1 Corinthians6
New Living Translation
1When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers!
2Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?
3Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.
4If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?
5I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues?
6But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers!
7Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?
8Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.
9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,
10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
12You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.
13You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.
14And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.
15Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!
16And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.”
17But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.
18Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.
19Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,
20for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Corinthians 6.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Cautions against going to law in heathen courts. (1–8). Sins which, if lived and died in, shut out from the kingdom of God. (9–11). Our bodies, which are the members of Christ, and temples of the Holy Ghost, must not be defiled. (12–20).
vv1-8
Christians should not contend with one another, for they are brethren. This, if duly attended to, would prevent many law-suits, and end many quarrels and disputes. In matters of great damage to ourselves or families, we may use lawful means to right ourselves, but Christians should be of a forgiving temper. Refer the matters in dispute, rather than go to law about them. They are trifles, and may easily be settled, if you first conquer your own spirits. Bear and forbear, and the men of least skill among you may end your quarrels. It is a shame that little quarrels should grow to such a head among Christians, that they cannot be determined by the brethren. The peace of a man's own mind, and the calm of his neighbourhood, are worth more than victory. Lawsuits could not take place among brethren, unless there were faults among them.
vv9-11
The Corinthians are warned against many great evils, of which they had formerly been guilty. There is much force in these inquiries, when we consider that they were addressed to a people puffed up with a fancy of their being above others in wisdom and knowledge. All unrighteousness is sin; all reigning sin, nay, every actual sin, committed with design, and not repented of, shuts out of the kingdom of heaven. Be not deceived. Men are very much inclined to flatter themselves that they may live in sin, yet die in Christ, and go to heaven. But we cannot hope to sow to the flesh, and reap everlasting life. They are reminded what a change the gospel and grace of God had made in them. The blood of Christ, and the washing of regeneration, can take away all guilt. Our justification is owing to the suffering and merit of Christ; our sanctification to the working of the Holy Spirit; but both go together. All who are made righteous in the sight of God, are made holy by the grace of God.
vv12-20
Some among the Corinthians seem to have been ready to say, All things are lawful for me. This dangerous conceit St. Paul opposes. There is a liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, in which we must stand fast. But surely a Christian would never put himself into the power of any bodily appetite. The body is for the Lord; is to be an instrument of righteousness to holiness, therefore is never to be made an instrument of sin. It is an honour to the body, that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead; and it will be an honour to our bodies, that they will be raised. The hope of a resurrection to glory, should keep Christians from dishonouring their bodies by fleshly lusts. And if the soul be united to Christ by faith, the whole man is become a member of his spiritual body. Other vices may be conquered in fight; that here cautioned against, only by flight. And vast multitudes are cut off by this vice in its various forms and consequences. Its effects fall not only directly upon the body, but often upon the mind. Our bodies have been redeemed from deserved condemnation and hopeless slavery by the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We are to be clean, as vessels fitted for our Master's use. Being united to Christ as one spirit, and bought with a price of unspeakable value, the believer should consider himself as wholly the Lord's, by the strongest ties. May we make it our business, to the latest day and hour of our lives, to glorify God with our bodies, and with our spirits which are his.
Key Words
τὶς (tìs): some or any person or object
ὑμῶν (hymōn): of (from or concerning) you
ἔχω (échō): to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
πρᾶγμα (prâgma): a deed; by implication, an affair; by extension, an object (material)
πρός (prós): a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated)
ἕτερος (héteros): (an-, the) other or different
τολμάω (tolmáō): probably itself from the base of G5056 (τέλος) through the idea of extreme conduct); to venture (objectively or in act; while G2292 (θαῤῥέω) is rather subjective or in feeling); by implication, to be courageous
κρίνω (krínō): by implication, to try, condemn, punish
ἐπί (epí): properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.
ἄδικος (ádikos): unjust; by extension wicked; by implication, treacherous; specially, heathen
Cross References
1 Corinthians 6Directly quoted in v16 ("two, saith he, shall be one flesh") to argue against sexual immorality.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Christ's promise that his followers will sit on thrones judging, illustrating saints judging the world.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Old Testament prophecy where judgment is given to the saints of the Most High.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Christ's instructions on resolving disputes internally within the church community rather than public courts.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Parallel vice list showing those who do such things will not inherit God's kingdom.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Verbal and thematic parallel repeating "all things are lawful... but all things edify not."
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reinforces the concept of the believer's body being the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel statement using the exact phrase "ye are bought with a price."
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes Christ's promise of the disciples sitting on thrones judging the tribes of Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Sarcastic rebuke using shame regarding their lack of spiritual wisdom and knowledge.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts temporary physical foods with the spiritual, eternal nature of the kingdom of God.
Supported by John Calvin
Confirms believers are literal members of Christ's body, of His flesh and bones.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Further defense of the local church and individual bodies as temples of the living God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Mentions fallen angels reserved in chains under darkness, whom the saints will judge.
Supported by JFB
Parallel describing the believers' former sinful state and subsequent washing and renewal.
Supported by Matthew Henry