The Book of 1 Corinthians
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians addresses a deeply divided, gifted, dysfunctional church — and includes the famous 'love chapter' (1 Corinthians 13) read at weddings around the world.
- Testament
- New (16 chapters)
- Type
- Epistle
- Date
- About 54-55 AD, from Ephesus.
Christ crucified as the foundation
Corinth was obsessed with wisdom, status and spectacle. Paul refuses to compete: 'For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified' (2:2). The cross is foolishness to the wise and a stumbling-block to the powerful — and the power of God.
Love above all gifts
Chapter 13's hymn to love — 'though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass' — is the most quoted chapter on love in any literature. In context it is a corrective: gifts without love build nothing.
Key verses (KJV)
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not... beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV)
“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” — 1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV)
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” — 1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)
How to read 1 Corinthians
Read 1 Corinthians 13 (love) and 15 (resurrection) first — they are two of the most-quoted chapters in all Scripture. Then read straight through to see Paul applying the cross to every messy issue in a real church.
Read 1 Corinthians on your iPhone
Read the full book of 1 Corinthians in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.
Read 1 Corinthians free on iPhone.
Download on the App StorePopular chapters in 1 Corinthians
More New Testament books
- The Book of 2 Corinthians
- The Book of Galatians
- The Book of Ephesians
- The Book of Philippians
- The Book of Colossians
From the blog
Frequently asked questions
What is the Book of 1 Corinthians about?
1 Corinthians is a book of Epistle, running to 16 chapters. Its main threads: Christ crucified as the foundation; Love above all gifts.
Who wrote the Book of 1 Corinthians?
Paul, with co-author Sosthenes.
Where does 1 Corinthians come in the Bible?
1 Corinthians is one of the 27 books of the New Testament in the Protestant canon, grouped with the Epistle books. You can walk the canon in order using the previous and next links on this page.