See in Reader
12 KiB
1 Corinthians 6
1 Corinthians 6:1
Connecting Statement:
Paul explains how believers are to settle disagreements with other believers.
dispute
in this case a legal complaint, argument, or disagreement
does he dare ... holy people?
Paul is angry because he thinks that the Corinthians are doing a great wrong by taking their disputes with each other to the civil court. Alternate translation: "it is wrong for him to dare ... holy people." or "he should fear God and not ... God's holy people." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
to go to law before the unrighteous rather than before God's holy people
to have the unrighteous, not God's holy people, decide who is right and wrong and how to punish the wrongdoer
the unrighteous
judges who do not believe in Jesus
1 Corinthians 6:2
Do you not know that God's holy people will judge the world?
Paul uses a question to shame the Corinthians for their behavior. Alternate translation: "You act like you do not know that God's holy people will judge the world." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
If then you will judge the world, are you not able to settle matters of little importance?
Because they will be given greater responsibility later, they should be responsible for lesser things now. Alternate translation: "You will judge the world in the future, so you should be able to settle this small matter now." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
1 Corinthians 6:3
judge matters of this life
"stop arguments about things that have to do with this life"
Do you not know that we will judge the angels?
Paul is surprised that they do not seem to know. Alternate translation: "You know that we will judge the angels." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
we
Paul includes himself and the Corinthians. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-exclusive)
How much more, then, can we judge matters of this life?
Because they will be given greater responsibility later, they should be responsible for lesser things now. Alternate translation: "Because we know we will judge the angels, we can also be sure that God will enable us to judge matters in this life." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
1 Corinthians 6:4
If then you have to make judgments that pertain to daily life
"If you are called upon to make decisions about daily life" or "If you must settle matters that are important in this life"
do you lay such cases as these before those who have no standing in the church?
Possible meanings are that 1) this is a rhetorical question and Paul is rebuking the Corinthians for laying their cases before people of no standing in the church. Alternate translation: "you should not lay such cases as these before those who have no standing in the church." or 2) this is a command to lay their cases before even people of no standing in the church, rather than to people outside of the church. Alternate translation: "lay cases such as these even before people in the church who have no standing, not before people outside of the church." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
1 Corinthians 6:5
to your shame
"to your dishonor" or "to show how you have failed in this matter"
Is there no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between brothers?
Paul is shaming the Corinthians. Alternate translation: "You should be ashamed that you cannot find a wise believer to settle arguments between brothers" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
brothers
Here this means fellow Christians, including both men and women.
dispute
argument or disagreement
1 Corinthians 6:6
But one brother goes to law against another brother—and this before unbelievers
"But brothers who have disputes with each other ask judges who do not believe in Christ to make decisions for them" or "It is bad that brothers have such bad disputes with each other that they go to court; it is even worse that those courts are run by unbelievers"
brother goes to law against another brother
Here "brother" means fellow Christian, including both men and women.
goes to law
asks the civil court to judge the matter
and this before unbelievers
Possible meanings are 1) "and the brothers have unbelieving judges make decisions for them" or 2) "and unbelievers in the community see brothers disputing with one another"
1 Corinthians 6:7
is already a defeat
"is already a failure"
Why not rather suffer the wrong? Why not rather allow yourselves to be cheated?
Paul continues to shame the Corinthians. Alternate translation: "It would be better to let others wrong you and cheat you than to take them to court." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
1 Corinthians 6:8
your own brothers
Here "brothers" means fellow Christians, including both men and women.
1 Corinthians 6:9
Do you not know that ... kingdom of God?
