²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(A) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(B) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](C) which he bought^(D) with his own blood.^[b](E)

² To the church of God^(A) in Corinth,^(B) to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called^(C) to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name^(D) of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

Concerning Change of Status

¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.^(A) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.^(B)

²² Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God^(A) by humiliating those who have nothing?^(B) What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?^(C) Certainly not in this matter!

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles^(A) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(B) the church of God.^(C)

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) and Timothy^(C) our brother,

To the church of God^(D) in Corinth,^(E) together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:^(F)

¹³ For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,^(A) how intensely I persecuted the church of God^(B) and tried to destroy it.^(C)

⁶ as for zeal,^(A) persecuting the church;^(B) as for righteousness based on the law,^(C) faultless.

⁵ (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)^(A)