Kehillah in Corinth I 4-7

Orthodox Jewish Bible

4 So let a man consider us as Gabba’im of Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach and mefakkechim (stewards, supervisors) of the sodot (mysteries) of Hashem.

² Moreover, it is sought in mefakkechim that one be found that has ne’emanut (faithfulness).

³ But to me it is a very small thing that I be brought, as it were, before your Bet Din for you to play dayanim (religious judges) judging me, or that I am judged by Bnei Adam on their merely human Yom HaDin; I do not even act as Dayan (Judge of a Rabbinical Court) of myself.

⁴ I am aware of nothing against myself, but not in this have I been yitzdak (justified); it is the L-rd who is my Shofet (Judge BERESHIS 18:25; DANIEL 7:13 14).

⁵ Therefore, do not judge anything before the time, until the Bias Adoneinu [Moshiach], who both will bring to Ohr (Light) the hidden things of the choshech (darkness) and manifest the motives of the levavot. And then the tehillah (praise) each one will receive will be from Hashem. [IYOV 12:22; TEHILLIM 90:8]

⁶ Now these things, Achim b’Moshiach, I made a dimyon (comparison) applied with respect to myself and Apollos for your sake, that through us you may learn not to go beyond what things have been written [2:13], lest you are puffed up as ba’alei ga’avah (conceited, haughty persons) in favor of one or against the other.

⁷ For who makes you so distinguished? And, by the way, what do you have which you did not receive? And if indeed you were given it, why this ga’avah, this boastfulness as if you had not received it?

⁸ Already you have so much, already you ascended to osher (riches) and without us [Shlichim]! You became melechim (kings); I would that you did indeed become melechim that also we might reign as melechim with you.

⁹ For, omein, I believe that Hashem has exhibited us, the Shlichim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, as last in the program, condemned to death, because, like wretches under a mishpat mavet (death sentence), we became displayed in the arena for the eyes of the Olam Hazeh, malachim as well as Bnei Adam. [TEHILLIM 71:7]

¹⁰ We are kesilim (fools) because of Moshiach, but you are chachamim in Moshiach; we are weak, but you are strong; you are treated with honor; we dishonor.

¹¹ Until the present sha’ah (hour) we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten and homeless.

¹² And we have parnasah, toiling with our own hands; being reviled, we make a bracha; being persecuted, we endure it:

¹³ Being defamed by loshon hora, we conciliate. We have become what the earth wants swept out the door, something considered trash the Olam Hazeh wants removed. [YIRMEYAH 20:18; EKHAH 3:45]

¹⁴ The purpose of this iggeret is not to bring you under bushah (shame). I write these things as admonishing my beloved yeladim.

¹⁵ For, though you may have in Moshiach morei derech numbering ten thousand, you have not many avot, for in Moshiach through the Besuras HaGeulah I [T.N. Notice 1C4:6 indicates the canon of inerrant Scripture is closed and may not be added to.] became your abba.

¹⁶ Therefore, I encourage you, imitate me.

¹⁷ Because of this very thing, I sent Timotiyos to you who is my beni haahuv (beloved son) and ne’eman (faithful), trustworthy in Hashem, who will remind you of my derech baKodesh in Moshiach, even as I give shiurim everywhere in every kehillah.

¹⁸ Now as to my coming to you, some were puffed up, [YIRMEYAH 43:2]

¹⁹ But I will come shortly to you, im yirtzeh Hashem (if the L-rd wills), and I will find out not the speech of the ones having been puffed up but the ko’ach (power).

²⁰ For the Malchut Hashem depends not on the talk [of the ish sefatayim (the eloquent speaker)] but on ko’ach (power).

²¹ What do you want? That I should come to you, so to speak, with an abba’s switch or in ahavah and an anavat ruach (a spirit of meekness)?

5 Zenut (fornication) is actually reported among you, and such zenut which is not even among the Goyim, that one of you Corinthians has the isha (wife) of his abba [VAYIKRA 18:8].

² And you have been puffed up with ga’avah (pride). Should you not rather have been filled with agmat nefesh (grief), so that he who has done this would have been taken away from among you?

