Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the first
epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapters
7 through 11. Chapter 7. Now concerning the things
of which you wrote to me, it is good for a man
not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of
sexual immorality, let each man have his own
wife. and let each woman have her own husband.
Let the husband render to his wife the affection
due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
The wife does not have authority over her own
body, but the husband does. And likewise, the
husband does not have authority over his own
body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another
except with consent for a time that you may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer. and come together
again, so that Satan does not tempt you because
of your lack of self -control. But I say this
as a concession, not as a commandment. For I
wish that all men were even as I myself. But
each one has his own gift from God, one in this
manner and another in that. But I say to the
unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them
if they remain even as I am. But if they cannot
exercise self -control, let them marry. For it
is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Now to the married I command, yet not I, but
the Lord. A wife is not to depart from her husband.
But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried
or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband
is not to divorce his wife. But to the rest I,
not the Lord, say, If any brother has a wife
who does not believe, and she is willing to live
with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman
who has a husband who does not believe, If he
is willing to live with her, let her not divorce
him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified
by the wife. An unbelieving wife is sanctified
by the husband. Otherwise, your children would
be unclean. But now they are holy. But if the
unbeliever departs, let him depart. A brother
or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.
But God has called us to peace. For how do you
know, O wife, whether you will save your husband?
Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will
save your wife? But as God has distributed to
each one, as the Lord has called each one, so
let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.
Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him
not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while
uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision
is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. But
keeping the commandments of God is what matters.
Let each one remain in the same calling in which
he was called. Were you called while a slave?
Do not be concerned about it. But if you can
be made free, rather use it. For he who is called
in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman.
Likewise, he who is called while free is Christ's
slave. You were bought at a price. Do not become
slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain
with God in that state in which he was called.
Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment
from the Lord, yet I give judgment as one whom
the Lord in his mercy has made trustworthy. I
suppose therefore that this is good because of
the present distress, that it is good for a man
to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife?
Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from
a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do
marry, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries,
she has not sinned. Nevertheless, such will have
trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
But this I say, brethren, the time is short,
so that from now on even those who have wives
should be as though they had none. Those who
weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice,
as though they did not rejoice, those who buy
as though they did not possess, and those who
use this world as not misusing it. For the form
of this world is passing away. But I want you
to be without care. He who is unmarried cares
for the things of the Lord, how he may please
the Lord. But he who is married cares about the
things of the world, how he may please his wife.
There is a difference between a wife and a virgin.
The unmarried woman cares about the things of
the Lord. Let him do what he wishes. He does
not sin. Let them marry. Nevertheless, he who
stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity,
but has power over his own will and has so determined
in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does
well. So then he who gives her in marriage does
well, but he who does not give her in marriage
does better. A wife is bound by law as long as
her husband lives, but if her husband dies, she
is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes.
only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains
as she is according to my judgment. And I think
I also have the Spirit of God. Chapter 8 Now
concerning things offered to idols, we know that
we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but
love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows
anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to
know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known
by him. Therefore concerning the eating of things
offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing
in the world, and that there is no other God
but one. For even if there are so -called gods,
whether in heaven or on earth, as there are many
gods and many lords, yet for us there is one
God, the Father, of whom are all things, and
we for him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through
whom are all things, and through whom we live.
However, there is not in everyone that knowledge.
For some with consciousness of the idol, until
now, eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and
their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But
food does not command us to God. Neither if we
eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are
we the worse. But beware lest somehow this liberty
of yours become a stumbling block to those who
are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge
eating in an idol's temple, Will not the conscience
of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those
things offered to idols? And because of your
knowledge, shall the weak brother perish, for
whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against
the brethren and wound their weak conscience,
you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes
my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat,
lest I make my brother stumble. Am I not free?
Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you
not my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle
to others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you
are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. My
defense to those who examine me is this. Do we
have no right to eat and drink? Do we have no
right to take along a believing wife, as do also
the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord
and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who
have no right to refrain from working? Who ever
goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a
vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who
tends a flock and does not drink of the milk
of the flock? Do I say these things as a mere
man? Or does not the law say the same also? For
it is written in the law of Moses, you shall
not muzzle an ox while it shreds out the grain.
Is it oxen God is concerned about? or does he
say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes
no doubt this is written, that he who plows should
plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should
be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual
things for you, is it a great thing if we reap
your material things? If others are partakers
of this right over you, are we not even more?
