1 Corinthians 5-6

Christian Standard Bible

Immoral Church Members

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality^(A) among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated^[a] among the Gentiles^(B)—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.^{(C) 2} And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief^(D) and remove from your congregation the one who did this? ³ Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit.^(E) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,^(F) so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.^(G)

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven^[b](H) leavens the whole batch of dough?^{(I) 7} Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb^(J) has been sacrificed.^{[c] 8} Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil,^(K) but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Church Discipline

⁹ I wrote to you in a letter not to associate^(L) with sexually immoral people.^{(M) 10} I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy^(N) and swindlers^(O) or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.^{(P) 11} But actually, I wrote^[d] you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^(Q) and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard^(R) or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. ¹² For what business is it of mine to judge^(S) outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? ¹³ God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.^[e](T)

Lawsuits among Believers

6 If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court^(U) before the unrighteous,^[f] and not before the saints? ² 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? ³ Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life? ⁴ So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing^(V) in the church? ⁵ I say this to your shame!^(W) Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers?^{(X) 6} Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers!^(Y)

⁷ As it is, to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you.^(Z) Why not rather be wronged?^(AA) Why not rather be cheated?^{(AB) 8} Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat—and you do this to brothers and sisters! ⁹ Don’t you know that the unrighteous^(AC) will not inherit God’s kingdom?^(AD) Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters,^(AE) adulterers,^(AF) or males who have sex with males,^{[g](AG) 10} no thieves,^(AH) greedy^(AI) people, drunkards, verbally abusive people,^(AJ) or swindlers^(AK) will inherit God’s kingdom. ¹¹ And some of you used to be like this.^(AL) But you were washed, you were sanctified,^(AM) 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^(AN) for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ “Food^(AO) 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^(AP) 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.^{(AQ) 15} Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body?^(AR) 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.^{[h](AS) 17} But anyone joined^(AT) to the Lord is one spirit^(AU) with him.

¹⁸ Flee^(AV) sexual immorality! Every other sin^[i] a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral^(AW) sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple^(AX) of the Holy Spirit^(AY) who is in you,^(AZ) whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought^(BA) at a price. So glorify God with your body.^[j]