Brief Summary:
The Corinthian church was plagued by divisions. The believers in Corinth were dividing into groups loyal to certain spiritual leaders (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:1-6). Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers to be united because of devotion to Christ (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). Many in the church were essentially approving of an immoral relationship (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). Paul commanded them to expel the wicked man from the church (1 Corinthians 5:13). The Corinthian believers were taking each other to court (1 Corinthians 6:1-2). Paul taught the Corinthians that it would be better to be taken advantage of than to damage their Christian testimony (1 Corinthians 6:3-8).
Paul gave the Corinthian church instructions on marriage and celibacy (chapter 7), food sacrificed to idols (chapters 8 and 10), Christian freedom (chapter 9), the veiling of women (1 Corinthians 11:1-16), the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34), spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14), and the resurrection (chapter 15). Paul organized the book of 1 Corinthians by answering questions the Corinthian believers had asked him and by responding to improper conduct and erroneous beliefs they had accepted.
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The Book of 1 Corinthians Summary
Summary of the Book of 1 Corinthians – Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org
Context Summary
First Corinthians 1:18–31 describes the foolishness of the gospel in the world’s eyes. Both Jews and Greeks rejected the idea of Christ crucified. Any god who would die on a Roman cross, especially as a sacrifice for human sinfulness, would be seen by worldly eyes as a weak and foolish deity. God, though, will shame the wise and strong by giving the ability to believe in the cross of Christ mostly to the weak and foolish of the world, in human terms. In the end, nobody will boast before him of their own strength and wisdom.
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“1 Corinthians 1:27” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 1:27 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 1:27
27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 2:6–16 describes the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom. Human wisdom is limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. Scripture points out the value of reason and knowledge (Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 2:15), while demonstrating a difference between what man’s mind can achieve and what God’s Spirit can reveal. God’s wisdom, including His plan to offer salvation through Christ’s crucifixion, must be received and believed spiritually through God’s Holy Spirit. Without the help of the Spirit, people cannot believe what is spiritual, so they reject all spiritual truth as foolishness. Christians, though, have access to the mind of Christ because of God’s Holy Spirit with us.
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“1 Corinthians 2:9” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 2:9 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”
Context Summary
First Corinthians 2:6–16 describes the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom. Human wisdom is limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. Scripture points out the value of reason and knowledge (Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 2:15), while demonstrating a difference between what man’s mind can achieve and what God’s Spirit can reveal. God’s wisdom, including His plan to offer salvation through Christ’s crucifixion, must be received and believed spiritually through God’s Holy Spirit. Without the help of the Spirit, people cannot believe what is spiritual, so they reject all spiritual truth as foolishness. Christians, though, have access to the mind of Christ because of God’s Holy Spirit with us.
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“1 Corinthians 2:15” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 2:15 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 2:15
15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 3:16–23 is the third metaphor Paul uses to explain the relationship between works, spiritual growth, and God’s judgment of our efforts. An emphasis here is on the superiority of God’s wisdom compared to the fallible knowledge of man, echoing statements from chapters 1 and 2. Paul’s main point here, again, is that we ought to focus on allegiance to Christ and His will, rather than being divided over loyalty to different human teachers.
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“1 Corinthians 3:16” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 3:16 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Context Summary
First Corinthians 4:14–21 focuses on Paul’s role as spiritual father to the Corinthians, since he is the one who led them to Christ. He urges them to change their attitudes and behaviors and to imitate his example in living out the gospel. He sent Timothy to show them what that looks like, and he hopes to come himself to confront their arrogant talk with the power of God. Do they want him to come with the rod of correction or in love with the spirit of gentleness?
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“1 Corinthians 4:20” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 4:20 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 4:20
20 For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 5:1–8 contains Paul’s primary example of how the Corinthian’s pride and self-sufficiency is hurting their community. He has just asked if they would prefer he come in gentleness, or ”with a rod,” symbolic of harsh judgment. Here, Paul details a grievous sin: the believers in Corinth have failed to rebuke a member who is committing incest with his father’s wife. They must remove him from the church and turn him over to Satan in hopes of his ultimate salvation. This is also crucial for the health of the church—just as tiny bits of leaven eventually spread to an entire batch of dough, sin left unconfronted can poison an entire church.