³ For I indeed being not present in habasar but being not absent in the Ruach Hakodesh have already, as being present, pronounced the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach’s Bet Din mishpat on the one who has done such a thing.

⁴ In the name of Adoneinu Yehoshua, when you have assembled in your shul (Ya 2:2) and I am with you by the same Ruach Hakodesh along with the gevurat Adoneinu Yehoshua,

⁵ You are to transmit and hand over to Hasatan such a person for the churban of the basar (3:16-17), that his neshamah may be spared in the Yom Hashem (AMOS 5:18; MALACHI 3:19; YOEL 2:1-17; TZEFANYAH 1:14-18).

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Do you not have da’as that a little chametz all the mixture leavens?

⁷ Purge out the old chametz (leavened bread), that you may be issa chadasha (new dough, batzek, deaf dough, having no indication of fermentation), as you are indeed like matzot (unleavened bread). More than that, our Korban Pesach has been sacrificed, Moshiach. [SHEMOT 12:3-6,21]

⁸ So let us celebrate Pesach, not with old chametz, nor with the chametz of kavvanah ra’ah (malice) and wickedness, but with matzot of kenut (sincerity) and emes. [SHEMOT 12:14,15; DEVARIM 16:3]

⁹ I wrote to you in the iggeret not to mix with those engaging in acts of zenut (fornication),

¹⁰ Not meaning to completely disassociate from the zannayim of the Olam Hazeh or those guilty of chamdanut (greed) and the ones practicing hona’ah (swindling) or those guilty of avodah zarah (idol worship), als (since) in that case you would have to exit the Olam Hazeh.

¹¹ But, now I wrote to you not to mix with any “Ach b’Moshiach” who is a zannay (fornicator) or a kamtzan (miser) or an oved elilim (idolater) or a megadef (reviler) or a shikkor (drunkard) or a shoded (robber); with such a man do not sit at tish (table), do not share betzi’at halechem (breaking of bread).

¹² For what is it to me to sit as a dayan in the Bet Din and then judge ones outside the kehillah? Will your Bet Din not judge the ones within [the kehillah]?

¹³ But the outsiders Hashem judges. UVI’ARTA HARA MIKKIR’BECHA "You must purge the evil from among you" [DEVARIM 17:7; 19:19; 22:21,24; 24:7]

6 Does anyone of you having a dispute with an Ach b’Moshiach dare to be judged before the resha’im (unrighteous, evildoers) and not before the Bet Din of the Kadoshim?

² Or do you not have da’as that the Kadoshim will sit in mishpat over the Olam Hazeh? And if the Olam Hazeh is to be judged by you, are you incompetent dayanim to try the smallest cases?

³ Do you lack da’as that the malachim will come before our Bet Din? Not to mention the things of Olam Hazeh!

⁴ If, then, you have cases concerning matters of the Olam Hazeh, how could you appoint as your Bet Din dayanim men who have no standing in the kehillah?

⁵ I speak to your bushah (shame). Is there not among you even one chacham (wise man) who will be able to sit in mishpat between his Achim b’Moshiach?

⁶ But an Ach b’Moshiach takes another Ach b’Moshiach to court, and this before the courtroom of Apikorosim (Unbelievers)?

⁷ Already, therefore, it is a total defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be cheated?

⁸ But you yourselves do wrong and practice hona’ah (cheating), and this to your Achim b’Moshiach.

⁹ Or do you not have da’as that the resha’im (unrighteous ones) will not inherit the Malchut Hashem? Do not be deceived! Neither zannayim (fornicators) nor ovdei elilim (idolaters) nor mena’afim (adulterers) nor effeminate call boys nor homosexuals [IYOV 13:9; VAYIKRA 18:20; DEVARIM 22:22; VAYIKRA 18:22]

¹⁰ Nor ganavim (thieves) nor kamtzanim (misers) nor shikkorim (drunkards) nor megadefim (revilers) nor the ones doing hona’ah (swindling)—none of these will inherit the Malchut Hashem.

¹¹ And some of you were these things. But you were washed and made tehorim (clean), you were made to be Am Kadosh, you were made to be yitzdak im Hashem in the name of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Adoneinu and in the Ruach Hakodesh of Eloheinu.

¹² "All things to me are proper (10:23)!" But not all things are beneficial. "All things to me are proper!" But I will not be mastered by anything.

