17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;(A) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.(B)

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17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

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Warning Against Idleness

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,(A) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from(B) every believer who is idle and disruptive(C) and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

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14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,(A) in order that they may feel ashamed.(B) 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.(C)

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14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

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I wrote to you in my letter not to associate(A) with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world(B) who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister[a](C) but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater(D) or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.(E)

12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside(F) the church? Are you not to judge those inside?(G) 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”[b](H)

Lawsuits Among Believers

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?(I) Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?(J) And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you.(K) Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?(L) But instead, one brother(M) takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!(N)

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?(O)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:11 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 8:11, 13.
  2. 1 Corinthians 5:13 Deut. 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit.(A) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus(B) on the one who has been doing this. So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over(C) to Satan(D) for the destruction of the flesh,[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
  2. 1 Corinthians 5:5 Or of his body

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

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I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come,(A) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.(B) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.(C)

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I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

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11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(A) but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

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11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

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17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.(A) Keep away from them.(B) 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,(C) but their own appetites.(D) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive(E) the minds of naive people.

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17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

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12 And you will know that I am the Lord,(A) for you have not followed my decrees(B) or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.(C)

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12 And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.

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10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.(A) 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares(B) in their wicked work.

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10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

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Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(B) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(C) and separated from the life of God(D) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(E) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(F) they have given themselves over(G) to sensuality(H) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

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17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

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The punishment(A) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(B) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

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Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

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21 So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves(A) from the unclean practices(B) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,(C) the God of Israel.

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21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,

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