12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside(A) the church? Are you not to judge those inside?(B) 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”[a](C)

Lawsuits Among Believers

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?(D) Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?(E) And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:13 Deut. 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7

12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.