¹³ "Okhel (food) for the stomach and the stomach for okhel," but Hashem will destroy both one and the other (1:8; 3:13; 5:5); but the body is not for zenut but for Hashem, and Hashem for the body.

¹⁴ And Hashem brought about the Techiyah from HaMesim for Moshiach Adoneinu and will also bring about the Techiyas HaMesim for us through His gevurah (power).

¹⁵ Do you not have da’as that your gufot (bodies) are evarim (members, limbs) of Moshiach? Should I then take the evarim (members) of Moshiach and make them evarim (members) of a zonah (prostitute)? Chas v’Shalom! (G-d forbid!)

¹⁶ Or do you not have da’as that of the one joining himself to a zonah, that V’HAYU L’VASAR ECHAD ("And they will be as one flesh" BERESHIS 2:24)?

¹⁷ But the one with deveykus ("cleaving, attachment" DEVARIM 11:22) to Hashem has achdus (union) in the Ruach Hakodesh with Elohim.

¹⁸ Flee zenut (MISHLE 6:23-7:27)! Every chet is outside the body, but the one guilty of zenut commits chet against the body itself.

¹⁹ Or have you no da’as that your body is a Heikhal Hashem of the Ruach Hakodesh in you, whom you have from Hashem, and you are not your own?

²⁰ For [the Geulah redemption of] you [from the Golus of Chet] was purchased with a price; therefore, bring kavod to Hashem with your gufot. [TEHILLIM 74:2]

7 Now, concerning the things in your iggeret, let’s take up the next inyan (topic): “it is beneficial for a man not to touch an isha” [i.e., postpone the chasunoh (wedding)].

² But, because of the acts of zenut, let each Ben Adam have his own Isha, and let each Isha have her own Ba’al (Husband).

³ Let the ba’al render the conjugal choiv (debt) to his isha, and likewise also the isha to her ba’al (husband).

⁴ It is not the isha who has samchut (authority) over her own body, but the ba’al (husband); likewise, also it is not the ba’al (husband) who has samchut over his own body, but the isha.

⁵ Do not deprive each other, unless by agreement for a set time, that you may renew zerizut (diligence) to tefillah (prayer) and again you may be together, lest Hasatan lead you into nissayon (temptation) because of your lack of shlitah atzmi (self-control). [SHEMOT 19:15; SHMUEL ALEF 21:4,5]

⁶ But I say this according to concession (T.N. in view of 5:1-5; 6:12-20), not according to [Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach’s] mitzvoh.

⁷ But, I wish kol Bnei Adam even to be as I am; however, [this is impossible since] each has his own matanah (gift) from Hashem: one this; and another that.

⁸ But, I say to the bochrim and the almanot (widows), it is beneficial for them if they remain as I am;

⁹ But if they do not have shlitah atzmi, let them marry. For better it is to marry than with Eish to be set ablaze.

¹⁰ But to the ones having entered bibrit hanissuim (in covenant of marriage), I charge, not I but Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu, an isha is not to separate from her ba’al (husband). [Mal 2:14-16]

¹¹ But, if indeed she is separated, let her remain so, or be reconciled to her basherter; and a ba’al should not leave his isha.

¹² But, to the rest I‖Sha’ul‖not Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu, say: if any Ach b’Moshiach has an isha who is an Apikoros and she is willing to live with him, let him not leave her;

¹³ And if an isha has a ba’al (husband) who is an Apikoros, and he is willing to dwell with her, let her not leave her ba’al (husband).

¹⁴ For, [T.N. following the principle of bikkurim], the ba’al who is an Apikoros is mekudash b’Ruach Hakodesh (set apart as holy in the Ruach Hakodesh) by the isha, and the isha who is an Apikoros likewise by the Ach b’Moshiach; otherwise, your yeladim are tema’im (unclean); but now they are tehorim (clean). [MALACHI 2:15]

¹⁵ But, if the one who is an Apikoros separates and departs, let the separation occur; the Ach b’Moshiach has not been enslaved, or the Achot b’Moshiach in such cases; but Hashem has given you a kri’ah b’shalom.

