessings.
9:24 All
the runners at the stadium are trying to win, but only one of them gets the
prize. You must run in the same way, meaning to win.
9:25 All the fighters at the
games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will
wither away, but we do it for a wreath that will never wither.
9:26 That
is how I run, intent on winning; that is how I fight, not beating the air.
9:27 I treat my body hard and
make it obey me, for, having been an announcer myself, I should not want to be
disqualified.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 10
A warning, and the lessons of Israel's history
10:1 I want to remind you,
brothers, how our fathers were all guided by a cloud above them and how they
all passed through the sea.
10:2 They
were all baptised into Moses in this cloud and in
this sea;
10:3 all ate the same
spiritual food
10:4 and all drank the same
spiritual drink, since they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed
them as they went, and that rock was Christ.
10:5 In spite of this, most of
them failed to please God and their corpses littered the desert.
10:6 These things all happened
as warnings[*a] for us, not to have the wicked lusts
for forbidden things that they had.
10:7 Do not become idolaters
as some of them did, for scripture says: After sitting down to eat and drink,
the people got up to amuse themselves.[*b]
10:8 We
must never fall into sexual immorality: some of them did, and twenty-three
thousand met their downfall in one day.
10:9 We
are not to put the Lord to the test: some of them did, and they were killed by
snakes.
10:10 You
must never complain: some of them did, and they were killed by the Destroyer.
10:11 All
this happened to them as a warning, and it was written down to be a lesson for
us who are living at the end of the age.
10:12 The
man who thinks he is safe must be careful that he does not fall.
10:13 The
trials that you have had to bear are no more than people normally have. You can
trust God not to let you be tried beyond your strength, and with any trial he
will give you a way out of it and the strength to bear it.
Sacrificial feasts.
No compromise with idolatry
10:14 This
is the reason, my dear brothers, why you must keep clear of idolatry.
10:15 I say to you as sensible
people: judge for yourselves what I am saying.
10:16 The
blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the
bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ.
10:17 The
fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we
form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.
10:18 Look at the other
Israel, the race, where those who eat the sacrifices are in communion with the
altar.
10:19 Does
this mean that the food sacrificed to idols has a real value, or that the idol
itself is real?
10:20 Not
at all. It simply means that the sacrifices that they offer they sacrifice to
demons who are not God.[*c] I have no desire to see
you in communion with demons.
10:21 You
cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take your
share at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons.
10:22 Do we want to make the
Lord angry; are we stronger than he is?
Food sacrificed to
idols. Practical solutions
10:23 'For me there are no forbidden
things', but not everything does good. True, there are
no forbidden things, but it is not everything that helps the building to grow.
10:24 Nobody
should be looking for his own advantage, but everybody for the other man's.
10:25 Do
not hesitate to eat anything that is sold in butchers' shops: there is no need
to raise questions of conscience;
10:26 for the earth and
everything that is in it belong to the Lord.[*d]
10:27 If
an unbeliever invites you to his house, go if you want to, and eat whatever is
put in front of you, without asking questions just to satisfy conscience.
10:28 But
if someone says to you, 'This food was offered in sacrifice', then, out of
consideration for the man that told you, you should not eat it, for the sake of
his scruples;
10:29 his scruples, you see,
not your own. Why should my freedom depend on somebody else's conscience?
10:30 If
I take my share with thankfulness, why should I be blamed for food for which I
have thanked God?
Conclusion
10:31 Whatever
you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of
God.
10:32 Never
do anything offensive to anyone - to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God;
10:33 just as I try to be
helpful to everyone at all times, not anxious for my own advantage but for the
advantage of everybody else, so that they may be saved.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 11
11:1 Take
me for your model, as I take Christ.
C. DECORUM IN
PUBLIC WORSHIP
Women's behaviour at services
11:2 You
have done well in remembering me so constantly and in maintaining the
traditions just as I passed them on to you.
11:3 However, what I want you
to understand is that Christ is the head of every man, man is the head of
woman, and God is the head of Christ.
11:4 For a man to pray or prophesy
with his head covered is a sign of disrespect to his head.[*a]
11:5 For a woman, however, it
is a sign of disrespect to her head[*b] if she prays
or prophesies unveiled; she might as well have her hair shaved off.
11:6 In fact, a woman who will
not wear a veil ought to have her hair cut off. If a woman is ashamed to have
her hair cut off or shaved, she ought to wear a veil.
11:7 A
man should certainly not cover his head, since he is the image of God and
reflects God's glory; but woman is the reflection of man's glory.
