I. Church Life, Leadership, and Spiritual Concepts:;xNLx;;xNLx;Church (of God) (Greek: ekklesia) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:2; 4:17; 6:4; 7:17; 10:32; 11:16, 18, 22; 12:28; 14:4-5, 12, 19, 23, 28, 33-35; 15:9; 16:1, 19): The assembly or congregation of believers in Jesus Christ, both locally (e.g., "the church of God that is in Corinth") and universally. Paul emphasizes its divine calling and its nature as God's holy people.;xNLx;Saints (Greek: hagioi) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:1-2; 14:33; 16:1, 15): Meaning "holy ones." A term used by Paul to describe all believers in Christ, emphasizing that they are set apart by God for His purposes and called to live holy lives, regardless of their current spiritual maturity or struggles.;xNLx;Apostle (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:1; 4:9; 9:1-2, 5; 12:28-29; 15:7, 9): Meaning "sent one." In 1 Corinthians, Paul defends his own apostolic authority, which was granted to him directly by Jesus Christ. Apostles were foundational figures in the early church, commissioned to preach the gospel and establish churches.;xNLx;Called (to be saints / by God) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9, 24, 26; 7:15, 17-18, 20-22, 24): God's divine initiative in summoning people to salvation, into fellowship with Christ, and to a life of holiness and service according to His purpose.;xNLx;Grace (Greek: charis) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:3-4; 3:10; 15:10, 57; 16:23): God's unmerited favor, kindness, and divine enablement given to believers, which is the basis of their salvation and empowers them for Christian living and service.;xNLx;Fellowship (Greek: koinonia) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:16, 20): Sharing in common, participation, communion, or partnership. Paul speaks of being called into the fellowship of God's Son, and the fellowship believers share in the Lord's Supper.;xNLx;Spiritual gifts / Gifts of the Spirit (Greek: charismata, pneumatika) (1 Corinthians Chapters 12-14, especially 12:1, 4, 9, 28, 30-31; 14:1, 12): Divine enablements or graces given by the Holy Spirit to believers for the building up of the church (the body of Christ). Paul discusses various gifts like wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.;xNLx;Prophecy / Prophesy / Prophet (e.g., 1 Corinthians 11:4-5; 12:10, 28-29; 13:2, 8-9; Chapter 14): Speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to deliver God's message for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the church. Paul values prophecy highly for its ability to build up the community.;xNLx;Tongues (speaking in) / Other tongues (Greek: glossolalia) (1 Corinthians Chapters 12-14, especially 12:10, 28, 30; 13:1, 8; 14:2-28, 39): A spiritual gift involving speaking in languages unknown to the speaker, either human languages (as at Pentecost, though this is debated for Corinth) or ecstatic utterances understood as heavenly languages. Paul regulates its use in public worship, emphasizing the need for interpretation so that the church can be edified.;xNLx;Interpretation (of tongues) (1 Corinthians 12:10, 30; 14:5, 13, 26-28): The spiritual gift of making known the meaning of what is spoken in tongues, so that the congregation can understand and be built up.;xNLx;Wisdom (of God / of this world) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:17-30; 2:1-16; 3:18-20): Paul contrasts human "wisdom" (worldly philosophy, rhetoric, and standards of status valued by the Greeks) with God's "wisdom," which is centered on the seemingly foolish message of Christ crucified. True wisdom comes from God's Spirit.;xNLx;Foolishness / Folly (of God / of the cross / of preaching) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:18, 20-21, 23, 25, 27; 2:14; 3:18-19; 4:10): Paul uses these terms ironically. What the world considers foolish (e.g., the message of a crucified Messiah) is actually God's power and wisdom for salvation.;xNLx;The Cross (of Christ) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:17-18; 2:2, 8): Refers to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which is central to Paul's gospel. It is the demonstration of God's power and wisdom, though a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.;xNLx;Sanctification / Sanctified / Holy (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 3:17; 6:11; 7:14): The state or process of being set apart by God for His purposes, made holy, and progressively conformed to the likeness of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.;xNLx;The Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 10:16-21; 11:17-34): The commemorative meal instituted by Jesus, in which believers partake of bread and wine in remembrance of Christ's body and blood sacrificed for them. Paul addresses abuses and provides instruction for its proper observance.;xNLx;Idols / Food offered (sacrificed) to idols (1 Corinthians Chapter 8; 10:14-33): Images worshipped as deities, or meat that had been sacrificed in pagan temples and then either eaten in temple feasts or sold in the marketplace. The Corinthian believers had questions about whether it was permissible for Christians to eat such food.;xNLx;Conscience (e.g., 1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, 12; 10:25, 27-29): An individual's inner moral awareness or sense of right and wrong. Paul discusses how believers' actions regarding debatable matters (like eating food offered to idols) should be sensitive to the consciences of "weaker" brothers.;xNLx;Head coverings (for women in worship) (1 Corinthians 11:2-16): Paul addresses the issue of women praying or prophesying in public worship with their heads covered or uncovered, relating it to creation order, propriety, and angelic witness. The precise cultural meaning and application are debated.;xNLx;Love (Greek: agape) (1 Corinthians Chapter 13; also 1:14 [ESV footnote]; 2:9; 4:21; 8:1, 3; 14:1; 16:14, 22, 24): Self-giving, sacrificial, and unconditional love, which Paul describes in chapter 13 as the greatest and most enduring virtue, superior even to spiritual