Study Desk

I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.

But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God's Spirit when I say this.

But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

For if others see you—with your "superior knowledge"—eating in the temple of an idol, won't they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?

So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.

So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don't want to cause another believer to stumble.

What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn't have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn't allowed to drink some of the milk?

For the law of Moses says, "You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain." Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this?

Wasn't he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.

Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't preach the Good News!

If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.

When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.

All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.

These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.

You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true.

You say, "I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is beneficial.

Don't be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

For "the earth is the Lord 's, and everything in it."

If someone who isn't a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.