¹⁶ For how do you know, isha, if you will not bring your basherter (destined mate), your ba’al, to Yeshu’at Eloheinu?

¹⁷ Only each of you walk the derech [T.N. according to Hashem’s tochnit or etzah Ro 8:28] to which you were called by Hashem (TEHILLIM 1:6). This is my charge in all the kehillot of Moshiach.

¹⁸ If as a ben Berit with bris milah anyone received their kri’ah, let him not conceal it; if anyone without bris milah has been called, let him without bris milah not undergo bris milah.

¹⁹ Bris milah is not everything; nor is the lack of it; but being shomer mitzvot Hashem.

²⁰ Each one walk the derech of his kri’ah (calling, summons), and remain there.

²¹ If while a bond servant you were called, do not let it consume you, although if you can gain your deror ("freedom, liberty" VAYIKRA 25:10), do so.

²² For, the one in Hashem having been called while a bond servant is [Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach] Adoneinu’s ben Chorin (freedman); likewise, the one having been called while a ben Chorin is the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach’s bond servant.

²³ You were bought with a pidyon nefesh price; do not become avadim haBnei Adam.

²⁴ Each one wherever on the derech of Chayyim he was called, Achim b’Moshiach, there let him remain in deveykus with Hashem.

²⁵ Next sugya (topic): concerning the betulot (virgins). A mitzvoh of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu I do not have, but a bit of wisdom I offer as one who by the rachamim Hashem is ne’eman (faithful).

²⁶ I consider therefore, it to be beneficial, because of the impending Crisis (T.N. i.e., the Chevlei Moshiach and eschatological woes preceding the Bias Moshiach) that you remain as you are.

²⁷ Have you entered bibrit hanissuim (in covenant of marriage) with an isha? Do not seek to be free. Are you freed from an isha? Do not seek an isha.

²⁸ But if indeed you enter bibrit hanissuim (in covenant of marriage), there is no chet; and if the betulah (virgin) marries, there is no averah in that for her. But such will have tzoros in the basar, which I am trying to spare you (Mt.24:19).

²⁹ Now this I say, Achim b’Moshiach, the time [until HaKetz] has been shortened. From now on, let those having nashim live as if not having nashim,

³⁰ And let the ones weeping as not weeping, and let the ones having simcha as not having simcha, and let the ones buying as not possessing,

³¹ And let the ones using the Olam Hazeh as not fully using it, for the present form of the Olam Hazeh is passing away.

³² But I would have you free from atzvat lev (heartache). The ben Adam without isha cares for the things of Hashem, how he may please Hashem.

³³ But the one having taken an isha cares for the things of the Olam Hazeh, how he may please his isha,

³⁴ And he has been divided (1:13). Both the isha free of a ba’al or the betulah cares for the things of Hashem, that she may be tehorah spiritually and physically. But the isha with a ba’al cares for the things of the Olam Hazeh, how she may please her ba’al.

³⁵ Now, this I say for your own benefit, not that I may throw a noose on your deror (“freedom” VAYIKRA 25:10), but I speak with respect to what is decent, seemly, and sits well with Hashem, without distraction [in avodas kodesh]. [TEHILLIM 86:11]

³⁶ However, if anyone thnks he does not have proper hitnahagut (conduct) toward the betulah of his eirusin (betrothal, engagement), and if he thinks his basherte (destined mate) is getting along in years, and thus it has to be, what he desires, let him do; there is no chet, let them enter bibrit hanissuim (in convenant of marriage).

³⁷ But he who in his lev has settled the decision, not having the need [of conjugal intimacy], but having mastery concerning his own desire, and thus he in his lev has decided, not to enter bibrit hanissuim with his betulah (virgin), he does well.

³⁸ So then both the one entering bibrit hanissuim with his betulah does well, and the one not entering bebrit hanissuim with his arusah (betrothed) will do better (7:34).

³⁹ An isha has been bound (bibrit hanissuim, in covenant of marriage) for so long a time as her ba’al lives, but if her ba’al should sleep the sleep of the mesim, she is free to enter bibrit hanissuim with the ba’al she desires, but only in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu.

⁴⁰ However, happy is she, and even more so, if she remains as she is; and I think in this bit of wisdom I am offering that I have the Ruach Hakodesh.