Lawsuits among Believers

If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court(A) before the unrighteous,[a] and not before the saints? Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life? So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing(B) in the church? I say this to your shame!(C) Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers?(D) Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers!(E)

As it is, to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you.(F) Why not rather be wronged?(G) Why not rather be cheated?(H) Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat—and you do this to brothers and sisters! Don’t you know that the unrighteous(I) will not inherit God’s kingdom?(J) Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters,(K) adulterers,(L) or males who have sex with males,[b](M) 10 no thieves,(N) greedy(O) people, drunkards, verbally abusive people,(P) or swindlers(Q) will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this.(R) But you were washed, you were sanctified,(S) you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Glorifying God in Body and Spirit

12 “Everything is permissible(T) for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 “Food(U) is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality(V) but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.(W) 15 Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body?(X) So should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh.[c](Y) 17 But anyone joined(Z) to the Lord is one spirit(AA) with him.

18 Flee(AB) sexual immorality! Every other sin[d] a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral(AC) sins against his own body. 19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple(AD) of the Holy Spirit(AE) who is in you,(AF) whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought(AG) at a price. So glorify God with your body.[e]

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Unbelievers; v. 6
  2. 6:9 Both passive and active participants in homosexual acts
  3. 6:16 Gn 2:24
  4. 6:18 Lit Every sin
  5. 6:20 Other mss add and in your spirit, which belong to God.

Lawsuits Discouraged

Does any one of you, when he has a [a]case against [b]his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and (A)not before the [c]saints? Or (B)do you not know that (C)the [d]saints will judge (D)the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to form the smallest [e]law courts? (E)Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, [f]do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? (F)I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you anyone wise who will be able to decide between his (G)brothers and sisters, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before (H)unbelievers?

Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. (I)Why not rather suffer the wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves do wrong and defraud. And this to your (J)brothers and sisters!

Or (K)do you not know that the unrighteous will not (L)inherit the kingdom of God? (M)Do not be deceived; (N)neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [g]homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will (O)inherit the kingdom of God. 11 (P)Such were some of you; but you were (Q)washed, but you were (R)sanctified, but you were (S)justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and [h]in the Spirit of our God.

The Body Is the Lord’s

12 (T)All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 (U)Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, however God will (V)do away with both [i]of them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but (W)for the Lord, and (X)the Lord is for the body. 14 Now God has not only (Y)raised the Lord, but (Z)will also raise us up through His power. 15 (AA)Do you not know that (AB)your bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? [j](AC)Far from it! 16 Or (AD)do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “(AE)The two shall become one flesh.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is (AF)one spirit with Him. 18 (AG)Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the [k]sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or (AH)do you not know that (AI)your body is a [l]temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from [m]God, and that (AJ)you are not your own? 20 For (AK)you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in (AL)your body.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:1 Lit matter
  2. 1 Corinthians 6:1 Lit the other
  3. 1 Corinthians 6:1 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  4. 1 Corinthians 6:2 See note 2 v 1
  5. 1 Corinthians 6:2 I.e., to try trivial cases
  6. 1 Corinthians 6:4 Or appoint them...church!
  7. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Two Gr words in the text, prob. submissive and dominant male homosexuals
  8. 1 Corinthians 6:11 Or by
  9. 1 Corinthians 6:13 Lit this and these
  10. 1 Corinthians 6:15 Lit May it never happen!
  11. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Or one who practices sexual immorality
  12. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or sanctuary
  13. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or God? And you...own