Outline from the NIV Study Bible.

I Corinthians
I.	Introduction(1:1-9) 
(1:2-3) To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and 
called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our 
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.)
II.	Divisions in the Church(1:10-4:21)
	a.	The Fact of the Divisions(1:10-17)  Is Christ Divided?
	b.	The Causes of the Divisions(1:10-17)
		1.	A wrong conception of the Christian message(1:18-3:4)
In Corinth the exchange of Ideas was common. Acts 17:21(For all the Athenians 
and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to 
tell, or to hear some new thing.) 
Does that go on today? Does confusion about the answer to the question 
"What is Truth?" come about from this? .
One of Paul's comments: I Corinthians 1:18-20 (For the preaching of the cross is 
to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of 
God.For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to 
nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? 
Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of 
this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not 
God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach 
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks 
foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the 
power of God, and the wisdom of God.)
Is Christ a tough sell? The Bible says yes.

		2.	A wrong conception of Christian ministry and ministers(3:5-4:5)
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as 
the Lord gave to every man? Niv = (servants rather than ministers)
(3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.)
 
		3.	A wrong conception of the Christian(4:6-13) (12-13: And we labour, 
		working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, 
		we suffer it: Being defamed, we answer kindly: we are made as the filth 
		of the world, and are he refuse of all things unto this day.)

	c.	The Exhortation to End the Divisions(4:14-21)
III.	Moral and Ethical Disorders in the Life of the Chruch(chs. 5-6)
	a.	Laxity in Church Discipline(5:1)It is reported commonly that there is 
	fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among 
	the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And you are puffed up, 
	and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken 
	away from among you....To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction 
	of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
	Where is the line that divides when we are to exhibit grace and forgiveness to 
	those in the fellowship and when we are to put him out. And why..

	b.	Lawsuits before Non-Christian Judges(6:1-11) 6:1 Dare any of you, having a 
	matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 
	Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall 
	be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  Do you not 
	Know that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
And 6:7 "To have lawsuits at all with one another is defeate for you. Why not 
rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?"
What about the Gospels(Luke 6:29-35 And unto him that smiteth thee on the  one  
cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away your cloke forbid them not 
to take your coat also.Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes 
away your goods ask them not again. Give to every man that askes of you; and of 
him that taketh away your goods ask the not again. For if you love them which 
love you, what thank have you? for sinners also love those that love them. 
And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank have you? for 
sinners also do even the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to 
receive, what thank have you? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as 
much again.  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing 
again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the 
Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.)
Questions:
1.	Does Paul mean that a Christian should never take any matter to court?
2.	What do you think Paul's councel would have been had he been discussing a 
grievance between a Christian and a non-Christian? 	

	c.	Sexual Immorality (I Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a 
	man doeth is outside the body; but he that committs fornication sinns against 
	his own body.)

IV.	Instruction on Marriage(ch.7)
	a.	The Prologue: General Principles(7:1-7)
 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the 
 husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
	b.	The Problems of the Married(7:8-24)
	c.	The Problems of the Unmarried(7:25-40)

Would Paul have encouraged Christians to marry non-Christans.
Why is it important that we keep the historical background in focus as we attempt 
to interpret this chapter?
How does this fit with:
Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is  not good that the man should be alone; 
I will make him an help mate for him...
Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall 
cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 

V.	Instruction on Questionable Practices(8:1-11:1)
	a.	The Principles Involved(ch.8) We have Freedom and Liberty in Christ but 
	we choose to Abstain.I Corinthians 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this 
	liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
What is Christian Liberty?

	b.	The Principles Illustrated(ch.9)
(9:19-20 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, 
to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. 
To those under the law I became like one under the law(though I myself am not 
under the law), so as to win those under the law.)

	c.	A Warning from the History of Israel(10:1-22)
	d.	The Principles Applied(10:23-11:1) (23 Everything is permissable"--but not 
	everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is 
	constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.) 
	(31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the 
	glory of God.)

VI.	Instruction on Public Worship(11:2-14:40)
	a.	Propriety in Worship(11:2-16) Order
	b.	The Lord's Supper(11:17-34)
I Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink  this  
cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

	c.	Spiritual Gifts(chs.12-14)
		1.	The test of the gifts(12:1-3)
Now concerning spiritual  gifts , brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye 
know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were 
led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of 
God calleth Jesus accursed: and  that  no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, 
but by the Holy Ghost. 
		2.	The unity of the gifts(12:4-11)
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are 
differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities 
of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the 
manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

		3.	The diversity of the gifts(12:12-31a)
		4.	The necessity of exercising the gifts in love(12:31b-13:13)
(13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of 
these is charity.)

		5.	The superiority of prophecy over tongues(14:1-25)
(14:2-3 For he that speaketh in an  unknown  tongue speaketh not unto men, but 
unto God: for no man understandeth  him ; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh 
mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men  to  edification, and 
exhortation, and comfort.)

		6.	Rules governing public worship(14:26-40) Order

VII.	Instruction on the Resurreciton(ch.15)
	a.	The Certainty of the Resurrection(15:1-34)
(3-6 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that 
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, 
and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he 
was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five 
hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but 
some are fallen asleep.)

	b.	The Consideration of Certain Objections(15:35-57)
(35- But some  man  will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do 
they come?)
	c.	The Concluding Appeal(15:58)

VIII.	Conclusion: Practical and Personal Matters(ch.16)

II Corinthians
I.	Primarily Apologetic: Paul's Explanation of His Conduct and Apostolic Ministry.
(chs. 1-7)
	a.	Salutation(1:1-2)
	b.	Thanksgiving for Divine Comfort in Affliction(1:3-11)
	c.	The Integrity of Paul's Motives and Conduct(1:12-2:4)
	d.	Forgiving the Offender at Corinth(2:5-11)
	e.	God's Direction in the Ministry(2:12-17)
	f.	The Corinthian Believers--a Letter from Christ(3:1-11)
	g.	Seeing the Glory of God with unvailed Faces(3:12-4:6)
	h.	Treasure in Clay Jars(4:7-16a)
	i.	The Prospect of Death and What it Means for the Christian(4:16b-5:10)
	j.	The Ministry of Reconcilliation(5:11-6:10)
	k.	A Spiritual Father's Appeal to his Children(6:11-7:4)
	l.	The Meeting with Titus(7:5-16)
II.	Hortatory: The Collection for the Christians at Jerusalem(chs.8-9)
	a.	Generosity Encouraged(8:1-15)
	b.	Titus and His Companions Sent to Corinth(8:16-9:5)
	c.	Final Warnings(13:1-10)
III.	Polemical: Paul's Vindication of His Apostlic Authority(chs.10-13)
	a.	Paul's Defense of His Apostolic Authority and the Area of His Mission(ch.10)
	b.	Paul Forced into Foolish Boasting(chs.11-12)
	c.	Final Warnings(13:1-10)
	d.	Conclusion(13:11-14)