BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
1 Corinthians
16 chapters
In a Corinthian church torn by division, sin, and confusion, Paul centers everything on Christ and Him crucified, rebuilding the community's unity, holiness, and love.
1 Corinthians
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Why this book was written
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church from Ephesus during his third missionary journey. Reports and a letter from Corinth had revealed factions, moral disorders, misuse of the Lord's Supper, confusion over spiritual gifts, and doubts about the resurrection. His aim was to correct error, answer their questions, restore a Christ-centered unity, and strengthen the believers' faith and hope.
Structure
- 1–4The Cross and the Unity of the Church
- 5–7Holiness of Life and the Sanctification of Marriage
- 8–11Freedom, Love, and the Christian Conscience
- 12–14Spiritual Gifts and Love
- 15–16The Certainty of the Resurrection and Practical Exhortations
Major themes
Unity and Division in the Church
Paul exhorts the Corinthian church against factions and insists that everything be done for the edification of the church (1 Cor 1:10-17; 3:1-9; 12:12-27).
The Wisdom and Foolishness of the Cross
The message of the cross is foolishness to those perishing but the power of God to those being saved; God's weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Cor 1:18-25; 2:1-5).
Holiness and Spiritual Gifts
Believers' bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, to be kept holy and free from sexual immorality; spiritual gifts are given for building up the body (1 Cor 6:12-20; 12:1–14:40).
Love as the Supreme Way
Chapter 13 presents love as surpassing all gifts and knowledge, an everlasting way that never ends (1 Cor 13:1-13).
The Hope of Resurrection
If Christ has not been raised, faith is futile; but believers will be raised with Christ into glorified bodies (1 Cor 15:1-58).
Gospel and Daily Ethical Order
Paul addresses marriage, food, worship, money, and the Lord's Day gathering, doing all things for the glory of God (1 Cor 7:1-40; 10:23–11:34; 16:1-4).
How it points to Christ
1 Corinthians exalts Christ and Him crucified (1:23; 2:2), presenting Jesus as God's power and wisdom. He is the Passover lamb sacrificed for us (5:7), the firstfruits of the resurrection (15:20-23), and through His Spirit He indwells the church as His body and temple (3:16; 6:19), uniting believers to Himself and to one another.
Key verses
- 1:18The message of the cross is the power of God, overturning all human reliance on wisdom and strength.
- 6:19–20Believers' bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, calling them to glorify God in holiness.
- 10:31Whatever we do, do all to the glory of God—the supreme principle of the Christian life.
- 13:13Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
- 15:3–4Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised the third day—the heart of the gospel.
- 15:58Because of the resurrection, believers are urged to be steadfast, immovable, and abounding in the work of the Lord.
- 3:11No other foundation can be laid than Jesus Christ already laid.
- 12:27The church is the body of Christ, with believers as its members, revealing the truth of unity.
Reflections on 1 Corinthians
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·When I am tempted to elevate certain leaders or gifts above others, how do I return to the simplicity of the cross and the fact that Christ alone is the foundation?
- ·Chapter 13 describes love as patient and all-trusting—does my love still carry pride and self-righteousness?
- ·If Christ truly rose from the dead, how does this change the way I face suffering, death, and daily pressures?
- ·Is my body treated as a temple of the Holy Spirit—what areas of speech, desire, or habit need repentance?
- ·In exercising spiritual gifts, am I seeking self-display or the edification of the church and the manifestation of Christ's body?
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Chapter 10
1For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3and did all eat the same spiritual food;
4and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.
5Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.
10Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
11Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.
14Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ?
17seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we are all partake of the one bread.
18Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?
19What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons.
21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.
22Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify.
24Let no man seek his own, but each his neighbor's good.
25Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake,
26for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27If one of them that believe not biddeth you to a feast, and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
28But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake:
29conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32Give no occasions of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God:
33even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.
