1 Corinthians 6:1 kjv
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
1 Corinthians 6:1 nkjv
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
1 Corinthians 6:1 niv
If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord's people?
1 Corinthians 6:1 esv
When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?
1 Corinthians 6:1 nlt
When 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 !
1 Corinthians 6 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 6:1 | "Does any one of you, when he has a matter against another, dare to bring it to the unrighteous, and not to the saints?" | Implies judicial impropriety for believers |
| 1 Corinthians 6:2 | "Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try even trivial cases?" | Saints' future judicial authority |
| 1 Corinthians 6:3 | "Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, then, matters of this life?" | Higher judicial authority of believers |
| 1 Corinthians 6:4 | "So if you have such cases, which you despise, do you put them before those who have no standing in the church?" | Shamefulness of secular judgment |
| Matthew 18:15-17 | Jesus' instructions on resolving disputes within the community | Church's internal dispute resolution |
| Romans 12:17-19 | "Repay no one evil for evil... If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." | Principles of peace and non-retaliation |
| Galatians 5:14 | "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" | Love as a basis for community |
| Ephesians 4:26 | "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger," | Managing conflict within the church |
| Colossians 3:12-13 | "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another..." | Mutual forbearance among believers |
| Philippians 2:3-4 | "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." | Humility and consideration of others |
| 1 Thessalonians 4:12 | "...so that you may walk properly in the sight of outsiders and be dependent on no one." | Maintaining a good witness to outsiders |
| Proverbs 11:14 | "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." | Value of counsel and community wisdom |
| Proverbs 14:4 | "Where oxen are, the manger is empty, but abundant strength comes by the strength of an ox." | Importance of community resources |
| Exodus 18:13-26 | Moses appointing judges from among the people | Old Testament precedent for adjudication |
| Deuteronomy 17:6-7 | Requirement for multiple witnesses to convict | Legal principles in ancient Israel |
| Acts 7:51-53 | Stephen rebuking Jewish leaders for opposing the Holy Spirit | Ongoing spiritual opposition |
| John 7:24 | "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." | Principle of righteous judgment |
| Romans 2:1-3 | "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself..." | Hypocrisy of judging others |
| 1 Corinthians 1:10 | "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected into the same mind and the same judgment." | Unity within the Corinthian church |
| 1 Corinthians 1:18 | "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." | Contrasting worldly and divine wisdom |
1 Corinthians 6 verses
1 Corinthians 6 1 Meaning
This verse speaks about believers having the audacity to take disputes, even those concerning worldly matters, before pagan judges rather than within the church community. It questions the wisdom of subjecting fellow believers, who will ultimately be judged by saints, to the arbitration of those outside the faith.
1 Corinthians 6 1 Context
The Corinthian church, despite its spiritual gifts, was rife with divisions and internal strife. Chapter 6 addresses several issues, including lawsuits between believers and sexual immorality. Verse 1 serves as an introduction to the issue of lawsuits, highlighting the perplexing behavior of Corinthians taking disputes before non-Christian courts. Paul questions why believers, who are part of a spiritual community and will eventually judge the world and angels, would subject such matters to those outside their faith. The cultural context of Roman Corinth involved a complex legal system, but also a societal acceptance of public dispute resolution that might have appealed to the Corinthians' desire for recognition and affirmation.
1 Corinthians 6 1 Word Analysis
- "Dare" (tolma): Greek word suggesting boldness, presumption, or even recklessness. It implies an action that should not be undertaken, especially within the context of the believing community.
- "Anyone" (tis): Any individual believer.
- "One" (heis): Refers to a single person.
- "Of you" (ex humon): From within the church community, highlighting that the issue is internal.
- "When he has" (hotan eche): Upon having or possessing.
- "A matter" (pragma): A dispute, a cause, an affair, a case, or a grievance.
- "Against" (kata): Directed towards or upon.
- "Another" (allon): Another fellow believer.
- "Bring" (eisphero): To bring in, carry into, or present before.
- "To the unrighteous" (epi tous adikous): Before those who are unjust, wicked, or ungodly; in this context, referring to unbelieving judges or secular courts.
- "And not" (kai ou): Conjunction indicating contrast.
- "To the saints" (epi tous hagious): Before the holy ones; meaning fellow believers who are set apart by God.
Words Group Analysis:
- "dare to bring it to the unrighteous": This phrase encapsulates the central problem. The "dare" suggests a wrong, almost insolent, step taken by a believer. Bringing a case before "the unrighteous" (non-believers) indicates a failure to trust in and utilize the internal mechanisms and spiritual authority within the church for conflict resolution.
- "and not to the saints": This is the proposed alternative. It emphasizes the sufficiency of the community of believers for handling their own affairs. The implication is that believers possess the spiritual maturity and the divine mandate to arbitrate among themselves.
1 Corinthians 6 1 Bonus Section
The absence of the concept of suing within the Old Testament legal framework, where disputes were often handled by elders at the city gate, underscores the ancient tradition of community-based dispute resolution. Jesus' teachings in Matthew 18 provide a clear pathway for reconciliation within the community before escalating to external bodies. The question Paul poses implies that internal church discipline and arbitration are not only possible but divinely intended. Failure to resolve matters internally indicated a spiritual immaturity and a failure to live out the new life in Christ that had been imparted to them.
1 Corinthians 6 1 Commentary
Paul expresses strong disapproval of believers taking their disputes to secular courts presided over by unbelievers. This practice undermined the testimony of the church and revealed a lack of trust in the spiritual maturity and authority God had given to His people. The Corinthians were spiritual, having received God's gifts, and were destined to judge the world. Therefore, it was illogical and shameful to seek judgment from those who had no standing in God's kingdom for matters that could be resolved internally. Paul advocates for the church to be a self-sufficient community in matters of justice, reflecting God's own order and righteousness.