Nevertheless, we have not used this right, but
endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of
Christ. Do you not know that those who minister
the holy things eat of the things of the temple,
and those who serve at the altar partake of the
offerings of the altar? Even so, the Lord has
commanded that those who preach the gospel should
live from the gospel. But I have used none of
these things, nor have I written these things
that it should be done so to me. Yes, woe is
me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do
this willingly, I have a reward. But if against
my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship,
what is my reward then? That when I preach the
gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without
charge, that I may not abuse my authority in
the gospel. For though I am free from all men,
I have made myself a servant to all, that I might
win the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew,
that I might win Jews. To those who are under
the law, as under the law, that I might win those
who are under the law. To those who are without
law, as without law. not being without law toward
God, but under law toward Christ, that I might
win those who are without law. To the weak I
became as weak, that I might win the weak. I
have become all things to all men, that I might
by all means save some. Now this I do for the
gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with
you. Do you not know that those who run in a
race all run, but one receives the prize? Run
in such a way that you may obtain it, and everyone
who competes for the prize is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable
crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore
I run thus, not with uncertainty. Thus I fight,
not as one who beats the air, but I discipline
my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when
I have preached to others, I myself should become
disqualified. Chapter 10 Moreover, brethren,
I do not want you to be unaware that all our
fathers were under the cloud. All passed through
the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual
food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed
them, and that rock was Christ. But with most
of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies
were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things
became our examples, to the intent that we should
not lust after evil things, as they also lusted,
and do not become idolaters, as were some of
them. As it is written, the people sat down to
eat and drink, and rose up to play. Nor let us
commit sexual immorality, as some of them did,
and in one day twenty -three thousand fell. Nor
let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted,
and were destroyed by serpents. nor complain
as some of them also complained and were destroyed
by the destroyer. Now all these things happened
to them as examples, and they were written for
our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages
have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands
take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken
you except such as is common to man. But God
is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will also make the way of escape that you may
be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee
from idolatry. I speak as to wise men. Judge
for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing
which we bless, is it not the communion of the
blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is
it not the communion of the body of Christ? For
we, though many, are one bread and one body.
For we all partake of that one bread. Observe
Israel after the flesh. Are not those who eat
of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What
am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or
what is offered to idols is anything? Rather,
that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice,
they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And
I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the
cup of demons. You cannot partake of the Lord's
table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke
the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
All things are lawful for me but not all things
are helpful. All things are lawful for me but
not all things edify. Let no one seeks his own
but each one the other's well -being. Eat whatever
is sold in the meat market. asking no questions
for conscience's sake, for the earth is the Lord's
and all its fullness. If any of those who do
not believe invites you to dinner and you desire
to go, eat whatever is said before you, asking
no question for conscience's sake. But if anyone
says to you, this was offered to idols, do not
eat it for the sake of the one who told you and
for conscience's sake, for the earth is the Lord's
and all its fullness. Conscience, I say. not
your own, but that of the other. For why is my
liberty judged by another man's conscience? But
if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken
of for the food over which I give thanks? Therefore,
whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either
to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church
of God, just as I also please all men in all
things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit
of many, that they may be saved. Imitate me just
as I also imitate Christ. Now I praise you, brethren,
that you remember me in all things and keep the
traditions just as I delivered them to you. But
I want you to know, that the head of every man
is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the
head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying,
having his head covered, dishonors his head.
But every woman who prays and prophesies with
her head uncovered, dishonors her head, for that
is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
For if a woman is not covered, let her also be
shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be
shorn or shaved, let her be covered. For a man
indeed ought not to cover his head, since he
is the image and glory of God. But woman is the
glory of man. For man is not from woman, but
woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman,
but woman for the man. For this reason the woman
ought to have a symbol of authority on her head
because of the angels. Nevertheless, neither
is man independent of woman, nor woman independent
of man in the Lord. For as woman came from man,
even so man also comes through woman, but all
things are from God. Judge among yourselves.
Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with
her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself
teach you that if a man has long hair, it is
a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair,
it is a glory to her? for her hair is given to
her for a covering. But if anyone seems to be
contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the
churches of God. Now in giving these instructions,
I do not praise you, since you come together
not for the better, but for the worse. For first
of all, when you come together as a church, I
hear that there are divisions among you. And
in part I believe it. For there must also be
factions among you that those who are approved
may be recognized among you. Therefore, when
you come together in one place, it is not to
eat the Lord's supper. For in eating, each one
takes his own supper ahead of others, and one
is hungry and another is drunk. What, do you
not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you
despise the church of God and shame those who
have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall
I praise you in this? I do not praise you. For
I received from the Lord that which I also delivered
to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the same night
in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when
he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take,
eat, this is my body which is broken for you.
Do this in remembrance of me. In the same manner,
he also took the cup after supper, saying, This
cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do
as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink
this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till
he comes. Therefore, whoever eats this bread
or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner, will be guilty of the body and blood
of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and
so let him eat of the bread and drink of the
cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy
manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not
discerning the Lord's body. For this reason,
many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
For if we would judge ourselves, we would not
be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened
by the Lord. that we may not be condemned with
the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come
together to eat, wait for one another. But if
anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you
come together for judgment, and the rest I will
set in order when I come. I hope you enjoyed
today's reading as much as I did, and I look
forward to seeing you again tomorrow to continue
on our journey. God bless you and have a great
day.