11:8 For
man did not come from woman; no, woman came from man;
11:9 and man was not created
for the sake of woman, but woman was created for the sake of man.
11:10 That is the argument for
women's covering their heads with a symbol of the authority over them, out of
respect for the angels[*c].
11:11 However,
though woman cannot do without man, neither can man do without woman, in the
Lord;
11:12 woman may come from man,
but man is born of woman - both come from God.
11:13 Ask
yourselves if it is fitting for a woman to pray to God without a veil;
11:14 and whether nature
itself does not tell you that long hair on a man is nothing to be admired,
11:15 while a woman, who was
given her hair as a covering, thinks long hair her glory?
11:16 To
anyone who might still want to argue: it is not the custom with us, nor in the
churches of God.
The Lord's Supper
11:17 Now that I am on the
subject of instructions, I cannot say that you have done well in holding
meetings that do you more harm than good.
11:18 In the first place, I
hear that when you all come together as a community, there are separate
factions among you, and I half believe it -
11:19 since there must no
doubt be separate groups among you, to distinguish those who are to be trusted.
11:20 The point is, when you
hold these meetings, it is not the Lord's Supper[*d]
that you are eating,
11:21 since when the time
comes to eat, everyone is in such a hurry to start his own supper that one
person goes hungry while another is getting drunk.
11:22 Surely
you have homes for eating and drinking in? Surely you have enough respect for
the community of God not to make poor people embarrassed? What am I to say to
you? Congratulate you? I cannot congratulate you on this.
11:23 For
this is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on
the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread,
11:24 and thanked God for it
and broke it, and he said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this as a
memorial of me'.
11:25 In
the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, 'This cup is the new
covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.'
11:26 Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink
this cup, you are proclaiming his death,
11:27 and so anyone who eats
the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be behaving unworthily
towards the body and blood of the Lord.
11:28 Everyone
is to recollect himself before eating this bread and drinking this cup;
11:29 because a
person who eats and drinks without recognising the
Body is eating and drinking his own condemnation.
11:30 In
fact that is why many of you are weak and ill and some of you have died.
11:31 If only we recollected
ourselves, we should not be punished like that.
11:32 But when the Lord does
punish us like that, it is to correct us and stop us from being condemned with
the world.
11:33 So
to sum up, my dear brothers, when you meet for the Meal, wait for one another.
11:34 Anyone
who is hungry should eat at home, and then your meeting will not bring your
condemnation. The other matters I shall adjust when I come.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 12
Spiritual gifts
12:1 Now
my dear brothers, I want to clear up a wrong impression about spiritual gifts.
12:2 You
remember that, when you were pagans, whenever you felt irresistibly drawn, it
was towards dumb idols?
12:3 It is for that reason
that I want you to understand that on the one hand no one can be speaking under
the influence of the Holy Spirit and say, 'Curse Jesus', and on the other hand,
no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord' unless he is under the influence of the Holy
Spirit.
The variety and the
unity of gifts
12:4 There
is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit;
12:5 there are all sorts of
service to be done, but always to the same Lord;
12:6 working in all sorts of
different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of
them.
12:7 The
particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good
purpose.
12:8 One may have the gift of
preaching with wisdom given him by the Spirit; another may have the gift of
preaching instruction given him by the same Spirit;
12:9 and another the gift of
faith given by the same Spirit; another again the gift of healing, through this
one Spirit;
12:10 one, the power of
miracles; another, prophecy; another the gift of recognising spirits; another the gift of tongues and
another the ability to interpret them.
12:11 All
these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who distributes different gifts
to different people just as he chooses.
The analogy of the
body
12:12 Just as a human body,
though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts,
though many, make one body, so it is with Christ.
12:13 In
the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as
Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to
drink.
12:14 Nor
is the body to be identified with any one of its many parts.
12:15 If
the foot were to say, 'I am not a hand and so I do not belong to the body',
would that mean that it stopped being part of the body?
12:16 If
the ear were to say, 'I am not an eye, and so I do not belong to the body',
would that mean that it was not a part of the body?
12:17 If
your whole body was just one eye, how would you hear anything? If it was just
one ear, how would you smell anything?
12:18 Instead of that, God put
all the separate parts into the body on purpose.
12:19 If
all the parts were the same, how could it be a body?
12:20 As
it is, the parts are many but the body is one.
12:21 The
eye cannot say to the hand, 'I do not need you', nor can the head say to the
feet, 'I do not need you'.
