94+ articles · Verse by verse
Articles.
Long-form study. Plain English.
Every article does the hard work — what the words meant to the first readers, the historical context, the first-century background — then hands it to you in words you already know.
94 articles · page 2 of 4
Paul: The Master Builder 1 Co. 3:5–11
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. Paul takes apart the personality contest by describing what a worker actually is.
The Divine Construction 1 Co 3:9–17
Gold and silver, or wood, hay and straw. Paul says fire will reveal which one you built with, and that the builder is saved either way.
Spiritual Stones in the Living Temple 1 Co 3:16–17
“You are the temple of God.” Is Paul speaking to you, or to all of you together? English hides the answer. The Greek does not.
Let No Deception Prevail - 1 Co 3:18–23
Become a fool so that you may become wise. Paul's advice sounds backwards until you see what he thinks the world's kind of wisdom actually costs.
Flawed Judgments 1 Co 4:1–5
Paul says he cares very little how the Corinthians assess him, and he does not fully trust his own assessment either. Judge nothing before the time.
Do Not Think Beyond What is Written - 1 Co 4:6–7
What do you have that you did not receive? Paul's question takes the legs out from under spiritual pride in eight words.
Discerning the Prosperity Gospel in Paul's Words 1 Co 4:8–13
You are already rich. You are already reigning. Paul's sarcasm here is aimed squarely at a way of thinking that is still being preached today.
Lessons from the First-century Apostles - 1 Co 4:8–13
Hungry, poorly clothed, beaten, homeless, working with their own hands. That is Paul's own description of apostolic life, and it is worth sitting with.
The Loving Correction of a Spiritual Father - 1 Co. 4:14-17
Ten thousand instructors, but not many fathers. Paul draws a line between the people who teach you and the rare one who actually raises you.
Comparing Perspectives-Jesus and Paul on Church Discipline 1 Co 5:3–5
Absent in body but present in spirit, Paul renders a verdict from hundreds of miles away. What that phrase meant, and how the early church handled discipline.
Deliverance to Satan and Understanding the Purpose of Disciplining the Flesh 1 Co 5:3–5
“Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” It is one of Paul's hardest sentences, and the goal at the end of it is rescue, not ruin.
Tackling the Glorification of Sin in the Early Church 1 Co 5:6–9
The Corinthians were not merely tolerating the sin in their midst. They were proud of it. Paul's answer begins with a lump of dough.
'Keep the Feast' in Corinthians 1 Co 5:6
Some read “let us keep the feast” as a command to observe the Jewish festivals. A close look at what Paul is actually asking the Corinthians to do.
Mirrors, Not Swords: Challenge to Reflect Love and Inclusivity in a Fragmented Society 1 Co. 5:9
Paul says not to keep company with the immoral, then immediately clarifies he does not mean people outside the church. That distinction gets missed constantly.
Navigating Disputes within the Christian Community 1 Co 6:1–6
Seven questions in a row, each sharper than the last. Paul wants to know why believers are dragging each other before courts instead of settling it themselves.
Inheritance of the Kingdom 1 Corinthians 6:7–11
Paul lists who will not inherit the kingdom, then adds five words that change the whole passage: and such were some of you.
Antinomianism the Misuse of Freedom 1 Co 6:12
All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. Paul saw early how easily Christian freedom gets bent into permission.
Sacred Bodies - Spiritual Calling 1 Co 6:13–20
Your body is not a container you happen to live in. Paul calls it a member of Christ and a temple of the Spirit, then draws the obvious conclusion.
Understanding Love, Marriage, and Boundaries 1 Co 7:1–9
Paul's teaching on marriage gives husband and wife the same claim on each other in the same breath. For the first century, that was startling.
Guidance for Modern Christian Marriages 1 Co 7:1–9
What a first-century letter about marriage still says to couples now, including the parts that sound strange until you see why Paul wrote them.
The Sanctity of Marriage: Paul's Teachings on Divorce 1 Co 7:10–16
Paul carefully separates what the Lord commanded from what he himself advises, then turns to the believer who is married to someone who does not believe.
Household Sanctification: Influencing Faith Within Families 1 Co 7:10–16
An unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing one, and the children are holy. Paul means something by that, and it is not what most of us assume.
Staying True in Christ: The Journey of Jews, Gentiles, and Slaves 1 Co 7:17–24
Circumcised or not, slave or free, Paul tells each person to remain where they were called. What he is protecting there, and what he is not endorsing.
God's Love - You Are Valuable! 1 Co 7:23–24
Luther said he lost Christ the Saviour and made Him the jailer of his soul. If God has ever felt like a judge waiting for you to slip, this one is for you.