Dealing With a Case of Incest

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.^{(A) 2} And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning^(B) and have put out of your fellowship^(C) the man who has been doing this? ³ For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit.^(D) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus^(E) on the one who has been doing this. ⁴ So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, ⁵ hand this man over^(F) to Satan^(G) for the destruction of the flesh,^[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.^(H)

⁶ Your boasting is not good.^(I) Don’t you know that a little yeast^(J) leavens the whole batch of dough?^(K)

¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off,^(A) and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others^(B) and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.^{(C) 19} You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.^(D) Do not be arrogant,^(E) but tremble.^{(F) 21} For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.^(A) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,^{(B) 21} so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(C) so also grace^(D) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life^(E) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

6 What shall we say, then?^(F) Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?^{(G) 2} By no means! We are those who have died to sin;^(H) how can we live in it any longer?

¹⁷ I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.^(A) Keep away from them.^{(B) 18} For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,^(C) but their own appetites.^(D) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive^(E) the minds of naive people. ¹⁹ Everyone has heard^(F) about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.^(G)

²⁶ If we deliberately keep on sinning^(A) after we have received the knowledge of the truth,^(B) no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷ but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire^(C) that will consume the enemies of God. ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.^{(D) 29} How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God^(E) underfoot,^(F) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant^(G) that sanctified them,^(H) and who has insulted the Spirit^(I) of grace?^{(J) 30} For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[a](K) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”^{[b](L) 31} It is a dreadful thing^(M) to fall into the hands^(N) of the living God.^(O)