Study Desk

Also, give greetings to the church that meets in their house. Give greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus. He was the first person to follow Christ in Asia.

Gaius is letting me and the whole church here use his home. He sends his greetings to you. Erastus and our brother Quartus also send their greetings. Erastus is the city treasurer here.

To God's church in Corinth, you who have been made holy because you belong to Christ Jesus. You were chosen to be God's holy people together with all people everywhere who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.

That is why I am sending Timothy to you. He is my son in the Lord. I love him and trust him. He will help you remember the way I live in Christ Jesus—a way of life that I teach in every meeting of the church wherever I am.

So if you have such matters to be judged, why do you take them to those who are not part of the church? They mean nothing to you.

Now I will write about meat that is sacrificed to idols. It is certainly true that "we all have knowledge," as you say. But this knowledge only fills people with pride. It is love that helps the church grow stronger.

Never do anything that might make other people do wrong—Jews, non-Jews, or anyone in God's church.

First, I hear that when you meet together as a church you are divided. And this is not hard to believe

You can eat and drink in your own homes. It seems that you think God's church is not important. You embarrass those who are poor. What can I say? Should I praise you? No, I cannot praise you for this.

And in the church God has given a place first to apostles, second to prophets, and third to teachers. Then God has given a place to those who do miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to lead, and those who can speak in different kinds of languages.

Those who speak in a different language are helping only themselves. But those who prophesy are helping the whole church.

I would like all of you to have the gift of speaking in different languages. But what I want more is for you to prophesy. Anyone who prophesies is more important than those who can only speak in different languages. However, if they can also interpret those languages, they are as important as the one who prophesies. If they can interpret, then the church can be helped by what they say.

That's why you who want spiritual gifts so much should prefer those gifts that help the church grow stronger.

But in the church meetings I would rather speak five words that I understand than thousands of words in a different language. I would rather speak with my understanding, so that I can teach others.

Suppose the whole church meets together and you all speak in different languages. If some people come in who are without understanding or don't believe, they will say you are crazy.

But if there is no interpreter, then anyone who speaks in a different language should be quiet in the church meeting. They should speak only to themselves and to God.

The women should keep quiet in these church meetings. They are not allowed to speak out but should be under authority, as the Law of Moses says.

If there is something they want to know, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak up like that in the church meeting.

All the other apostles are greater than I am. I say this because I persecuted the church of God. That is why I am not even good enough to be called an apostle.

The churches in Asia send you their greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you in the Lord. Also the church that meets in their house sends greetings.