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1 Corinthians: Outline of Contents

I. Epistolary prescript (1:1–3)

II. Thanksgiving (1:4–9)

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

A. Appeals for unity (1:10–4:21)

1. Initial appeal (1:10–17)

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

3. Continuation of appeal (3:1–4:5)

4. Conclusion of appeal (4:6–21)

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

1. An incestuous man (5:1–13)

2. Going to pagan courts (6:1–11)

3. Going to prostitutes (6:12–20)

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

5. Meat from pagan rites (8:1–11:1)

C. Counsels about life within the church (11:2–14:40)

1. Introduction (11:2)

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

3. Disorders at the Lord’s Supper (11:17–34)

4. Spiritual gifts (12:1–14:40)

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

1. The tradition (15:1–11)

2. Christ, the first fruits (15:12–34)

3. The resurrection body (15:35–57)

4. Conclusion (15:58).

IV. Epistolary closing (16:1–24).

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

B. Summary appeals, final counsels (16:13–18)

C. Greetings, autograph subscript, benediction (16:19–24)

Courtesy of HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, ed. Mark Allan Powell (New York: HarperCollins, 2011), 152.