Giveno offenseeitherto Jewsorto Greeksorto the churchof God;
"Be on guardfor yourselvesand for allthe flock,amongwhichthe HolySpirithas madeyou overseers,to shepherdthe churchof GodwhichHe purchasedwith His ownblood.
"In view of this,I alsodo my bestto maintainalwaysa blamelessconscience[both] beforeGodand before men.
Thereforelet us not judgeone anotheranymore,but ratherdeterminethis--not to putan obstacleora stumbling blockin a brother'sway.
To the churchof Godwhich is at Corinth,to those who have been sanctifiedin ChristJesus,saintsby calling,with allwho in everyplacecallon the nameof our LordJesusChrist,their [Lord] and ours:
justas I alsopleaseallmen in all things,not seekingmy ownprofitbut the [profit] of the many,sothat they may be saved.
What!Do you not havehousesin which to eatand drink?Ordo you despisethe churchof Godand shamethosewho havenothing?Whatshall I sayto you? Shall I praiseyou? In thisI will not praiseyou.
And Godhas appointedin the church,firstapostles,secondprophets,thirdteachers,thenmiracles,thengiftsof healings,helps,administrations,[various] kindsof tongues.
For I amthe leastof the apostles,and not fitto be calledan apostle,becauseI persecutedthe churchof God.
Only,as the Lordhas assignedto eachone,as Godhas calledeach,in thismannerlet him walk.And soI directin allthe churches.
Therefore,iffoodcausesmy brotherto stumble,I will nevereatmeatagain, sothat I will not causemy brotherto stumble.
Paul,an apostleof ChristJesusby the willof God,and Timothy[our] brother,To the churchof Godwhich is at Corinthwith allthe saintswho are throughoutAchaia:
givingnocause for offensein anything,sothat the ministrywill not be discredited,
For you have heardof my formermanner of lifein Judaism,howI used to persecutethe churchof Godbeyondmeasureand tried to destroyit;
sothat you may approvethe things that are excellent,in orderto be sincereand blamelessuntilthe dayof Christ;
as to zeal,a persecutorof the church;as to the righteousnesswhich is in the Law,foundblameless.
For you, brethren,becameimitatorsof the churchesof Godin ChristJesusthat are in Judea,for you alsoenduredthe samesufferingsat the handsof your owncountrymen,evenas they [did] from the Jews,
but in caseI am delayed,[I write] sothat you will knowhowone oughtto conducthimself in the householdof God,whichis the churchof the livingGod,the pillarand supportof the truth.
(but ifa mandoes not know howto managehis ownhousehold,howwill he take careof the churchof God?),
So she layat his feetuntilmorningand rosebeforeonecould recognizeanother;and he said,"Let it not be knownthat the womancameto the threshingfloor."
