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Introduction to 1 Corinthians

Part 1: General Introduction

Outline of the Book of 1 Corinthians

  1. Divisions in the church (1:10-4:21)
  2. Moral sins and irregularities (5:1-13)
  3. Christians taking other Christians to court (6:1-20)
  4. Marriage and related matters (7:1-40)
  5. Misuse of Christian liberty; food sacrificed to idols, fleeing idolatry; women's head coverings (8:1-13; 10:1-11:16)
  6. Paul's rights as an apostle (9:1-27)
  7. The Lord's Supper (11:17-34)
  8. The gifts of the Holy Spirit (12:1-31)
  9. Love (13:1-13)
  10. The gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy and languages (14:1-40)
  11. The resurrection of believers and the resurrection of Christ (15:1-58)
  12. Closing: the contribution for Christians in Jerusalem, requests, and personal greetings (16:1-24)

What is the Book of 1 Corinthians about?

1 Corinthians is a letter that Paul wrote to the believers in the city of Corinth. Paul had heard that there were problems among the believers. They were arguing with each other. Some of them misunderstood some of the Christian teachings. And some of them were behaving badly. In this letter, Paul responded to them and encouraged them to live in a way that pleases God.

How should the title of this book be translated?

Translators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, "First Corinthians." Or they may choose a clearer title, such as "Paul's First Letter to the Church in Corinth." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)

Who wrote the Book of 1 Corinthians?

Paul from the city of Tarsus was the author. He had been known as Saul in his early life. Before becoming a Christian, Paul was a Pharisee. He persecuted Christians. After he began to trust in Jesus Christ, he traveled several times throughout the Roman Empire telling people about Jesus.

Paul started the church in Corinth. He was staying in the city of Ephesus when he wrote this letter.

Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts

What was the city of Corinth like?

Corinth was a major city located in ancient Greece. Because it was near the Mediterranean Sea, many travelers and traders came to buy and sell goods there. This caused the city to have people from many different cultures. The city was famous for having people who lived in immoral ways. The people worshipped Aphrodite, the goddess of love. As part of the ceremonies honoring Aphrodite, her worshipers had sexual intercourse with temple prostitutes.

What was the problem with meat sacrificed to idols?

Many animals were slaughtered and sacrificed to the gods in Corinth. Priests and worshipers kept some of the meat. And much of the meat was sold in markets. Many Christians disagreed with each other over whether it was right for them to eat this meat, because it had been dedicated to a false god. Paul writes about this problem in 1 Corinthians.

Part 3: Important Translation Issues

How are the ideas of "holy" and "sanctify" represented in 1 Corinthians ULB?

The scriptures use such words to indicate any one of various ideas. For this reason, it is often difficult for translators to represent them well in their versions. In translating into English, 1 Corinthians ULB uses the following principles:

  • Sometimes the meaning in a passage implies moral holiness. Especially important for understanding the gospel is the fact that God considers Christians to be sinless because they are united to Jesus Christ. Another related fact is that God is perfect and faultless. A third fact is that Christians are to conduct themselves in a blameless, faultless manner in life. In these cases, the ULB uses "holy," "holy God," "holy ones," or "holy people." (See: 1:2)
  • Sometimes the meaning in a passage indicates a simple reference to Christians without implying any particular role filled by them. In these cases, the ULB uses "believer" or "believers." (See: 6:1, 2; 14:33; 16:1, 15)
  • Sometimes the meaning in the passage implies the idea of someone or something set apart for God alone. In these cases, the ULB uses "set apart," "dedicated to," or "reserved for." (See: 1:2; 3:17; 6:11; 7:14, 34)

The ULB will often be helpful as translators think about how to represent these ideas in their own versions.

What is the meaning of "flesh?"

Paul frequently used the terms "flesh" or "fleshly" to refer to Christians who did sinful things. Despite the imagery, it is not the physical world which is evil. Paul also described Christians who lived in a righteous way as "spiritual." This is because they did what the Holy Spirit taught them to do. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/flesh, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/righteous and rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/spirit)

What did Paul mean by the expression "in Christ," "in the Lord," etc.?

This kind of expression occurs in 1:2, 30, 31; 3:1; 4:10, 15, 17; 6:11, 19; 7:22; 9:1, 2; 11:11, 25; 12:3, 9, 13, 18, 25; 14:16; 15:18, 19, 22, 31, 58; 16:19, 24. Paul meant to express the idea of a very close union with Christ and the believers. At the same time, he often intended other meanings as well. See, for example, "those who have been dedicated in Christ Jesus" (1:2), where Paul specifically meant that Christian believers have been dedicated to Christ.

Please see the introduction to the Book of Romans for more details about this kind of expression.

What are the major issues in the text of the Book of 1 Corinthians?

The following are the most significant textual issues in the 1 Corinthians:

  • "and in your spirit, which are God's." (6:20) Some older versions read in this way, although the best copies do not have this reading.
  • "I did this even though I was not under the law myself." (9:20) The ULB and UDB read in this way. However, some older versions leave this passage out.
  • "For the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord." (10:28) Some older versions have this passage, but the best copies do not have it. The ULB and UDB do not have it.
  • "and if I give my body to be burned." (13:3) Most versions, including the ULB and UDB, read in this way. However, some versions prefer, "and if I give my body so that I might boast."
  • "But if anyone does not recognize this, let him not be recognized." (14:38) Most versions read in this way. However, some older versions read, "But if anyone is ignorant of this, let him be ignorant."

Translators are advised not to translate the passages that new translation of the Bible leave out. However, if in the translators' region there are older Bible versions that have one or more of the passages, the translators can include them. If they are translated, they should be put inside square brackets ([]) to indicate that they were probably not original to 1 Corinthians. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants)