Study Desk

Like an expert builder I built the foundation of that house. I used the gift that God gave me to do this. Other people are building on that foundation. But everyone should be careful how they build.

But the work that each person does will be clearly seen, because the Day will make it plain. That Day will appear with fire, and the fire will test everyone's work.

But if their building is burned up, they will suffer loss. They will be saved, but it will be like someone escaping from a fire.

But I don't consider your judgment on this point to be worth anything. Even an opinion from a court of law would mean nothing. I don't even trust my own judgment.

I don't know of any wrong I have done, but that does not make me right. The Lord is the one who must decide if I have done well or not.

But it seems to me that God has given me and the other apostles the last place. We are like prisoners condemned to die, led in a parade for the whole world to see—not just people but angels too.

We are fools for Christ, but you think you are so wise in Christ. We are weak, but you think you are so strong. People give you honor, but they don't honor us.

When people say bad things about us, we try to say something that will help them. But people still treat us like the world's garbage—everyone's trash.

I am not trying to make you feel ashamed, but I am writing this to counsel you as my own dear children.

You may have ten thousand teachers in Christ, but you don't have many fathers. Through the Good News I became your father in Christ Jesus.

But I will come to you very soon, the Lord willing. Then I will see if these proud talkers have the power to do anything more than talk.

God's kingdom is not seen in talk but in power.

I cannot be there with you in person, but I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did this. I judged him the same as I would if I were really there.

So let us eat our Passover meal, but not with the bread that has the old yeast, the yeast of sin and wrongdoing. But let us eat the bread that has no yeast. This is the bread of goodness and truth.

But I did not mean the people of this world. You would have to leave the world to get away from all the people who sin sexually, or who are greedy and cheat each other, or who worship idols.

I meant you must not associate with people who claim to be believers but continue to live in sin. Don't even eat with a brother or sister who sins sexually, is greedy, worships idols, abuses others with insults, gets drunk, or cheats people.

It is not my business to judge those who are not part of the group of believers. God will judge them, but you must judge those who are part of your group. The Scriptures say, "Make the evil person leave your group."

But now one believer goes to court against another, and you let people who are not believers judge their case!

But you are the ones doing wrong and cheating. And you do this to your own brothers and sisters in Christ!

In the past some of you were like that. But you were washed clean, you were made holy, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.