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Corinthians


Kuh-rin´thee-uhnz

The First Letter of Paul to the, one of two canonical letters addressed to Corinth. Much of the letter consists of Paul’s responses to questions that the church has sent to him and his engagement with concerns in the community that have been brought to his attention. Issues addressed include congregational disunity, celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the exercise of spiritual gifts, and the significance of Christ’s resurrection.


Outline of Contents

1 Corinthians

I. Epistolary prescript (1Cor 1:1-3)

II. Thanksgiving (1Cor 1:4-9)

III. Appeals, counsels, instruction (1Cor 1:10-15:58)

A. Appeals for unity (1Cor 1:10-4:21)

1. Initial appeal (1Cor 1:10-17)

2. Excursus: the wisdom of the cross (1Cor 1:18-2:16)

3. Continuation of appeal (1Cor 3:1-4:5)

4. Conclusion of appeal (1Cor 4:6-21)

B. Counsels about the church in the world (1Cor 5:1-11:1)

1. An incestuous man (1Cor 5:1-13)

2. Going to pagan courts (1Cor 6:1-11)

3. Going to prostitutes (1Cor 6:12-20)

4. Sex, marriage, and divorce (1Cor 7:1-40)

5. Meat from pagan rites (1Cor 8:1-11:1)

C. Counsels about life within the church (1Cor 11:2-14:40)

1. Introduction (1Cor 11:2)

2. The hair of men and women who pray or prophesy (1Cor 11:3-16)

3. Disorders at the Lord’s Supper (1Cor 11:17-34)

4. Spiritual gifts (1Cor 12:1-14:40)

D. Instruction about the resurrection of the dead (1Cor 15:1-58)

1. The tradition (1Cor 15:1-11)

2. Christ, the first fruits (1Cor 15:12-34)

3. The resurrection body (1Cor 15:35-57)

4. Conclusion (1Cor 15:58)

IV. Epistolary closing (1Cor 16:1-24)

A. The collection and various itineraries (1Cor 16:1-12)

B. Summary appeals, final counsels (1Cor 16:13-18)

C. Greetings, autograph subscript, benediction (1Cor 16:19-24)

  • Powell, Mark Allan, ed. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. Abridged Edition. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.