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 D on’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?

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 D on’t you know that we will 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, you have to judge things pertaining to this life, do you set them to judge who are of no account in the assembly?

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. Isn’t there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between his brothers?

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 goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers!

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

7 T herefore it is already altogether a defect in you, that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? 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 o, but you yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that against your brothers.

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

9 O r don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,

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 slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit God’s Kingdom.

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 S uch were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, 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 “ All 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 anything.

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 “ Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods,” but God will bring to nothing both it and them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, 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 N ow God raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up by his power.

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

15 D on’t you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!

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 don’t you know that he who is joined to a prostitute is one body? For, “The two”, he says, “will 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 who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

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

18 F lee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins 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 don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You 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 you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

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.