1 Corinthians 5:9-6:20

English Standard Version

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter ^(A)not to associate with sexually immoral people— ^10 (B)not at all meaning ^(C)the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, ^(D)since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone ^(E)who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ¹² For what have I to do with judging ^(F)outsiders? ^(G)Is it not those inside the church^[a] whom you are to judge? ¹³ God judges^[b] those outside. ^(H)“Purge the evil person from among you.”

Lawsuits Against Believers

6 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous ^(I)instead of the saints? ² Or do you not know that ^(J)the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? ³ Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! ⁴ So if you have such cases, ^(K)why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? ^5 (L)I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, ⁶ but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? ⁷ To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. ^(M)Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? ⁸ But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even ^(N)your own brothers!^[c]

⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous^[d] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: ^(O)neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,^{[e] 10} nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And ^(P)such were some of you. But ^(Q)you were washed, ^(R)you were sanctified, ^(S)you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Flee Sexual Immorality

^12 (T)“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. ^13 (U)“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one ^(V)and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but ^(W)for the Lord, and ^(X)the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ And ^(Y)God raised the Lord and ^(Z)will also raise us up ^(AA)by his power. ¹⁵ Do you not know that ^(AB)your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined^[f] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, ^(AC)“The two will become one flesh.” ¹⁷ But he who is joined to the Lord ^(AD)becomes one spirit with him. ^18 (AE)Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin^[g] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person ^(AF)sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or ^(AG)do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? ^(AH)You are not your own, ^20 (AI)for you were bought with a price. ^(AJ)So glorify God in your body.