1 Corinthians 6

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

How dare any of you file a lawsuit before pagan judges if you have a dispute with your neighbor! Instead you should bring this before other believers.

2 Do 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?

Don't you know that Christian believers will judge the world? If you're going to judge the world, are you not fit to judge in the most minor cases?

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

Don't you know we are going to judge angels? How much more those things that relate to this life!

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

So if you have to judge things that relate to this life, how can you go to judges that are not respected by the church?

5 I 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?

I'm trying to shame you by saying this. What? You can't find one wise person among you who can settle a dispute that you have?

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

Instead one believer takes another believer to court, and places the issue before unbelievers!

7 Now 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?

The very fact you have lawsuits against each other already is a complete disaster. Wouldn't it be better to accept the injustice? Why not let yourselves be defrauded?

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

But you would rather cause injustice and defraud even your fellow-believers in church.

9 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 mankind,

Don't you know those who are unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don't be fooled! People who are immoral, worship idols, commit adultery, sexual perverts, homosexuals,

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

thieves, greedy, drunkards, abusers, or cheats, will not inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And 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.

Some of you were once like that, but you have been made clean and holy. You have been made right in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

12 All 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.

People say, “I'm free to do anything”—but not everything is appropriate! “I'm free to do anything”—but I will not let anything control me! People say,

13 Meats 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.

“Food for the stomach, and the stomach for food”—but God will destroy both of them. Also, the body is not meant to be used for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

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

By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us up the same way.

15 Know 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.

Don't you know your bodies are parts of Christ's body? Should I take the parts of Christ's body and join them to a prostitute? Absolutely not!

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

Don't you realize that anyone who has sex with a prostitute becomes “one body” with her? Remember that Scripture says, “The two will become one body.”

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

But whoever is joined to the Lord is one with him in spirit!

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

Stay away from sexual immorality! All other sins that people commit are outside of the body, but sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

19 What? 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?

Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit that is within you, that you received from God?

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

You don't belong to yourself—a price was paid for you! So glorify God in your body!