1 Corinthians 15:33

33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” ^[a]

1 Corinthians 15:33 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 15:33

Be not deceived
By such as deny the doctrine of the resurrection, and by their reasonings about it; or by such libertines who go into the denial of it, and argue from thence in favour of their licentious course of life:

evil communications corrupt good manners.
This is a sentence taken out of Menander, an Heathen poet, showing how dangerous is the conversation of evil men, and what an influence bad principles communicated and imbibed, have on the lives and practices of men. This the apostle cites not out of ostentation, or to show his reading, learning, and acquaintance with such sort of writers; but partly to observe, that this was a truth obvious by the light of nature, and partly because such a testimony might be more regarded by the Corinthians, who might be fond of such authors, and what was said by them; just as when he was at Athens among the philosophers there, he cites a passage out of Aratus, ( Acts 17:28 ) as he does another out of Epimenides concerning the Cretians, ( Titus 1:12 ) .

1 Corinthians 15:33 In-Context

31 I face death every day, brothers, as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”

Footnotes

• [a]. Probably a quote from the Greek comedy Thais by Menander