1 Corinthians Chapter 6

He blames them for going to law before unbelievers. Of sins that exclude from the kingdom of heaven. The evil of fornication.

6:1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to be judged before the unjust: and not before the saints?

6:2. Know you not that the saints shall judge this world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

6:3. Know you not that we shall judge angels? How much more things of this world?

6:4. If therefore you have judgments of things pertaining to this world, set them to judge who are the most despised in the church.

6:5. I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not among you any one wise man that is able to judge between his brethren?

6:6. But brother goeth to law with brother: and that before unbelievers.

6:7. Already indeed there is plainly a fault among you, that you have law suits one with another. Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

A fault. . .Lawsuits can hardly ever be without a fault, on the one side or the other; and oftentimes on both sides.

6:8. But you do wrong and defraud: and that to your brethren.

6:9. Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers:

6:10. Nor the effeminate nor liers with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God.

6:11. And such some of you were. But you are washed: but you are sanctified: but you are justified: in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God.

6:12. All things are lawful to me: but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful to me: but I will not be brought under the power of any.

All things are lawful, etc. . .That is, all indifferent things are indeed lawful, inasmuch as they are not prohibited; but oftentimes they are not expedient; as in the case of lawsuits, etc. And much less would it be expedient to be enslaved by an irregular affection to any thing, how indifferent soever.

6:13. Meat for the belly and the belly for the meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord: and the Lord for the body.

6:14. Now God hath raised up the Lord and will raise us up also by his power.

6:15. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid!

6:16. Or know you not that he who is joined to a harlot is made one body? For they shall be, saith he, two in one flesh.

6:17. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

6:18. Fly fornication. Every sin that a man doth is without the body: but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

6:19. Or know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God: and you are not your own?

6:20. For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body.