1 Corinthians 6:1-20
‘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?
2 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?
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the
things of this life!
4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for
a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?
5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody
among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?
6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in
front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have
lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not
rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and
do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers
will not inherit the kingdom of GOD? Do not be deceived:
Neither
the sexually immoral
nor
idolaters
nor
adulterers
nor
men who have sex with men
10 nor thieves
nor
the greedy
nor
drunkards
nor
slanderers
nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of GOD.
11 And that is what some of you
were.
But you
were washed,
you
were sanctified,
you
were justified
in the
name of the LORD JESUS
CHRIST
and by
the SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.’
12 ‘I have the right to do anything,’
you say—
but
not everything is beneficial.
‘I
have the right to do anything’—
but I
will not be mastered by anything.
13 You say,
‘Food
for the stomach and the stomach for food,
and GOD will destroy them
both.’
The
body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for THE LORD, and THE LORD for the body.
14 By HIS power GOD raised THE LORD from the
dead, and HE will raise us also.
15 Do you not know that your bodies
are members of CHRIST
HIMSELF himself? Shall I then take the members of CHRIST and unite them
with a prostitute? Never!
16 Do you not know that he who unites
himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said,
‘The
two will become one flesh.’
17 But whoever is
united with THE LORD
is one with HIM in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual
immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but
whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
19 Do you not know that your bodies
are temples of THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO is in you, whom you have
received from GOD?
You are not your own;
20 you were bought at a
price. Therefore, honor GOD with your bodies.”