12:22 What is more, it is
precisely the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest which are the
indispensable ones;
12:23 and it is the least honourable parts of the body that we clothe with the
greatest care. So our more improper parts get decorated
12:24 in a way that our more
proper parts do not need. God has arranged the body so that more dignity is
given to the parts which are without it,
12:25 and that there may not
be disagreements inside the body, but that each part may be equally concerned
for all the others.
12:26 If one part is hurt, all
parts are hurt with it. If one part is given special honour,
all parts enjoy it.
12:27 Now you together are
Christ's body; but each of you is a different part of it.
12:28 In the Church, God has
given the first place to apostles, the second to prophets, the third to
teachers; after them, miracles, and after them the gift of healing; helpers,
good leaders, those with many languages.
12:29 Are
all of them apostles, or all of them prophets, or all of them teachers? Do they
all have the gift of miracles,
12:30 or all have the gift of
healing? Do all speak strange languages, and all interpret them?
The
order of importance in spiritual gifts. Love
12:31 Be
ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better
than any of them.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 13
13:1 If I have all the
eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong
booming or a cymbal clashing.
13:2 If I have the gift of
prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything,
and if I have faith in all its fulness, to move
mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all.
13:3 If I give away all that I
possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am
without love, it will do me no good whatever.
13:4 Love
is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or
conceited;
13:5 it is never rude or
selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful.
13:6 Love
takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth;
13:7 it is always ready to
excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever
comes.
13:8 Love
does not come to an end. But if there are gifts of prophecy, the time will come
when they must fail; or the gift of languages, it will not continue for ever;
and knowledge - for this, too, the time will come when it must fail.
13:9 For
our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect;
13:10 but once perfection
comes, all imperfect things will disappear.
13:11 When I was a child, I
used to talk like a child, and think like a child, and argue like a child, but
now I am a man, all childish ways are put behind me.
13:12 Now we are seeing a dim
reflection in a mirror; but then we shall be seeing face to face. The knowledge
that I have now is imperfect; but then I shall know as fully as I am known.
13:13 In
short, there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest
of these is love.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 14
Spiritual gifts:
their respective importance in the community
14:1 You
must want love more than anything else; but still hope for the spiritual gifts
as well, especially prophecy.
14:2 Anybody with the gift of
tongues speaks to God, but not to other people; because nobody understands him
when he talks in the spirit about mysterious things.
14:3 On the other hand, the
man who prophesies does talk to other people, to their improvement, their
encouragement and their consolation.
14:4 The
one with the gift of tongues talks for his own benefit, but the man who
prophesies does so for the benefit of the community.
14:5 While I should like you
all to have the gift of tongues, I would much rather you could prophesy, since
the man who prophesies is of greater importance than the man with the gift of
tongues, unless of course the latter offers an interpretation so that the
church may get some benefit.
14:6 Now suppose, my dear
brothers, I am someone with the gift of tongues, and I come to visit you, what
use shall I be if all my talking reveals nothing new, tells you nothing, and
neither inspires you nor instructs you?
14:7 Think of a musical
instrument, a flute or a harp: if one note on it cannot be distinguished from
another, how can you tell what tune is being played?
14:8 Or if no one can be sure
which call the trumpet has sounded, who will be ready for the attack?
14:9 It
is the same with you: if your tongue does not produce intelligible speech, how
can anyone know what you are saying? You will be talking to the air.
14:10 There
are any number of different languages in the world, and not one of them is
meaningless,
14:11 but if I am ignorant of
what the sounds mean, I am a savage to the man who is speaking, and he is a
savage to me.
14:12 It
is the same in your own case: since you aspire to spiritual gifts, concentrate
on those which will grow to benefit the community.
14:13 That
is why anybody who has the gift of tongues must pray for the power of
interpreting them.
14:14 For
if I use this gift in my prayers, my spirit may be praying but my mind is left
barren.
14:15 What
is the answer to that? Surely I should pray not only with the spirit but with
the mind as well? And sing praises not only with the spirit but with the mind
as well?
14:16 Any
uninitiated person will never be able to say Amen to your thanksgiving, if you
only bless God with the spirit, for he will have no idea what you are saying.
14:17 However
well you make your thanksgiving, the other gets no benefit from it.
14:18 I thank God that I have
a greater gift of tongues than all of you,
14:19 but when I am in the
presence of the community I would rather say five words that mean something
than ten thousand words in a tongue.
14:20 Brothers, you are not to
be childish in your outlook. You can be babies as far as wickedness is
concerned, but mentally you must be adult.
14:21 In the written Law it
says: Through men speaking strange languages and through the lips of
foreigners, I shall talk to the nation, and still they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.[*a]
14:22 You
see then, that the strange languages are meant to be a sign not for believers
but for unbelievers, while on the other hand, prophecy is a sign not for
unbelievers but for believers.
14:23 So that any uninitiated
people or unbelievers, coming into a meeting of the whole church where
everybody was speaking in tongues, would say you were all mad;
14:24 but if you were all
prophesying and an unbeliever or uninitiated person came in, he would find
himself analysed and judged by everyone speaking;
14:25 he would find his secret
thoughts laid bare, and then fall on his face and worship God, declaring that
God is among you indeed.[*b]
Regulating
spiritual gifts
14:26 So,
my dear brothers, what conclusion is to be drawn? At all your meetings, let
everyone be ready with a psalm or a sermon or a revelation, or ready to use his
gift of tongues or to give an interpretation; but it must always be for the
common good.
14:27 If there are people
present with the gift of tongues, let only two or three, at the most, be
allowed to use it, and only one at a time, and there must be someone to
interpret.
14:28 If
there is no interpreter present, they must keep quiet in church and speak only
to themselves and to God.
14:29 As
for prophets, let two or three of them speak, and the others attend to them.
14:30 If
one of the listeners receives a revelation, then the man who is already
speaking should stop.
14:31 For
you can all prophesy in turn, so that everybody will learn something and
everybody will be encouraged.
14:32 Prophets can always
control their prophetic spirits,
14:33 since God is not a God
of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,
14:34 women are to remain
quiet at meetings since they have no permission to speak; they must keep in the
background as the Law itself lays it down.
14:35 If
they have any questions to ask, they should ask their husbands at home: it does
not seem right for a woman to raise her voice at meetings.
14:36 Do you think the word of
God came out of yourselves? Or that it has come only to you?
14:37 Anyone
who claims to be a prophet or inspired ought to recognise
that what I am writing to you is a command from the Lord.
14:38 Unless
he recognises this, you should not recognise him.
14:39 And so, my dear
brothers, by all means be ambitious to prophesy, do not suppress the gift of
tongues,
14:40 but let everything be
done with propriety and in order.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 15
III. THE
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
The fact of the
resurrection
15:1 Brothers, I want to
remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in
which you are firmly established;
15:2 because the gospel will
save you only if you keep believing exactly what I
preached to you - believing anything else will not lead to anything.
15:3 Well
then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely
that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures;
15:4 that he was buried; and
that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures;
15:5 that he
appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve.
15:6 Next he appeared to more
than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still
alive, though some have died;
15:7 then he appeared to
James, and then to all the apostles;
15:8 and last of all he
appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.
15:9 I
am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I
hardly deserve the name apostle;
15:10 but by God's
grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary,
I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of
the others;
15:11 but what matters is that
I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.
15:12 Now
if Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you
be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead?
15:13 If
there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised,
15:14 and if Christ has not
been raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless;
15:15 indeed, we are shown up
as witnesses who have committed perjury before God, because we swore in
evidence before God that he had raised Christ to life.
15:16 For
if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised,
15:17 and if Christ has not
been raised, you are still in your sins.
15:18 And
what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished.
15:19 If our hope in Christ
has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people.
15:20 But Christ has in fact
been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.
15:21 Death came through one
man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man.
15:22 Just
as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ;
15:23 but all of them in their
proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ,
those who belong to him.
15:24 After
that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,
having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power.
15:25 For he must be king
until he has put all his enemies under his feet[*a]
15:26 and the last of the
enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet.
15:27 - Though when it is said
that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected
everything to him.
15:28 And when everything is
subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One
who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.
15:29 If
this were not true, what do people hope to gain by being baptised
for the dead? If the dead are not ever going to be raised, why be baptised on their behalf?
15:30 What
about ourselves? Why are we living under a constant threat?
15:31 I face death every day,
brothers, and I can swear it by the pride that I take in you in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
15:32 If my motives were only
human ones, what good would it do me to fight the wild animals at Ephesus?
15:33 You say: Let us eat and
drink today; tomorrow we shall be dead.[*b] You must
stop being led astray: 'Bad friends ruin the noblest people'.[*c]
15:34 Come to your senses, behave
properly, and leave sin alone; there are some of you who seem not to know God
at all; you should be ashamed.
The manner of the
resurrection
15:35 Someone
may ask, 'How are dead people raised, and what sort of body do they have when
they come back?'
