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!

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Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Unbelievers; v. 6

Morality in Legal Matters

When one of you has a complaint against another, does he dare to take the matter before those who are unrighteous and not before the saints? You know that the saints will rule the world, don’t you? And if the world is going to be ruled by you, can’t you handle insignificant cases? You know that we will rule angels, not to mention things in this life, don’t you? So if you have cases dealing with this life, why do you appoint as judges people who have no standing in the church? I say this to make you feel ashamed. Has it come to this, that there is not one person among you who is wise enough to settle disagreements between brothers?[a] Instead, one brother goes to court against another brother, and before unbelieving judges,[b] at that! The very fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves is already a defeat for you. Why not rather just accept the wrong? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves practice doing wrong and cheating others, and brothers at that!

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:5 Lit. between his brother
  2. 1 Corinthians 6:6 The Gk. lacks judges