gifts.;xNLx;Resurrection (of the dead / of Christ) (1 Corinthians Chapter 15): The raising of the dead to life. Paul strongly defends the bodily resurrection of Christ as a historical fact and the foundation of Christian faith, and he affirms the future bodily resurrection of believers.;xNLx;Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 12:12-27): A metaphor for the church, emphasizing the unity and interdependence of all believers as members of one body, with Christ as the head. Each member has a unique role and spiritual gifts to contribute to the functioning and health of the whole.;xNLx;Temple (of God / of the Holy Spirit) (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19): Paul uses this metaphor to describe both the local church community and the individual believer's body as indwelt by the Holy Spirit and therefore sacred.;xNLx;Stumbling block / Offense (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:23; 8:9, 13; 9:12; 10:32): Anything that causes someone to sin, lose faith, or be hindered in their spiritual progress. Paul urges believers to avoid being a stumbling block to others.;xNLx;Carnal / Fleshy / Worldly / Immature (e.g., 1 Corinthians 3:1-4): Describes believers who are still dominated by worldly attitudes, desires, and behaviors ("the flesh") rather than by the Spirit, leading to divisions and immaturity.;xNLx;Judgment / Judge (e.g., 1 Corinthians 2:15; 4:3-5; 5:3, 12-13; 6:1-7; 11:29, 31-32, 34):;xNLx;Divine judgment: God's ultimate assessment and rendering of justice.;xNLx;Church judgment/discipline: The church's responsibility to address sin within its community.;xNLx;Human judgment: Paul cautions against premature or improper judging of others, while also affirming the need for discernment and holding believers accountable.;xNLx;II. Greco-Roman Cultural and Social Terms:;xNLx;;xNLx;Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:2): A major ancient Greek city, a Roman colony, and a bustling commercial and cosmopolitan center in Paul's day, known for its wealth, trade, diverse population, and also for its reputation for immorality.;xNLx;Wisdom (See Section I): The Greek world highly valued philosophy, rhetoric, and intellectual prowess (sophia). Paul contrasts this with God's wisdom revealed in the cross.;xNLx;Orator / Eloquence (1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:1, 4): Skill in public speaking and persuasive rhetoric, highly esteemed in Greek culture. Paul states he did not rely on lofty speech or human wisdom in his preaching.;xNLx;Sexual immorality / Fornication (Greek: porneia) (e.g., 1 Corinthians 5:1, 9-11; 6:9, 13, 18; 7:2; 10:8): A broad term referring to any unlawful sexual intercourse, including premarital sex, extramarital affairs, prostitution, and incest. Corinth had a reputation for sexual laxity, and Paul strongly addresses this sin in the church.;xNLx;Idolatry / Idolater (e.g., 1 Corinthians 5:10-11; 6:9; 8:1, 4, 7, 10; 10:7, 14, 19-22; 12:2): The worship of false gods or images. This was pervasive in Corinthian society, and believers struggled with how to navigate issues related to it (e.g., food sacrificed to idols, participation in temple feasts).;xNLx;Lawsuits (among believers) (1 Corinthians 6:1-8): Paul rebukes the Corinthian Christians for taking their disputes with fellow believers to pagan secular courts rather than settling them within the church.;xNLx;Head (in the sense of authority or source) (1 Corinthians 11:3): Paul uses this term in discussing relationships: "the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." Its precise meaning in this context (authority, source, or preeminence) is debated.;xNLx;Celibacy / Unmarried state (1 Corinthians Chapter 7): Paul discusses marriage and singleness, affirming the goodness of both and suggesting that remaining unmarried can offer advantages for undistracted service to the Lord, though it is not a requirement for all.;xNLx;Betrothed / Virgin (1 Corinthians 7:25-38): Refers to those who are engaged to be married or young unmarried women. Paul offers advice regarding their marital status in light of "the present distress.";xNLx;Freedom / Liberty (e.g., 1 Corinthians 8:9; 9:1, 19; 10:29): Christian liberty, particularly in matters not explicitly forbidden by Scripture (like eating food offered to idols). Paul teaches that this freedom should be exercised with love and consideration for weaker believers, so as not to cause them to stumble.;xNLx;Isthmian Games (Alluded to in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27): Famous athletic competitions held near Corinth, similar to the Olympic Games. Paul uses imagery from these games (running a race, boxing, winning a prize/crown) to illustrate the discipline and effort required in the Christian life.;xNLx;Veil (See "Head coverings" in Section I);xNLx;III. Other Notable Terms:;xNLx;;xNLx;Divisions / Factions (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:3-4; 11:18-19): Disagreements, quarrels, and party spirit within the Corinthian church, where believers were aligning themselves with different leaders (Paul, Apollos, Cephas/Peter, or Christ). Paul strongly condemns these divisions as undermining the unity of the church.;xNLx;Leaven (1 Corinthians 5:6-8): Yeast, which causes dough to rise. Paul uses it metaphorically for sin or corrupting influence within the church, which needs to be purged out so that the church can be an "unleavened" lump, holy and pure.;xNLx;Passover (lamb) (1 Corinthians 5:7): The sacrificial lamb whose blood protected the Israelites from the angel of death in Egypt. Paul refers to Christ as "our Passover lamb who has been sacrificed," emphasizing His atoning death.;xNLx;"Maranatha" (1 Corinthians 16:22): An Aramaic phrase meaning "Our Lord, come!" or "Our Lord has come." It expresses an eager expectation of Christ's return.;xNLx;This list is intended to help clarify some of the key vocabulary and concepts found in 1 Corinthians (ESV). Understanding these terms within their original cultural, religious, and situational context is essential for grasping Paul's pastoral concerns and theological teachings to this important early church.