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Lawsuits Among Believers

Does any one of you, when he has a 1case against another, dare to be tried before the unrighteous and anot before the 2saints? Or ado you not know that bthe 1saints will judge cthe world? If the world is judged by you, are you not worthy to 2constitute the smallest law courts? aDo you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint those who are of no account in the church as judges? aI say this to your shame. Is it really this way: there is not one wise man among you who will be able to pass judgment between his bbrothers? On the contrary, brother is tried with brother, and that before aunbelievers!

Actually, then, it is already a failure for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. aWhy not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your abrothers.

Or ado you not know that the unrighteous will not binherit the kingdom of God? cDo not be deceived; dneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor 1effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will ainherit the kingdom of God. 11 aAnd such were some of you; but you were bwashed, but you were csanctified, but you were djustified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Flee Sexual Immorality

12 aAll things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 aFood is for the 1stomach and the 2stomach is for food, but God will bdo away with both 3of them. Yet the body is not for sexual immorality, but cfor the Lord, and dthe Lord is for the body. 14 Now God has not only araised the Lord, but bwill also raise us up through His power. 15 aDo you not know that byour bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? cMay it never be! 16 Or ado you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “bTHE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is aone spirit with Him. 18 aFlee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the 1sexually immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or ado you not know that byour body is a 1sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from 2God, and that cyou are not your own? 20 For ayou were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in byour body.

Lawsuits Discouraged

Does any one of you, when he has a 1case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and anot before the 2saints? Or ado you not know that bthe 1saints will judge cthe world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to 2constitute the smallest law courts? aDo you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, 1do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? aI say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his bbrethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before aunbelievers?

Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. aWhy not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your abrethren.

Or ado you not know that the unrighteous will not binherit the kingdom of God? cDo not be deceived; dneither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor 1effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will ainherit the kingdom of God. 11 aSuch were some of you; but you were bwashed, but you were csanctified, but you were djustified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

The Body Is the Lord’s

12 aAll things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 aFood is for the 1stomach and the 2stomach is for food, but God will bdo away with both 3of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but cfor the Lord, and dthe Lord is for the body. 14 Now God has not only araised the Lord, but bwill also raise us up through His power. 15 aDo you not know that byour bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? cMay it never be! 16 Or ado you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “bTHE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is aone spirit with Him. 18 aFlee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the 1immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or ado you not know that byour body is a 1temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from 2God, and that cyou are not your own? 20 For ayou have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in byour body.

Lawsuits Discouraged

Does any one of you, when he has a 1case against 2his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and anot before the 3saints? Or ado you not know that bthe 1saints will judge cthe world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to form the smallest 2law courts? aDo you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, 1do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? aI say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you anyone wise who will be able to decide between his bbrothers and sisters, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before aunbelievers?

Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. aWhy not rather suffer the wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves do wrong and defraud. And this to your abrothers and sisters!

Or ado you not know that the unrighteous will not binherit the kingdom of God? cDo not be deceived; dneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor 1homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will ainherit the kingdom of God. 11 aSuch were some of you; but you were bwashed, but you were csanctified, but you were djustified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and 1in the Spirit of our God.

The Body Is the Lord’s

12 aAll things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 aFood is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, however God will bdo away with both 1of them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but cfor the Lord, and dthe Lord is for the body. 14 Now God has not only araised the Lord, but bwill also raise us up through His power. 15 aDo you not know that byour bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? 1cFar from it! 16 Or ado you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “bTHE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is aone spirit with Him. 18 aFlee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the 1sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or ado you not know that byour body is a 1temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from 2God, and that cyou are not your own? 20 For ayou have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in byour body.

Lawsuits Discouraged

Does any one of you, when he has a 1complaint (civil dispute) with another believer, dare to go to law before unrighteous men (non-believers) ainstead of placing the issue before the saints (God’s people) ? 1aDo you not know that bthe saints (God’s people) will one day judge cthe world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent 2to try trivial (insignificant, petty) cases? aDo you not know that we believers will judge angels? How much more then as to matters of this life? So if you have lawsuits dealing with matters of this life, are you appointing those as judges to hear disputes who are of no account in the church? aI say this to your shame. Can it be that there is not one wise man among you who is governed by integrity and will be able and competent to decide private disputes between his bfellow believers, but instead, brother goes to law against brother, and that before judges who are aunbelievers?

Why, the very fact that you have lawsuits with one another is already a defeat. aWhy not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, it is you who wrong and defraud, and you do this even to your abrothers and sisters.

aDo you not know that the unrighteous will not binherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? cDo not be deceived; 1dneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor (perversely) effeminate, nor 2homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander, nor swindlers will ainherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. 11 And asuch were some of you before you believed. But you were bwashed by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, you were csanctified set apart for God, and made holy, you were djustified declared free of guilt in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit of our God the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior.

The Body Is the Lord’s

12 aEverything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything and brought under its power, allowing it to control me. 13 aFood is for the stomach and the stomach for food, but God will bdo away with both of them. The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but cfor the Lord, and dthe Lord is for the body to save, sanctify, and raise it again because of the sacrifice of the cross. 14 And God has not only araised the Lord to life, but bwill also raise us up by His power. 15 aDo you not know that byour bodies are members of Christ? Am I therefore to take the members of Christ and make them part of a 1prostitute? cCertainly not! 16 aDo you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “bTHE TWO SHALL BE ONE FLESH.” Gen 2:24 17 But the one who is united and joined to the Lord is aone spirit with Him. 18 aRun away from sexual immorality in any form, whether thought or behavior, whether visual or written. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the one who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. 19 aDo you not know that byour body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have received as a gift from God, and that cyou are not your own property? 20 aYou were bought with a price you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own. So then, honor and glorify God with byour body.

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