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

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!

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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!