Quotes About Community

I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints!

So if you need to settle everyday matters, do you appoint as judges those of no standing in the church?

I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers?

Instead, one brother goes to law against another, and this in front of unbelievers!

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers!

Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idolís temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?

Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Have we no right to food and to drink?

Isnít He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.

If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?

Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?

In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.