1 Corinthians 6 2

1 Corinthians 6:2 kjv

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

1 Corinthians 6:2 nkjv

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

1 Corinthians 6:2 niv

Or do you not know that the Lord's people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?

1 Corinthians 6:2 esv

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 trivial cases?

1 Corinthians 6:2 nlt

Don'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?

1 Corinthians 6 verses

1 Corinthians 6 2 Meaning

This verse asks if believers are unaware that they, as the redeemed and set-apart people of God, will one day participate in judging the world. Paul then uses this profound future destiny as a strong argument to question their present inability to resolve simple disputes among themselves, highlighting the inconsistency of seeking justice from unrighteous worldly courts when they are destined for a far greater, righteous judgment role.

1 Corinthians 6 2 Context

First Corinthians chapter 6 addresses a scandalous problem within the Corinthian church: believers were suing fellow believers in pagan, unrighteous Roman courts. This act brought dishonor to Christ's name and exposed their spiritual immaturity and failure to embody their new identity in Christ. Paul had previously addressed the need for internal discipline (1 Cor 5) and now confronts this legal issue, urging them to resolve disputes within the church community. The immediate context of verse 2 is Paul's incredulous question, challenging the Corinthians' perceived lack of judgment in handling internal matters, given their future, exalted role in God's cosmic plan. He builds an a fortiori argument: if they are qualified for the greater task (judging the world), they should certainly be capable of the lesser (resolving trivial cases).

1 Corinthians 6 2 Word analysis

• Do you not know (οὐκ οἴδατε, ouk oidate): This is a rhetorical question frequently used by Paul, especially in 1 Corinthians (e.g., 3:16, 5:6, 9:13, 14:33). It implies that the Corinthians should know this truth, indicating either a lapse in their understanding of basic Christian teaching or a wilful disregard of it. It serves as a sharp rebuke, suggesting spiritual dullness or inconsistency.
• that the saints (ὅτι οἱ ἅγιοι, hoti hoi hagioi):
  • that (hoti): Introduces the direct object of "know," indicating the content of the knowledge they should possess.
  • the saints (hoi hagioi): From the Greek hagios, meaning "holy ones," "consecrated," or "set apart" by God for His purpose. In the New Testament, it is the primary term for all Christians, all believers who have been justified and indwelled by the Holy Spirit. It refers not to an elite group of exceptionally pious individuals but to the entire body of Christ, a status granted by God through Christ's sacrifice, not by human merit. This term emphasizes their new identity and separation from the "world."
• will judge (κρινοῦσιν, krinousin): From krinō, meaning to decide, discern, govern, rule, judge, condemn, or execute judgment. The future tense highlights a definite future reality. It suggests not merely making a judicial decision, but holding authority and participating in a ruling capacity alongside Christ in His Kingdom. This "judging" involves discernment and administration within the framework of divine justice.
• the world (τὸν κόσμον, ton kosmon): This refers to humanity that is estranged from God, the unredeemed people of the earth, and often signifies the world system as organized apart from God (1 Jn 2:15-17). The context here points to those outside of Christ, subject to divine judgment.
• And if the world is to be judged by you (καὶ εἰ ἐν ὑμῖν κρίνεται ὁ κόσμος, kai ei en hymin krinetai ho kosmos): This sets up the logical progression of Paul's a fortiori argument.
  • if (ei): Introduces a real condition, assuming the premise is true.
  • is to be judged (krinetai): Present passive voice, suggesting an ongoing or future process that is already decreed.
  • by you (en hymin): Literally "in you" or "among you," often meaning "by means of you" or "through your agency." This indicates participation in, rather than sole responsibility for, the judgment. Believers, being transformed, embody a standard by which the world will implicitly and explicitly be judged, operating under Christ's authority.
• are you incompetent (ἀνάξιοι, anaxioi): From anaxion, meaning "unworthy," "not competent," "not fit," or "unsuitable." It directly questions their capability and appropriateness for the lesser task, especially given their divine appointment for the greater. Paul is not saying they are unworthy, but rhetorically challenging them on whether they perceive themselves as such for this comparatively simple task.
• to try trivial cases? (κριτηρίων ἐλαχίστων, kritērion elachistōn):
  • trivial cases (elachistōn kritērion):
    • trivial (elachistōn): Superlative of elachys, meaning "smallest," "least important," "most insignificant." Paul deliberately diminishes the earthly legal disputes to emphasize their pettiness in light of their grand cosmic destiny.
    • cases (kritērion): Can refer to a law court, a judgment, a tribunal, or a decision itself. Here, it signifies the ordinary legal disputes, the small, mundane matters that were causing friction among the believers.

1 Corinthians 6 2 Bonus section

• The "judgment" believers will participate in is often understood as a joint reign with Christ, an administration of God's justice and rule (cf. Rev 20:4). It implies a position of vindication, honor, and active governance within Christ's Kingdom. It's not a sole condemnatory role, but a participation under Christ's ultimate authority.
• The rhetorical question "Do you not know?" served not only to rebuke but also to awaken the Corinthian believers to foundational truths they had either forgotten or not fully appreciated concerning their spiritual identity and destiny. This suggests a disconnect between their theological knowledge and practical living.
• The fact that they resorted to pagan courts was a failure on two fronts: firstly, a failure to internally resolve conflict with the spiritual wisdom available to them; secondly, a failure of Christian witness, as disputes within the Body of Christ were paraded before the unregenerate world, negating the church's distinctiveness as God's redeemed community.

1 Corinthians 6 2 Commentary

1 Corinthians 6:2 powerfully addresses the incongruity of Christians suing one another in secular courts by reminding them of their extraordinary eschatological destiny. Paul’s "Do you not know?" isn't just a question; it's a scathing indictment of their spiritual ignorance or deliberate oversight. The fundamental truth he asserts is that all believers, designated as "saints"—holy, set apart by God—will participate in the future judgment of "the world," encompassing all unredeemed humanity and its systems. This role signifies their reigning and ruling alongside Christ, administering His righteous judgment, not just observing it.

Building upon this profound truth, Paul employs an a fortiori (from the greater to the lesser) argument: If Christians are to share in Christ's cosmic judicial authority, even judging "the world," then they are undeniably competent to handle their own minor, earthly legal disputes. Their recourse to pagan courts, therefore, reveals not merely a lack of wisdom but a deep spiritual immaturity and a failure to grasp their divine identity and calling. It also brings disgrace to the name of Christ and the integrity of the church, as they were presenting their internal quarrels before those who were unrighteous and had no spiritual basis for rendering Christian justice. This verse underlines the practical implications of a believer's heavenly calling for their earthly conduct and stresses the importance of internal spiritual wisdom for resolving conflicts within the community of faith.