1 Corinthians 6 8

1 Corinthians 6:8 kjv

Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

1 Corinthians 6:8 nkjv

No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!

1 Corinthians 6:8 niv

Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.

1 Corinthians 6:8 esv

But you yourselves wrong and defraud ? even your own brothers!

1 Corinthians 6:8 nlt

Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.

1 Corinthians 6 verses

1 Corinthians 6 8 meaning

This verse directly confronts the Corinthian believers, accusing them of actively practicing injustice against one another. Rather than merely tolerating wrong, which Paul described as a lesser evil, they were initiating and perpetrating fraudulent acts and moral injuries against fellow members of the Christian community. It exposes a profound failure in love and righteous conduct within the church, where believers were behaving worse than unbelievers in their interpersonal dealings.

1 Corinthians 6 8 Context

First Corinthians chapter 6 addresses a scandalous issue in the Corinthian church: believers were suing one another in secular pagan courts. Paul views this behavior as an absolute failure, an indictment of their spiritual maturity and a direct contradiction to the nature of Christian community. In the preceding verses (1 Cor 6:1-6), he questions their inability to resolve disputes internally, highlighting that they, as future judges of the world and angels, should be capable of judging even the smallest matters among themselves. In verse 7, Paul escalates his critique, stating that merely having lawsuits is already a defeat, and that it would be far better to suffer wrong or be defrauded than to engage in such litigation. This sets the stage for verse 8, which reveals an even more deplorable reality: it wasn't just about believers being victims or initiating lawsuits, but that they themselves were actively cheating and harming their own spiritual family. This deeply unrighteous conduct stands in stark contrast to the expected love, peace, and justice within the Body of Christ, bringing public shame upon the Gospel in a city that already held loose moral standards.

1 Corinthians 6 8 Word analysis

• Instead (ἀλλά - alla): This conjunction signifies a strong contrast or opposition. It's not just that they weren't enduring wrong (as suggested in v.7); rather, their behavior was the polar opposite. It underscores a shocking turn of events from merely tolerating wrong to actively inflicting it.
• you yourselves (ὑμεῖς - hymeis): This emphatic pronoun highlights the personal responsibility and culpability of the Corinthian believers. Paul directly accuses them, emphasizing that this injustice was coming from within the church, not just from outside pressures.
• cheat/defraud (ἀδικεῖτε - adikeite): From the verb adikeō, meaning to act unjustly, to wrong, to do injury, to harm, or to defraud. This term encompasses a broad spectrum of unrighteous actions. It stands in direct opposition to dikē (justice/righteousness). Their actions were contrary to divine justice.
• and (καὶ - kai): A simple conjunctive particle, linking two distinct but related negative actions.
• do wrong (ἀποστερεῖτε - aposterete): From the verb apostereō, which carries a stronger sense than adikeite. It means to rob, to deprive of, to defraud, or to withhold unjustly. It often implies a deliberate act of taking what rightfully belongs to another, or failing to give what is due. This term highlights the active, intentional nature of their fraudulent actions.
• to your brothers (τοὺς ἀδελφούς - tous adelphous): This phrase profoundly amplifies the severity of their sin. The victims were not strangers or pagans, but fellow members of the family of God. Such actions directly violated the bonds of Christian love, kinship, and unity, betraying the sacred covenant that ought to exist between believers.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Instead, you yourselves": This phrase sharply pivots from Paul's previous lament in verse 7, where he wishes they would suffer wrong, to the damning truth that they themselves were inflicting wrong. It creates a stark and shocking indictment, emphasizing the internal source of the problem and their direct involvement.
• "cheat and do wrong": This couplet describes a two-fold dimension of their unrighteousness. Adikeite covers the general act of injustice, failing to act rightly, while aposterete specifies the act of depriving or defrauding, highlighting the active taking or withholding of what is due. Together, they depict deliberate and exploitative conduct.
• "to your brothers": This critical designation elevates the offense from a mere civil dispute to a grievous spiritual betrayal. To commit such injustices against those with whom one shares the most intimate spiritual bond—a bond forged in Christ—is profoundly contradictory to the gospel message and the very nature of Christian love and community. It undermines their identity as the redeemed people of God.

1 Corinthians 6 8 Bonus section

This verse serves as a crucial ethical hinge between Paul's denunciation of external litigation and his strong warning about the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10). It demonstrates that active unrighteousness against a fellow believer, especially defrauding them, is a severe sin that puts one in the company of those who will not inherit God's kingdom. Paul doesn't view such actions as mere disagreements but as spiritual transgressions fundamentally opposed to a regenerated life in Christ. The ethical standard for believers is not merely avoiding evil, but actively pursuing justice and demonstrating love within the community, setting an example for the world rather than imitating its flawed systems. The integrity of the church's internal life directly impacts its credibility and power as an evangelistic force.

1 Corinthians 6 8 Commentary

Paul's rebuke in 1 Corinthians 6:8 strikes at the core of Christian ethics and community. He begins by expressing disappointment that Corinthian believers even had legal disputes (v. 7), suggesting it's better to suffer personal loss than to damage the church's witness. However, he then unveils a far more troubling reality: they weren't merely enduring injustice; they were perpetrating it. The use of "instead" (ἀλλά) marks a dramatic shift, exposing a deep hypocrisy where those who claimed Christ were actively defrauding and harming their own spiritual family. The words "cheat" (adikeite) and "do wrong" (aposterete) denote intentional acts of injustice and deprivation, suggesting schemes designed to gain at a brother's expense. Such behavior utterly contradicted the command to love one's neighbor, honor one another, and present a unified witness to the world. It showed a profound lack of spiritual discernment and maturity, revealing hearts more aligned with worldly ambition and greed than with the selfless, sacrificial love exemplified by Christ. This conduct not only tarnished their internal relationships but also severely compromised their integrity and message to the watching pagan society, rendering them indistinguishable from the very world they were called to transform.

• When engaged in financial or legal matters, Christians must prioritize the wellbeing of others and the church's witness over personal gain or asserting individual rights.
• Business dealings between believers should be characterized by an extra measure of generosity, transparency, and integrity, moving beyond mere legal compliance to active pursuit of righteousness and brotherly care.
• If a conflict arises, a believer should be willing to absorb personal loss for the sake of unity and Christ's honor, rather than taking a fellow believer to secular court or engaging in exploitative behavior.