Study Desk

If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court^(a) before the unrighteous,^[a] and not before the saints?

Or 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 cases?

Don't you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters?

So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those^[b] who have no standing^(b) in the church to judge?

I say this to your shame!^(c) Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between his brothers?^(d)

Instead, believer^[c] goes to court against believer, and that before unbelievers!^(e)

Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you.^(f) Why not rather put up with injustice?^(g) Why not rather be cheated?^(h)

Instead, you act unjustly and cheat—and you do this to believers!

Don't you know that the unrighteous⁽ⁱ⁾ will not inherit God's kingdom?^(j) Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters,^(k) adulterers,^(l) or anyone practicing homosexuality,^[d](m)

no thieves,⁽ⁿ⁾ greedy^(o) people, drunkards, verbally abusive people,^(p) or swindlers^(q) will inherit God's kingdom.

And some of you used to be like this.^(r) But you were washed, you were sanctified,^(s) you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

"Everything is permissible^(t) for me,"^[e] but not everything is helpful. "Everything is permissible for me," but I will not be brought under the control of anything.

"Food^(u) for the stomach and the stomach for food," but God will do away with both of them.^[f] The body is not for sexual immorality^(v) but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.^(w)

Don't you know that your bodies are a part of Christ's body?^(x) So should I take a part of Christ's body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not!

Don't you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh. ^(y)[g]

But anyone joined^(z) to the Lord is one spirit^(aa) with Him.

Run^(ab) from sexual immorality! "Every sin a person can commit is outside the body."^[h] On the contrary, the person who is sexually immoral^(ac) sins against his own body.

Don't you know that your body is a sanctuary^(ad) of the Holy Spirit^(ae) who is in you,^(af) whom you have from God? You are not your own,

for you were bought^(ag) at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.^[i]