The sense that freedom meant "license" infected the Corinthian church in the first years of its existence. The gospel message of freedom in Christ had been misunderstood by some in the Corinthian setting, and the congregation soon fragmented over it. Paul, as founding missionary and overseer of the young congregation, wrote forthrightly in response to these internal struggles. Through these letters, God through Paul transformed the trials of a struggling congregation into enduring lessons on the basics of Christian faith.

1 and 2 Corinthians: A Greek-English, Verse by Verse Translation contains a Greek text based on Westcott and Hort's The Text of the New Testament, from 1881. Each verse of the Greek original is followed by its English translation. The book also contains a brief introduction to the Apostle Paul and the Corinthian setting.