Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”
- KJV Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
- BSB Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- NKJV Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
- NASB Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul warns not to be deceived, for bad company corrupts good character. It matters because false teaching about the resurrection threatened to corrupt the church.
Overview
Quoting a common proverb, Paul warns the Corinthians against the corrupting influence of those who denied the resurrection. Wrong belief leads to wrong behavior, so associations matter. The exhortation calls believers to guard both their doctrine and their conduct from harmful influences.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Prov 13:20One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
- Matt 24:4Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.
- 1 Cor 5:6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?
- Prov 9:6Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”
- Eph 5:6Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
- Gal 6:7Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
- 2 Tim 2:16–18But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness,
- 1 Cor 6:9Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
- Matt 24:24For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
- 2 Pet 2:2Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned.
- Heb 12:15looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;
- 2 Pet 2:18–20For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;
- Matt 24:11Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.
- Rev 12:9The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
- 2 Th 2:10and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
- Rev 13:8–14All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 15:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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