286+ 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.
286 articles · page 8 of 12
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Carnality and Immaturity 1 Co 3:1–4
Paul calls the Corinthians babies still on milk, and points at their envy and factions as the proof. Growth, it turns out, shows up in how we treat each other.
Discernment, Judgment, and the Mind of Christ. 1 Co 2:15–16
“He who is spiritual judges all things.” That sentence has been badly misused. Four points that put it back where Paul actually had it.
Spiritual Discernment 1 Co 2:13–16
The natural man cannot receive the things of God, Paul says, because they are spiritually discerned. What that means, and just as importantly, what it does not.
The Two Systems: Worldly Thinking and the Kingdom of God - 1 Co 2:12
English hands us one word, world. Greek handed Paul several, and the one he picks decides what he is actually warning us about.
Understanding the Spirit of Man
In three short verses Paul uses the word spirit in three different ways. Sorting out which is which is the difference between reading and skimming.
Unveiling the Holy Spirit: Insights from Corinthians
Paul names the Father and the Son constantly. Here he turns to the Spirit, and what he says about how God becomes known reshapes the whole letter.