Corinthians 3 - Bought for a price

Spoken word, Heavy progressive post hardcore, female vocals

[Intro]
[Instrumental — 4–6 bars]
[Heavy, intimate pulse. Bass-driven, muted guitar stabs, sparse drums. Almost a slow march.]

[Verse 1 — spoken, deliberate, weighty]
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 ye are puffed up,
and have not rather mourned,
that he that hath done this deed
might be taken away from among you.

Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Purge out therefore the old leaven,
that ye may be a new lump,
as ye are unleavened.

For even Christ our passover
is sacrificed for us.

[Band holds back—tension building, not releasing yet.]

[Instrumental Turn — 2 bars]
[Drum fill, guitar lifts slightly.]

[Bridge]
Freedom isn't weightless
It learns how to love
It carries what it's given
And lets go of what it's not

You can walk through open doors
And still be chained inside
But mercy wrote your name in blood
And called you justified

[Verse 2 — spoken, intimate but firm]
Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Be not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners,
shall inherit the kingdom of God.

And such were some of you:
but ye are washed,
but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and by the Spirit of our God.

All things are lawful unto me,
but all things are not expedient:
all things are lawful for me,
but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Know ye not that your body
is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God,
and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit,
which are God's.

[Band swells slightly on "bought with a price"—first emotional lift.]

[Bridge]
Freedom isn't weightless
It learns how to love
It carries what it's given
And lets go of what it's not

You can walk through open doors
And still be chained inside
But mercy wrote your name in blood
And called you justified

[Chorus]
I was bought, not borrowed
I belong, not alone
This body is a promise
Of a coming home

Not my own, not abandoned
Held by hands I cannot see
I was bought with a price
And the price has set me free

[Verse 3 — spoken, pastoral tone (1 Cor 7 themes)]
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me:
It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication,
let every man have his own wife,
and let every woman have her own husband.

Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed.
Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned.

Let every man abide in the same calling
wherein he was called.

Art thou called being a servant?
care not for it:
but if thou mayest be made free,
use it rather.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant,
is the Lord's freeman:
likewise also he that is called, being free,
is Christ's servant.

Ye are bought with a price;
be not ye the servants of men.

[Band stays controlled—reflective, not explosive.]

[Short Breakdown — 4 bars
Drums drop to kick and snare, bass walks, guitar delays shimmer.]

[Bridge (variation)]
Freedom isn't empty—
It kneels before the throne
It doesn't trade one master
For a crown it calls its own

You were bought, not bargained
Claimed, not left behind
The temple isn't vacant—
It's the Spirit's dwelling line

[Chorus (double)]
I was bought, not borrowed
I belong, not alone
This body is a promise
Of a coming home

Not my own, not abandoned
Held by hands I cannot see
I was bought with a price
And the price has set me free

[(repeat with variation:)]
I was bought, not borrowed
I belong, not alone
This body is a temple—
And mercy brought me home

[Hold "home"—full band sustains, then drops.]

[Outro — half-spoken/sung]
Bought with a price—
Not to wander,
But to rest.
Not to prove,
But to be held.

The temple isn't empty.
The Spirit makes it whole.

[Fade on sparse guitar and bass hum.]

4132/7500

[Intro] [Instrumental — 4–6 bars] [Heavy, intimate pulse. Bass-driven, muted guitar stabs, sparse drums. Almost a slow march.] [Verse 1 — spoken, deliberate, weighty] 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 ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. [Band holds back—tension building, not releasing yet.] [Instrumental Turn — 2 bars] [Drum fill, guitar lifts slightly.] [Bridge] Freedom isn't weightless It learns how to love It carries what it's given And lets go of what it's not You can walk through open doors And still be chained inside But mercy wrote your name in blood And called you justified [Verse 2 — spoken, intimate but firm] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. [Band swells slightly on "bought with a price"—first emotional lift.] [Bridge] Freedom isn't weightless It learns how to love It carries what it's given And lets go of what it's not You can walk through open doors And still be chained inside But mercy wrote your name in blood And called you justified [Chorus] I was bought, not borrowed I belong, not alone This body is a promise Of a coming home Not my own, not abandoned Held by hands I cannot see I was bought with a price And the price has set me free [Verse 3 — spoken, pastoral tone (1 Cor 7 themes)] Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. [Band stays controlled—reflective, not explosive.] [Short Breakdown — 4 bars Drums drop to kick and snare, bass walks, guitar delays shimmer.] [Bridge (variation)] Freedom isn't empty— It kneels before the throne It doesn't trade one master For a crown it calls its own You were bought, not bargained Claimed, not left behind The temple isn't vacant— It's the Spirit's dwelling line [Chorus (double)] I was bought, not borrowed I belong, not alone This body is a promise Of a coming home Not my own, not abandoned Held by hands I cannot see I was bought with a price And the price has set me free [(repeat with variation:)] I was bought, not borrowed I belong, not alone This body is a temple— And mercy brought me home [Hold "home"—full band sustains, then drops.] [Outro — half-spoken/sung] Bought with a price— Not to wander, But to rest. Not to prove, But to be held. The temple isn't empty. The Spirit makes it whole. [Fade on sparse guitar and bass hum.]

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