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New Testament · Epistle · Book 46 of 66

Book of 1 Corinthians

A letter to a gifted but divided church: unity in Christ, holy living, order in worship, and the hope of the resurrection.

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16 Chapters

1 Corinthians 1–16

Author

Paul (with Sosthenes)

Written

c. A.D. 53 – 55

Written From

Ephesus

Summary
Title
Author
Date
Outline
Problems
Questions
Overview

Book of 1 Corinthians Summary

Corinth was a busy, wealthy trading city, and the church Paul planted there was gifted but troubled. Paul wrote this letter to correct serious problems and to answer the church’s questions, pointing them again and again to Christ crucified and risen.

He had heard from members of Chloe’s household about quarrels and factions (1:11), and the church had also written him with questions (7:1). The first half of the letter deals with divisions, immorality tolerated in the church, and lawsuits between believers. The second half answers questions about marriage, food offered to idols, worship and the Lord’s Supper, and spiritual gifts.

At the center of the letter stands chapter 13, which shows that love is the “more excellent way,” and chapter 15, the great defense of Christ’s resurrection and ours. The theme verse is Paul’s appeal in 1:10 for the church to be united in mind and purpose.

About the Name

Title

The letter is named for its recipients, the church at Corinth, a leading city of Achaia in Greece. The early Greek title is Pros Korinthious A, “To the Corinthians, first.”

“First” marks its place in the New Testament, ahead of 2 Corinthians. It was not the first letter Paul wrote to this church, because 1 Corinthians 5:9 refers to an earlier letter that has not survived.

Who Wrote It

Author Details

The letter opens with the name of Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus (1:1), and closes with a greeting in his own hand (16:21). Sosthenes, “our brother,” is named alongside him in the opening verse.

Paul founded the Corinthian church on his second missionary journey and stayed about eighteen months (Acts 18:1–18). Paul’s authorship is accepted by virtually all scholars.

When It Was Written

Date of Writing

Most scholars date the letter to about A.D. 53–55, toward the end of Paul’s roughly three years in Ephesus (Acts 19:8–10; 20:31). He tells the church he will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost (16:8).

The church itself was founded around A.D. 50–52. Luke’s mention of Gallio as proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12) helps anchor that date.

Study Guide

1 Corinthians Outline

16 chapters in four parts. Tap any section to expand it, and tap a verse reference to read it at BibleGateway.

Read 1 Corinthians at BibleGateway
Part I

Greeting and Thanksgiving

Chapter 1:1–9

  1. Greeting from Paul and Sosthenes to the church at Corinth · 1:1–3
  2. Thanksgiving for God’s grace and the church’s gifts · 1:4–9
Part II

Problems Reported to Paul

1:10–6:20 · News from Chloe’s household

  1. Appeal for unity; quarrels over Paul, Apollos, Cephas and Christ · 1:10–17
  2. The message of the cross: God’s power and wisdom · 1:18–25
  3. God chooses the humble so that no one may boast · 1:26–31
  4. Paul’s preaching in weakness, resting on God’s power · 2:1–5
  5. God’s wisdom revealed by the Spirit · 2:6–16
  6. Still worldly: jealousy and quarreling · 3:1–4
  7. Servants and fellow workers: God makes the church grow · 3:5–9
  8. Building on the one foundation, Jesus Christ · 3:10–15
  9. The church is God’s temple · 3:16–17
  10. Do not boast in human leaders · 3:18–23
  11. Apostles as servants and stewards of God’s mysteries · 4:1–13
  12. Paul’s fatherly warning and plan to visit · 4:14–21
  1. A case of immorality the church tolerates · 5:1–5
  2. A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough · 5:6–8
  3. Judging those inside the church, not outside · 5:9–13
  1. Believers taking one another to secular courts · 6:1–8
  2. The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom; “you were washed” · 6:9–11
  1. Freedom, and the body belongs to the Lord · 6:12–17
  2. Flee sexual immorality; your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit · 6:18–20
Part III

Questions the Corinthians Asked

7:1–16:4 · Paul answers the church’s letter

  1. Marriage and marital duty · 7:1–7
  2. Advice to the unmarried and widows · 7:8–9
  3. Instructions about divorce and mixed marriages · 7:10–16
  4. Remain in the situation the Lord has assigned · 7:17–24
  5. Singleness and undivided devotion to the Lord · 7:25–40
  1. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up · 8:1–13
  2. Paul’s rights as an apostle and his example of self-giving · 9:1–23
  3. Running the race with discipline · 9:24–27
  4. Warnings from Israel’s history · 10:1–13
  5. Flee idolatry: the Lord’s table and the table of demons · 10:14–22
  6. Do everything for the glory of God · 10:23–11:1
  1. Propriety in worship: head coverings · 11:2–16
  2. Abuses at the Lord’s Supper · 11:17–34
  3. Spiritual gifts: one Spirit, varieties of gifts · 12:1–11
  4. One body, many members · 12:12–31
  5. The way of love · ch. 13
  6. Prophecy and tongues: building up the church · 14:1–25
  7. Orderly worship · 14:26–40
  1. The gospel Paul received and passed on; Christ’s appearances · 15:1–11
  2. If Christ has not been raised · 15:12–34
  3. The resurrection body · 15:35–49
  4. Victory over death: we will all be changed · 15:50–58

Read this passage · 16:1–4

Part IV

Closing

16:5–24

  1. Paul’s travel plans · 16:5–9
  2. Timothy and Apollos · 16:10–12
  3. Final exhortations; Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus · 16:13–18
  4. Greetings and benediction · 16:19–24

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