Paul emphasizes that they should already know this truth. Alternate translation: "You already know that ... kingdom of God." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
inherit
Receiving what God has promised believers is spoken of as if it were inheriting property and wealth from a family member. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
inherit the kingdom of God
God will not judge them as righteous at the judgment, and they will not enter eternal life.
male prostitutes, those who practice homosexuality
Possible meanings are 1) this is a merism for all homosexual activity or 2) Paul is naming two different activities. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-merism)
male prostitutes
Possible meanings are 1) men who allow other men to sleep with them or 2) men who allow men who pay them to sleep with them or 3) men who allow other men to sleep with them as part of a religious activity.
those who practice homosexuality
men who sleep with other men
1 Corinthians 6:10
thieves
people who steal from others
the greedy
people who are willing to use evil means to take others' property
1 Corinthians 6:11
you have been cleansed
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God has cleansed you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
you have been sanctified
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God has set you apart for himself" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
you have been justified
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God has made you right with him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
"Name" here is a metonym for the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Alternate translation: "by the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
1 Corinthians 6:12
Connecting Statement:
Paul reminds the Corinthian believers that God wants them pure because Christ has bought them with his death. Their bodies are now God's temple. He does so by saying what the Corinthians might say and then correcting them.
"Everything is lawful for me," but
Possible meanings are 1) Paul is saying what some Corinthians might be thinking. Alternate translation: "People say, 'I am allowed to do anything,' but" or 2) Paul is saying what he thinks is true. Alternate translation: "I am allowed to do anything, but"
but not everything is profitable
Paul is answering whoever says, "Everything is lawful for me." Alternate translation: "but not everything is good for me"
I will not be mastered by any of them
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "I will not allow these things to rule over me like a master" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
1 Corinthians 6:13
"Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food," but God will do away with both of them
Possible meanings are 1) Paul is correcting what some Corinthians might be thinking, "food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food," by answering that God will do away with both the stomach and food or 2) Paul actually agrees that "food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food," but he is adding that God will do away with both of them.
Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food
One possible meanings is that the speaker is speaking indirectly of the body and sex, but you should translate this literally as "stomach" and "food."
do away with
"destroy"
1 Corinthians 6:14
raised the Lord
"caused the Lord to live again"
1 Corinthians 6:15
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
The word translated as "members" refers to parts of a body. Our belonging to Christ is spoken of as if we were parts of his body. We belong to him so much that even our bodies belong to him. Paul uses this question to remind the people of something they should already know. Alternate translation: "You should know that your bodies belong to Christ." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
Shall I then take away the members of Christ and join them to a prostitute? May it not be!
Paul uses this question to emphasize how wrong it is for someone who belongs to Christ to go to a prostitute. Alternate translation: "I am part of Christ. I will not take my body and join myself to a prostitute!" or "We are parts of Christ's body. We must not take our bodies and join ourselves to prostitutes!" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
May it not be!
"That should never happen!" or "We must never do that!"
1 Corinthians 6:16
Do you not know that ... her?
Paul begins to teach the Corinthians by emphasizing a truth that they already know. "I want to remind you that ... her." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her
This can also be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "when a man joins his body to the body of a prostitute, it is as if their bodies become one body" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
1 Corinthians 6:17
he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him
This can also be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "when the Lord joins his spirit to the spirit of a person, it is as if their spirits become one spirit" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
1 Corinthians 6:18
Run away from
Paul speaks of a person rejecting sexual sin as if that person were running away from danger. Alternate translation: "Get away from" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
immorality! Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but
Possible meanings are 1) Paul is showing that sexual sin is especially bad because it is not only against others but against the sinner's own body or 2) Paul is quoting what some Corinthians were thinking. Alternate translation: "immorality! Some of you are saying, 'Every sin that a person commits is outside the body,' but I say that" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
sin that a person commits
"evil deed that a person does"
1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know ... God? Do you not know that you are not your own?
Paul is continuing to teach the Corinthians by emphasizing what they already know. Alternate translation: "I want to remind you ... God and that you are not your own." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
your body
the body of each individual Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit
temple of the Holy Spirit
A temple is dedicated to divine beings, and it is also where they dwell. In the same way, the bodies of believers are like temples because the Holy Spirit lives within them. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
1 Corinthians 6:20
For you were bought with a price
God paid for the freedom of the Corinthians from the slavery of sin. This can be stated in an active form. Alternate translation: "God paid for your freedom" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Therefore
"Because what I have just said is true,"