that the time with regard to what remaineth, is shortened, so that they who have wives should be as if they had them not; 30 and they who weep, as if they wept not; and they who re31 joice, as if they rejoiced not; and they who buy, as not pos sessing; and they who use this world, as not using it immo32 derately. For the scenery of this world is shifting; and I wish 33 you to be free from anxious cares. He who is unmarried careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord; 34 but he who is married careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. There is the like difference between the wife and the virgin. The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but she who is married careth for the things of the world, 35 how she may please her husband. Now this I say for your own benefit, not with a view to lay a snare for you; but for that which is becoming and best adapted to a steady, uninterrupted 36 adherence to the Lord. But if any man thinketh that he bringeth reproach* on his virgin; if she be past the prime, this then should bet the rule, What she willeth, let him do, he doth not 37 sin; let them marry: but whoever hath come to a fixed determination in his heart, using no constraint, but hath power with respect to his own will and hath determined in his heart 38 to keep his virgin, he doth well. So that he who giveth in marriage doth well, but he who giveth not in marriage doth better. 39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die; she is at liberty to marry whom she will-only in the Lord. But she is happier, if she continue as she is. This is my opinion, and I think I have a spirit of God. VIII. Now with regard to the things offered to idols, we 2 know that we all have knowledge." (This knowledge puffeth up; but love edifieth. If then any one thinketh that he know3 eth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. *See Esaias 4. 1. Literally, thus it ought to be. What is here in italics I take to be the reasoning of those who set themselves up in opposition to the apostle. But if any one loveth God by him he is acknowledged.) 4 Therefore in respect to the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world: and that there is no other 5 God but one. For though there are nominal gods both in heaven 6 and on earth, as there are many gods and many lords; yet to us there is but one God, the father of all, of whom are all things and we for him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by him." But all have not this knowledge; and some, with the consciousness of regard for the idol, even to this 7 time eat meat as sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience be8 ing weak is defiled. Now food doth not recommend us to God. For if we eat we are not the better; nor are we the worse if we 9 do not eat. But take heed that this liberty of yours do not 10 prove a stumbling block to the weak. For if one seeth thee who hast knowledge seated at table in an idol temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat the 11 idol sacrifice? And shall the weak brother, for whom Christ 12 died, be destroyed for thy knowledge? When you sin thus 13 against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, you IX. sin against Christ. Wherefore if meat cause my brother to stumble, I will never eat flesh that I may not cause my brother to stumble. Am not I an apostle? Am not I free? Have not I seen 2 Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, yet surely I am to you. For your being in the Lord is the seal of my apostleship. My answer 3 to them who examine me is this-Have we not a power to 4 eat and drink? Have we not a power to take along with us a 5 sister-wife as well as the other apostles, and the brethren of 6 the Lord, and Cephas? Or are I only and Barnabas excluded 7 from the privilege of not working? Who goeth to war any time at his own expenses? Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth a flock and doth not 8 eat of the milk of that flock? Do I say these things according 9 to the custom of human affairs? Doth not the law say the same? For in the law of Moses it is written, "Thou shalt not muz *What is in italics I take to be the apology made by some Corinthian teacher for eating things offered to idols. 10 zle an ox treading out corn."* Is God solicitous for oxen? Or doth he not unquestionably say this for our sake? For us indeed it was written, because he who plougheth ought to plough in hope; and he who thresheth in hope ought to par 11 take of his hope. If we have sown for you spiritual things is 12 it a great matter if we reap your carnal things? If others exer cise this power over you, may not we rather? But we have not made use of this power; but endure all things that we 13 may not give any obstruction to the glad tidings of the Christ. Do you not know that they who prepare the sacrifice eat of 14 the sacrifice? They who attend on the altar partake with the 15 altar. So also the Lord hath ordered for them who proclaim the glad tidings, that they should live by the glad tidings. But as for me I have not made use of any of these privileges; nor have I written these things that they should be a rule for me. For it were better for me to die than that any should de16 prive me of what is my boast. For though I publish the glad tidings I have no cause of boasting; for I am under an obli 17 gation and woe is for me if I do not publish the glad tidings; 