1 D are any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Does any of you dare, when he has a matter of complaint against another, to go to law before unrighteous men instead of before the saints (the people of God)?

2 O r know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Do you not know that the saints (the believers) will judge and govern the world? And if the world is to be judged and ruled by you, are you unworthy and incompetent to try of the smallest courts of justice?

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

Do you not know also that we are to judge the angels and pronounce opinion between right and wrong ? How much more then matters pertaining to this world and of this life only!

4 I f then ye have to judge things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church?

If then you do have such cases of everyday life to decide, why do you appoint those who of the church count for least and are without standing?

5 I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren,

I say this to move you to shame. Can it be that there really is not one man among you who is wise and competent enough to decide between members of the brotherhood,

6 b ut brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?

But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers ?

7 N ay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded?

Why, the very fact of your having lawsuits with one another at all is a defect (a defeat, an evidence of positive moral loss for you). Why not rather let yourselves suffer wrong and be deprived of what is your due? Why not rather be cheated (defrauded and robbed)?

8 N ay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

But yourselves who wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren!

9 O r know 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 men,

Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality,

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

Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.

11 A nd such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

And such some of you were. But you were washed clean (purified by a complete atonement for sin and made free from the guilt of sin), and you were consecrated (set apart, hallowed), and you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

12 A ll things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.

13 M eats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body:

Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, but God will finally end both and bring them to nothing. The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body '> to save, sanctify, and raise it again].

14 a nd God both raised the Lord, and will raise up as through his power.

And God both raised the Lord to life and will also raise us up by His power.

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

Do you not see and know that your bodies are members (bodily parts) of Christ (the Messiah)? Am I therefore to take the parts of Christ and make parts of a prostitute? Never! Never!

16 O r know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.

Or do you not know and realize that when a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? The two, it is written, shall become one flesh.

17 B ut he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

But the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.

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

Shun immorality and all sexual looseness. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

19 O r know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own,

20 f or ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

You were bought with a price '> preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.