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“1 Corinthians 5:5” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 5:5 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 5:5
5 are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 6:1–11 details Paul’s objections to Christians taking another to secular court over a minor issue. Believers will one day judge the world and angels. They should be able to judge small disputes amongst themselves. It would be better for a believer to be defrauded than to ask unbelievers to settle an argument between brothers in Christ. After all, unbelievers will not inherit God’s kingdom. They are known by all the sins they do. Christians, though, have been cleansed from those sins and are now known only as belonging to Christ. This passage includes a passionate, powerful reminder that no person’s sins are beyond Christ’s power to forgive.
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“1 Corinthians 6:9” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 6:9 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
9 Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit God’s Kingdom.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 6:12–20 describes Paul’s objections to those in the Corinthian church who had a casual attitude about sexual immorality. Beyond formal, literal laws, Paul insists the standard for Christian behavior must be whether a practice is helpful or enslaving. Sex is more than a mere bodily function; God designed it to unite two people into one body in marriage. That union with another person drags Christ, to whom we are also united, into the union with us. Our bodies will be resurrected and are meant even now to bring glory to God.
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“1 Corinthians 6:13” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 6:13 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 6:13
13 “Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods,” but God will bring to nothing both it and them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 6:12–20 describes Paul’s objections to those in the Corinthian church who had a casual attitude about sexual immorality. Beyond formal, literal laws, Paul insists the standard for Christian behavior must be whether a practice is helpful or enslaving. Sex is more than a mere bodily function; God designed it to unite two people into one body in marriage. That union with another person drags Christ, to whom we are also united, into the union with us. Our bodies will be resurrected and are meant even now to bring glory to God.
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“1 Corinthians 6:18” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 6:18 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 6:18
18 Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 6:12–20 describes Paul’s objections to those in the Corinthian church who had a casual attitude about sexual immorality. Beyond formal, literal laws, Paul insists the standard for Christian behavior must be whether a practice is helpful or enslaving. Sex is more than a mere bodily function; God designed it to unite two people into one body in marriage. That union with another person drags Christ, to whom we are also united, into the union with us. Our bodies will be resurrected and are meant even now to bring glory to God.
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“1 Corinthians 6:19” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 6:19 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 6:18-19
18 Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
Context Summary
First Corinthians 7:17–24 expands on Paul’s rule of thumb: that Christians should remain in whatever situation they were in when they came to faith in Christ. Later text clarifies that Paul is not denouncing marriage or forbidding it in any sense. Married or not, circumcised or not, slave or free, Christians aren’t obligated to radically upend every aspect of their lives and relationships. Slaves, though, are encouraged to gain their freedom if available. A believing slave is, in fact, free in Christ, while a Christian who is free in this life is, in truth, a slave to Christ. We all belong to God. Our eternal position in Christ matters far more than our temporary position in this life.
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“1 Corinthians 7:19” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 7:19 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 7:19
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 8:1–13 begins Paul’s longer response to the question of attending functions in idol temples or eating food offered to idols. This appears to blend Paul’s own statements with references to the Corinthians’ own remarks. It seems the Corinthians had previously written to Paul saying they are not ”worshiping” the idols. They know idols don’t really exist and that only God is real. Paul replies that the problem here is not lack of knowledge but lack of love. Some brothers and sisters in Christ cannot eat idol food with clear consciences. Those who are stronger risk leading those who are weaker into sin and, in that way, sinning themselves.
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“1 Corinthians 8:1” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 8:1 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 8:1
Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 8:1–13 begins Paul’s longer response to the question of attending functions in idol temples or eating food offered to idols. This appears to blend Paul’s own statements with references to the Corinthians’ own remarks. It seems the Corinthians had previously written to Paul saying they are not ”worshiping” the idols. They know idols don’t really exist and that only God is real. Paul replies that the problem here is not lack of knowledge but lack of love. Some brothers and sisters in Christ cannot eat idol food with clear consciences. Those who are stronger risk leading those who are weaker into sin and, in that way, sinning themselves.
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“1 Corinthians 8:12” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 8:12 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 8:12
12 Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
