Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church

It is actually reported that there is (A)sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, (B)for a man has his father's wife. And (C)you are arrogant! Ought you (D)not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

For though (E)absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled (F)in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are (G)to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so (H)that his spirit may be saved (I)in the day of the Lord.[a]

(J)Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that (K)a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, (L)not with the old leaven, (M)the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I wrote to you in my letter (N)not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 (O)not at all meaning (P)the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, (Q)since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone (R)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 (S)outsiders? (T)Is it not those inside the church[b] whom you are to judge? 13 God judges[c] those outside. (U)“Purge the evil person from among you.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:5 Some manuscripts add Jesus
  2. 1 Corinthians 5:12 Greek those inside
  3. 1 Corinthians 5:13 Or will judge

Confronting sexual immorality in the church

Everyone has heard that there is sexual immorality among you. This is a type of immorality that isn’t even heard of among the Gentiles—a man is having sex with his father’s wife! And you’re proud of yourselves instead of being so upset that the one who did this thing is expelled from your community. Though I’m absent physically, I’m present in the spirit and I’ve already judged the man who did this as if I were present. When you meet together in the name of our Lord Jesus, I’ll be present in spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus. At that time we need to hand this man over to Satan to destroy his human weakness so that his spirit might be saved on the day of the Lord.

Your bragging isn’t good! Don’t you know that a tiny grain of yeast makes a whole batch of dough rise? Clean out the old yeast so you can be a new batch of dough, given that you’re supposed to be unleavened bread. Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed, so let’s celebrate the feast with the unleavened bread of honesty and truth, not with old yeast or with the yeast of evil and wickedness.

I wrote to you in my earlier letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 But I wasn’t talking about the sexually immoral people in the outside world by any means—or the greedy, or the swindlers, or people who worship false gods—otherwise, you would have to leave the world entirely! 11 But now I’m writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls themselves “brother” or “sister” who is sexually immoral, greedy, someone who worships false gods, an abusive person, a drunk, or a swindler. Don’t even eat with anyone like this. 12 What do I care about judging outsiders? Isn’t it your job to judge insiders? 13 God will judge outsiders. Expel the evil one from among you![a]