Study Desk

Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected.

Ten thousand people may teach you about Christ, but I am your only father. You became my children when I told you about Christ Jesus,

But if the Lord lets me come, I will soon be there. Then I will find out if the ones who are doing all this bragging really have any power.

I am with you only in my thoughts. But in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already judged this man, as though I were with you in person. So when you meet together and the power of the Lord Jesus is with you, I will be there too.

You must then hand that man over to Satan. His body will be destroyed, but his spirit will be saved when the Lord Jesus returns.

But I wasn't talking about the people of this world. You would have to leave this world to get away from everyone who is immoral or greedy or who cheats or worships idols.

But instead, you cheat and rob other followers.

Some of you used to be like that. But now the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of God's Spirit have washed you and made you holy and acceptable to God.

Some of you say, "We can do anything we want to." But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me.

You also say, "Food is meant for our bodies, and our bodies are meant for food." But I tell you that God will destroy them both. We are not supposed to do indecent things with our bodies. We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge of our bodies.

But anyone who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit with him.

I wish that all of you were like me, but God has given different gifts to each of us.

But if you don't have enough self-control, then go ahead and get married. After all, it is better to marry than to burn with desire.

I don't know of anything else the Lord said about marriage. All I can do is to give you my own advice. If your wife isn't a follower of the Lord, but is willing to stay with you, don't divorce her.

If your husband isn't a follower, but is willing to stay with you, don't divorce him.

Are you a slave? Don't let that bother you. But if you can win your freedom, you should.

I don't know of anything that the Lord said about people who have never been married. But I will tell you what I think. And you can trust me, because the Lord has treated me with kindness.

It isn't wrong to marry, even if you have never been married before. But those who marry will have a lot of trouble, and I want to protect you from that.

But a married man has more worries. He must worry about the things of this world, because he wants to please his wife.

So he is pulled in two directions. Unmarried women and women who have never been married worry only about pleasing the Lord, and they keep their bodies and minds pure. But a married woman worries about the things of this world, because she wants to please her husband.