15:36 They
are stupid questions. Whatever you sow in the ground has to die before it is
given new life
15:37 and the thing that you
sow is not what is going to come; you sow a bare grain, say of wheat or
something like that,
15:38 and then God gives it the
sort of body that he has chosen: each sort of seed gets its own sort of body.
15:39 Everything
that is flesh is not the same flesh: there is human flesh, animals' flesh, the
flesh of birds and the flesh of fish.
15:40 Then
there are heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the heavenly bodies
have a beauty of their own and the earthly bodies a different one.
15:41 The
sun has its brightness, the moon a different brightness, and the stars a
different brightness, and the stars differ from each other in brightness.
15:42 It
is the same with the resurrection of the dead: the thing that is sown is
perishable but what is raised is imperishable;
15:43 the thing that is sown
is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; the thing that is sown is weak
but what is raised is powerful;
15:44 when it is sown it
embodies the soul, when it is raised it embodies the spirit. If the soul has
its own embodiment, so does the spirit have its own embodiment.
15:45 The
first man, Adam, as scripture says, became a living soul; but the last Adam has
become a life-giving spirit.
15:46 That
is, first the one with the soul, not the spirit, and after that, the one with
the spirit.
15:47 The
first man, being from the earth, is earthly by nature; the second man is from
heaven.
15:48 As
this earthly man was, so are we on earth; and as the heavenly man is, so are we
in heaven.
15:49 And
we, who have been modelled on the earthly man, will
be modelled on the heavenly man.
15:50 Or else, brothers, put
it this way: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: and the
perishable cannot inherit what lasts for ever.
15:51 I will tell you
something that has been secret: that we are not all going to die, but we shall
all be changed.
15:52 This
will be instantaneous, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet
sounds. It will sound, and the dead will be raised, imperishable, and we shall
be changed as well,
15:53 because our present
perishable nature must put on imperishability and this mortal nature must put
on immortality.
A hymn
of triumph. Conclusion
15:54 When
this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature
has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is
swallowed up in victory.
15:55 Death, where is your
victory? Death, where is your sting?[*d] .
15:56 Now
the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law.
15:57 So
let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
15:58 Never
give in then, my dear brothers, never admit defeat; keep on working at the
Lord's work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be labouring in vain.
JB 1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 16
CONCLUSION
Commendations.
Greetings
16:1 Now
about the collection made for the saints: you are to do as I told the churches
in Galatia to do.
16:2 Every Sunday, each one of
you must put aside what he can afford, so that collections need not be made
after I have come.
16:3 When
I am with you, I will send your offering to Jerusalem by the hand of whatever
men you give letters of reference to;
16:4 If
it seems worth while for me to go too, they can travel with me.
16:5 I shall be coming to you
after I have passed through Macedonia - and I am doing no more than pass
through Macedonia -
16:6 and I may be staying with
you, perhaps even passing the winter, to make sure
that it is you who send me on my way wherever my travels take me.
16:7 As
you see, I do not want to make it only a passing visit to you and I hope to
spend some time with you, the Lord permitting.
16:8 In any case I shall be
staying at Ephesus until Pentecost
16:9 because a big and
important door has opened for my work and there is a great deal of opposition.
16:10 If
Timothy comes, show him that he has nothing to be afraid of in you: like me, he
is doing the Lord's work,
16:11 and nobody is to be
scornful of him. Send him happily on his way to come back to me; the brothers
and I are waiting for him.
16:12 As
for our brother Apollos, I begged him to come to you
with the brothers but he was quite firm that he did not want to go yet and he
will come as soon as he can.
16:13 Be
awake to all the dangers; stay firm in the faith; be brave and be strong.
16:14 Let
everything you do be done in love.
16:15 There
is something else to ask you, brothers. You know how the Stephanas
family, who were the first-fruits of Achaia, have
really worked hard to help the saints.
16:16 Well, I want you in your
turn to put yourselves at the service of people like this, and anyone who helps
and works with them.
16:17 I am delighted that Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus have arrived; they make up for your absence.
16:18 They
have settled my mind, and yours too; I hope you appreciate men like this.
16:19 All
the churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca,
with the church that meets at their house, send you their warmest wishes, in
the Lord.
16:20 All
the brothers send you their greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
16:21 This
greeting is in my own hand - Paul.
16:22 If
anyone does not love the Lord, a curse on him. 'Maran atha.'[*a]
16:23 The
grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
16:24 My
love is with you all in Christ Jesus.
END OF JB
1 CORINTHIANS [16 Chapters].