1 Corinthians 5 6

1 Corinthians 5:6 kjv

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

1 Corinthians 5:6 nkjv

Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

1 Corinthians 5:6 niv

Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?

1 Corinthians 5:6 esv

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

1 Corinthians 5:6 nlt

Your boasting about this is terrible. Don't you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?

1 Corinthians 5 verses

1 Corinthians 5 6 Meaning

Paul sternly confronts the Corinthian church, condemning their inappropriate boasting in light of a severe moral failure (incest) within their midst. He employs the potent metaphor of leaven to convey that a small amount of sin, left unaddressed, has the insidious power to permeate and corrupt the entire community of believers, underscoring the vital necessity of addressing unrepentant sin for the spiritual health of the whole body.

1 Corinthians 5 6 Context

This verse is situated within Paul's fervent rebuke to the Corinthian church regarding their astonishing complacency and even arrogance in the face of a grievous sin. Specifically, Paul addresses the presence of incest (a man living with his father's wife, 1 Cor 5:1) among them. Instead of mourning, humbling themselves, and dealing with the offender, the Corinthians had become "puffed up" (1 Cor 5:2), apparently tolerating, or perhaps even boasting about, their "freedom" or tolerance, rather than upholding holiness. The surrounding verses (1 Cor 5:1-5) describe the sin and Paul's directive for the church to expel the offender. Verse 6 initiates the reasoning for such drastic action: the profound danger a single unaddressed sin poses to the entire community. This passage draws deeply from Old Testament concepts of corporate holiness and the symbolism of leaven from the Passover, underscoring the radical separation from sin required of God's people, now applied to the New Testament church.

1 Corinthians 5 6 Word analysis

• Your boasting (κάυχημᾰ - kauchēma): The Greek term here refers to a boast or something boasted about, often with a sense of pride. In this context, it indicates the Corinthians' self-congratulation or misplaced pride despite, or perhaps because of, their tolerance of egregious sin, implying a perverse spiritual arrogance.
• is not good (οὐ καλός - ou kalos): The Greek kalos means inherently good, morally excellent, or honorable. Paul's statement that their boasting is "not good" delivers a severe moral judgment, signifying that their attitude is ethically wrong, displeasing to God, and detrimental to the church.
• Do you not know (οὐκ οἴδατε - ouk oidate): This is a rhetorical question frequently used by Paul to appeal to knowledge the Corinthians should already possess. It implies that the subsequent truth is fundamental and should be self-evident to mature believers, highlighting their spiritual obtuseness.
• that a little (μικρὰ - mikra): Refers to a small amount or quantity. This emphasizes the disproportional impact: a seemingly minor or contained issue can have vast and pervasive consequences.
• leaven (ζύμη - zymē): This is the central metaphor. In ancient times, a small piece of fermented dough was used to leaven a new batch. Biblically, leaven almost invariably symbolizes corrupting influence—be it sin, wickedness, or false doctrine. Its pervasive nature illustrates how corruption spreads silently but thoroughly.
• leavens (ζυμοῖ - zymoi): The action of fermentation, which causes dough to expand and rise throughout. Metaphorically, it vividly describes the spreading, contaminating effect of sin or evil within a community, affecting its entire composition.
• the whole lump (ὅλον τὸ φύραμα - holon to phyrama): The Greek phyrama refers to a mass of dough. Here, it symbolizes the entire church community in Corinth, indicating that unaddressed sin by even one member will ultimately corrupt and compromise the spiritual integrity and purity of the collective body.

1 Corinthians 5 6 Bonus section

The leaven metaphor’s significance is deeply rooted in the Jewish Passover tradition, where every speck of leaven was diligently purged from homes as a symbol of purification before celebrating the redemption from slavery (Exod 12:15, 19). Paul extends this typology to Christ, our Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7), implying that just as the Israelites purged physical leaven, Christians are called to purge the "old leaven" of sin from their spiritual community. This isn't merely about moralism but about maintaining the holy identity of a people redeemed by Christ, walking in the purity commensurate with their new life in Him. The verse underscores a principle of corporate responsibility: the spiritual state of one member affects all, and the health of the body requires the health of its parts, diligently kept from defilement.

1 Corinthians 5 6 Commentary

Paul’s words in 1 Cor 5:6 serve as a direct, piercing rebuke to the Corinthian church. Their self-satisfied boasting was utterly misplaced, not because of what they thought they were, but because of what they ignored within their ranks. The profound spiritual truth conveyed by the leaven metaphor is universal and timeless: unaddressed sin within a community, no matter how isolated it might seem or how "small" it might be considered, possesses an inherent, dynamic power to spread and corrupt the entire body. Just as a minuscule amount of leaven affects every particle of dough, so too does moral compromise, pride, or doctrinal error permeate and vitiate the purity, witness, and spiritual health of the church. This necessitates swift and decisive action against such elements to preserve the sanctity and integrity of the whole congregation, which is called to be unleavened—pure and dedicated to Christ.