Study Desk

But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,

and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.

I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.

But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well.

So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

But the one who loves God is known by God.

So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.

But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

If others have this right to your support, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than for anyone to nullify my boast.

If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.

To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.