Study Desk

Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

Gaius, who has hosted me and all the church, sends you greetings. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you greetings, as does our brother Quartus.

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

So if you need to settle everyday matters, do you appoint as judges those of no standing in the church?

Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God,

First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

Don't you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No I will not!

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.

But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.

But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.

If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.

For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.