Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
- BSB Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
- NKJV Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
- NASB Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to form the smallest law courts?
- NLT Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?
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
Since the saints will one day judge the world, surely they can settle trivial disputes now. It matters because the believers' future role with Christ should shape how they handle present conflicts.
Overview
Paul appeals to the believers' destiny: united to Christ, they will share in judging the world (cf. Dan. 7:22; Matt. 19:28). If so great a role awaits them, they are surely competent for small matters now. Their high calling in Christ should make resorting to pagan courts unthinkable and lift their vision above petty quarrels.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Matt 19:28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Dan 7:22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
- Rev 20:4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
- Luke 22:30That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Rev 3:21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
- Rev 2:26–27And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
- Dan 7:18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
- Ps 149:5–9Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
- 1 Cor 6:4If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
- Jude 1:14–15And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
- Ps 49:14Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
- 2 Cor 4:18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
- 1 Th 3:13To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
- Zech 14:5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
- 1 Jn 2:16–17For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
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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.
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Original language
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