Study Desk

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.

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

Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.

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:

For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

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

Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church!

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—

In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.

Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

I would like every one of you to 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.

So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible 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 do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

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

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.