Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
Parallel translations
- KJV Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
- BSB If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints!
- NKJV Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
- NASB Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?
- NLT When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers!
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 is appalled that believers take disputes before pagan courts rather than fellow Christians. It matters because the church should settle its own conflicts in a way that honors Christ.
Overview
Turning to lawsuits, Paul rebukes Corinthians for dragging brothers before 'the unrighteous' secular judges instead of seeking resolution among 'the saints.' Such public litigation damaged the church's witness and ignored the wisdom God grants His people. The verse calls Christians to handle internal grievances within the community of faith, under gospel values.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Matt 18:15–17“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
- Acts 19:38If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.
- 1 Cor 14:33for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.
- 1 Cor 6:6–7But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers!
- 1 Cor 16:1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.
- Acts 18:14–15But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you;
- 1 Cor 16:15Now I beg you, brothers (you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints),
- 1 Cor 1:2to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:
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 6:1 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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