1 Corinthians 6

Lawsuits among Believers

1 Does any of you who has a complaint against someone dare go to law before the unrighteous,[a] and not before the saints?
2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases?
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels-not to speak of things pertaining to this life?
4 So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those[b] who have no standing in the church to judge?
5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who will be able to arbitrate between his brothers?
6 Instead, brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
7 Therefore, it is already a total defeat for you that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated?
8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat-and this to brothers!
9 Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: no sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals,
10 thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God's kingdom.
11 Some of you were like this; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Glorifying God in Body and Spirit

12 "Everything is permissible for me,"[c] but not everything is helpful. "Everything is permissible for me,"[d] but I will not be brought under the control of anything.
13 "Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods,"[e] but God will do away with both of them.[f] The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
14 God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
15 Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ? So should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Absolutely not!
16 Do you not know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For it says, The two will become one flesh. [g]
17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
18 Flee from sexual immorality! "Every sin a person can commit is outside the body,"[h] but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.
19 Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
20 for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.[i]

Images for 1 Corinthians 6

Footnotes 9

  • [a]. Unbelievers; see v. 6
  • [b]. Or life, appoint those (as a command)
  • [c]. The words in quotation marks are most likely slogans used by some Corinthian Christians. Paul evaluates and corrects these slogans.
  • [d]. The words in quotation marks are most likely slogans used by some Corinthian Christians. Paul evaluates and corrects these slogans.
  • [e]. The words in quotation marks are most likely slogans used by some Corinthian Christians. Paul evaluates and corrects these slogans.
  • [f]. Lit both it and them
  • [g]. Gn 2:24
  • [h]. See note at 1 Co 6:12
  • [i]. Other mss add and in your spirit, which belong to God.

1 Corinthians 6 Commentaries

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