1 Corinthians 6

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

1Do any of you have a problem with another believer? How can you take it to a public court? Those judges do not follow God. Take it to God's own people instead.

2Do 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?

2Don't you know that God's people will one day judge the world? If you will judge the whole world, you can judge small problems.

3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

3Don't you know that we will even judge angels? Then surely we can judge everyday matters.

4If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

4So when you have everyday problems to settle, do you go to judges the church thinks little of?

5I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

5I say this to make you feel ashamed. Is there really no wise person among you? Can no one help two believers settle a fight?

6But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

6Instead, one believer takes another believer to court. And people who do not believe watch it happen.

7Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

7Having these court fights at all means you have already lost. Why not let yourself be wronged instead? Why not let someone cheat you?

8Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

8But instead, you are the ones who cheat and do wrong. You even do it to other believers.

9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

9Don't you know that people who do wrong will not share in God's kingdom? Do not be fooled. This includes people who use sex in wrong ways. It includes people who worship false gods. It includes people who break their marriage promises. It includes men who have sex with men.

NoteThe KJV words here are "effeminate" and "abusers of themselves with mankind." Today "effeminate" means acting in a womanly way, but that is not what the Greek word means. The two old words together point to men who have sex with men.

10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

10It also includes thieves, greedy people, and drunks. It includes people who insult others and people who cheat. None of them will share in God's kingdom.

11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

11Some of you used to live that way. But you were washed clean. You were set apart as God's own. God said you were right with him. This came through the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

12All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

12People say, "I am allowed to do anything." But not everything is good for me. I am allowed to do anything. Even so, I will not let anything become my master.

13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

13People say, "Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food." But God will do away with both of them. Your body is not for using sex in wrong ways. Your body is for the Lord, and the Lord is for your body.

NoteIn 1611 "meats" meant food of any kind, not just meat from animals.

14And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

14God raised the Lord Jesus back to life. God will use that same power to raise us too.

15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

15Don't you know your bodies are parts of Christ's own body? Should I take a part of Christ and join it to a prostitute, someone paid for sex? Never!

16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

16Don't you know that a man who joins with a prostitute becomes one body with her? God's word says, "The two will become one flesh."

17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

17But a person who joins with the Lord becomes one with him in spirit.

18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

18Run away from using sex in wrong ways. Every other sin a person does happens outside the body. But this sin is against a person's own body.

19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

19Don't you know your body is a temple, a house where God's Holy Spirit lives? God gave you that Spirit. You do not belong to yourself.

NoteThe KJV says "Holy Ghost." In 1611, "ghost" simply meant spirit. It is the same as "Holy Spirit."

20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

20God bought you, and the price was high. So honor God with your body and with your spirit. Both of them belong to him.