18 for if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will I have been intrusted with an office, what then is the reward for me? In this case, when proclaiming the glad tidings I will make the glad tidings of the Christ so far unexpensive, as not to use to the utmost the privilege which I have by the 19 glad tidings. For being free from all men, I have made myself 20 a slave to all that I may gain the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews: to them under law, as if 21 I were under law, that I might gain those under law: to them without law, as if I were without law (not as without law to God, but under a law to Christ) that I might gain those with22 out law: To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak-to all those I have become all this that I may save 23 all. And this I do in consequence of the glad tidings that I 24 may be a joint sharer thereof. Do you not know that they who run a race, all run; but * Deut. 25. 4. That I may save all is the reading of sundry ancient and approved manuscripts, and of the Syriac and vulgate translations. 25 one only receiveth the prize? In this manner run ye, that you may obtain. Now, every one who is to contend in the public games is temperate in all things. They indeed do this that they may obtain a corruptible crown. But we, [to ob26 tain] one that is incorruptible. For my part, therefore, I run in this manner, not as if I were running unseen: I fight, not as 27 if I were beating the air; but I buffet my body and subdue it, lest having proclaimed the glad tidings to others I myself should be disapproved. Moreover, I would not, brethren,. have you ignorant that our fathers were all under the cloud, and 2 that they all passed through the sea, and were all baptized to 3 Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spi4 ritual food; and did all drink of the same spiritual drink, for 5 they drank from a spiritual rock accompanying them; now X. that rock was the Christ. But with the greater part of them 6 God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were examples for us, that we 7 may not lust after evil things as they did. De not ye then ido laters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat 8 down to eat and drink and rose up to play:"* Nor let us 9 commit fornication as some of them did, and there fell in one day twenty three thousand: nor let us try the Christ as some 10 indeed of them did, and were destroyed by serpents: nor murmur ye, as some of them murmured and were destroyed 11 by the destroyer. Now all these things came upon them for examples, and were written for the instruction of us on whom 12 the ends of the ages have met. So let him who thinketh that 13 he standeth, take heed that he do not fall. No trial hath come upon you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, and will not suffer you to be tried above your strength, but will with the trial make a way to 14 escape, that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, 15 flee from idolatry. I speak to you as men of understanding; 16 judge ye what I say-The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a fellowship in the blood of the Christ? The loaf which we 17 break, is it not a fellowship in the body of the Christ? Because * Ex. 32. 6. 19. it is one loaf, we being many are one body, for we all partake of 18 this one loaf. Consider Israel according to the flesh; are not 19 they who eat the sacrifices, partakers in common of the altar. What then, do I say that an idol is any thing? or that what is 20 sacrificed to an idol is any thing? No. I only say, that what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. 21 Now, I would not have you to be partakers in the worship of the demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord 22 and of the table of demons. Are we provoking the Lord to 23 jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 24 (a) "All things are lawful for me." (b) All things however are not expedient. (a) "All things are lawful for me." (b) All things however do not edify. Let none seek bare25 ly his own interest, but every one that of his neighbour. Eat whatever is sold in the shambles, asking no questions for con26 science sake; for the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. 27 And if any of the disbelievers invite you to an entertainment, and you chuse to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no 28 questions for conscience sake. But if any one say to you, This was sacrificed to an idol, eat not of it for the sake of him who gave the information; and for conscience sake; for the earth is 29 the Lord's and the fulness thereof. When I say conscience I do not mean one's own, but the conscience of the other. 30 31 (a) But why is my liberty to be judged by another's conscience? And if I partake with thankfulness, why am I ill spoken of for what I give thanks? (b) Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, 32 do all to the glory of God. Conduct yourselves so as to give no offence to Jews or Greeks, or the congregation of God, even as I do. In all things I please all men, not studying barely my own interest, but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be ye imitators of me as I am of Christ. XI. Now, I praise you, brethren, that in all things you are 2 mindful of me and hold fast the doctrines as I delivered them (a) Arguments used by the Corinthians. (b) The apostle's answer. |