1 Corinthians

🗺️ Overview

1 Corinthians is Paul’s pastoral letter addressing problems and divisions within the Corinthian church. He challenges the believers to pursue unity, purity, and love, correcting misunderstandings about leadership, sexual ethics, worship, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection. The cross of Christ stands as the central message that reorients the life and values of the church.

💡 1 Corinthians calls the Church to be holy, united, and grounded in the gospel. Christians are to live out their faith in love, humility, and truth, holding fast to Christ’s resurrection and allowing the Spirit to shape every aspect of their lives.

• Corinthian Culture

  Corinth was known for its wealth, sexual immorality, and intellectual pride, making it a challenging place for Christian witness.

  📚 Source: Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary

• Spiritual Gifts and Worship

  Paul addresses confusion and misuse of spiritual gifts, especially speaking in tongues and prophecy, calling for order and edification.

  📚 Source: ESV Study Bible

• Resurrection Debate

  Some Corinthians denied a future resurrection, so Paul strongly defends the bodily resurrection of believers.

  📚 Source: The Bible Project

📊 Book at a Glance

📝 Author

Paul the Apostle

📅 Date

c. AD 55

📖 Chapters

16

🏷️ Genre

Epistle

📍 Location

Corinth — a wealthy, diverse, and morally corrupt port city in Greece

🧵 Main Themes

The cross redefines wisdom and power, Unity in the body of Christ, Moral purity and holiness, Right use of spiritual gifts, Love as the highest virtue, Hope in the resurrection of the body

📚 Outline

• Divisions and the Wisdom of the Cross (Ch. 1–4)
• Moral Issues and Church Discipline (Ch. 5–7)
• Freedom and Responsibility (Ch. 8–10)
• Worship, Gender, and the Lord’s Supper (Ch. 11)
• Spiritual Gifts and Love (Ch. 12–14)
• The Resurrection and Final Instructions (Ch. 15–16)

📖 Key Stories

🧠 Key Verses

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. — 1 Corinthians 1:18

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. — 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things... Love never ends. — 1 Corinthians 13:4–8

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. — 1 Corinthians 15:17

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. — 1 Corinthians 10:13

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. — 1 Corinthians 13:13

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. — 1 Corinthians 16:13–14

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