1 Corinthians 6:1

Amplified Bible

Does any one of you, when he has a complaint (civil dispute) with another [believer], dare to go to law before unrighteous men (non-believers) instead of [placing the issue] before the saints (God's people)?

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
When one of you has something against someone else in your group, why do you go to the judges in the law courts? The way they think and live is wrong. So why do you let them decide who is right? Why don't you let God's holy people decide who is right?

Revised Standard Version
When one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
How dare one of you havinge busines with another goo to lawe vnder the wicked and not rather vnder the sainctes?

Hebrew Names Version
Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the holy ones?

International Standard Version
When one of you has a complaint against another, does he dare to take it before the unrighteous and not before the saints?

New American Standard Bible
Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?

New Century Version
When you have something against another Christian, how can you bring yourself to go before judges who are not right with God? Why do you not let God's people decide who is right?

Update Bible Version
Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

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

English Standard Version
When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

World English Bible
Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, refer it to the unjust, and not to the saints?

Weymouth's New Testament
If one of you has a grievance against an opponent, does he dare to go to law before irreligious men and not before God's people?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Dar any of you that hath a cause ayens another, be demed at wickid men, and not at hooli men?

English Revised Version
Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbour, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Berean Standard Bible
If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints!

Contemporary English Version
When one of you has a complaint against another, do you take your complaint to a court of sinners? Or do you take it to God's people?

American Standard Version
Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Bible in Basic English
How is it, that if any one of you has a cause at law against another, he takes it before a Gentile judge and not before the saints?

Complete Jewish Bible
How dare one of you with a complaint against another go to court before pagan judges and not before God's people?

Darby Translation
Dare any one of you, having a matter against another, prosecute his suit before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Etheridge Translation
DARE any of you, having a suit with his brother, to litigate before the evil, and not before the saints ?

Murdock Translation
Dare any of you, when he hath a controversy with his brother, litigate before the iniquitous, and not before the sanctified?

King James Version (1611)
Dare any of you, hauing a matter against another, goe to law before the vniust, and not before the Saints?

New Living Translation
When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers!

New Life Bible
Why do you go to court when you have something against another Christian? You are asking people who are not Christians to judge who is guilty. You should go to those who belong to Christ and ask them.

New Revised Standard
When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Dare any of you, hauing businesse against an other, be iudged vnder the vniust, and not vnder the Saintes?

George Lamsa Translation
WOULD any of you, having a lawsuit against his brother, dare to go to trial before the wicked rather than before the saints?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Dare any of you, having, a matter against his brother, sue for judgment before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to be judged before the unjust: and not before the saints?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Dare any of you, hauing businesse with another, be iudged vnder the vniust, and not rather vnder ye saintes?

Good News Translation
If any of you have a dispute with another Christian, how dare you go before heathen judges instead of letting God's people settle the matter?

Christian Standard Bible®
If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

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

Lexham English Bible
Does anyone among you, if he has a matter against someone else, dare to go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Literal Translation
Does anyone of you having a matter against another dare to be judged before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Young's Literal Translation
Dare any one of you, having a matter with the other, go to be judged before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
How dare one off you hauynge busynes with another, go to lawe before the vnrighteous, and not before the sayntes?

Mace New Testament (1729)
When any controversy arises among you, will any one presume to appeal to the Gentiles, and not to Christians?

THE MESSAGE
And how dare you take each other to court! When you think you have been wronged, does it make any sense to go before a court that knows nothing of God's ways instead of a family of Christians? The day is coming when the world is going to stand before a jury made up of followers of Jesus. If someday you are going to rule on the world's fate, wouldn't it be a good idea to practice on some of these smaller cases? Why, we're even going to judge angels! So why not these everyday affairs? As these disagreements and wrongs surface, why would you ever entrust them to the judgment of people you don't trust in any other way?

New English Translation
When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints?

New King James Version
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Simplified Cowboy Version
Listen up, when you have a squabble with another of God's cowboys, why in the world would you go to an outsider to judge who is right? That's like letting a city slicker judge the rodeo.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?

Legacy Standard Bible
Does any one of you, when he has a case against another, dare to be tried before the unrighteous and not before the saints?

Contextual Overview

¹Does any one of you, when he has a complaint (civil dispute) with another [believer], dare to go to law before unrighteous men (non-believers) instead of [placing the issue] before the saints (God's people)?²Do you not know that the saints (God's people) will [one day] judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to try trivial (insignificant, petty) cases? ³Do you not know that we [believers] will judge angels? How much more then [as to] matters of this life? ⁴So if you have lawsuits dealing with matters of this life, are you appointing those as judges [to hear disputes] who are of no account in the church? ⁵I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is not one wise man among you who [is governed by integrity and] will be able and competent to decide [private disputes] between his fellow believers, ⁶but instead, brother goes to law against brother, and that before [judges who are] unbelievers? ⁷Why, the very fact that you have lawsuits with one another is already a defeat. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? ⁸On the contrary, it is you who wrong and defraud, and you do this even to your brothers and sisters.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

having: Matthew 18:15-17, Acts 18:14, Acts 18:15, Acts 19:38

go: 1 Corinthians 6:6, 1 Corinthians 6:7

the saints: 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 14:33, 1 Corinthians 16:1, 1 Corinthians 16:15

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:16 - a matter Matthew 18:17 - tell 1 Corinthians 1:11 - that there 1 Corinthians 3:3 - for whereas 1 Corinthians 5:12 - do not 1 Corinthians 11:18 - I hear

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them [granting them certain authority] and said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subjugate it [putting it under your power]; and rule over (dominate) the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Dare any of you, having a matter against another,...., Any thing in difference, an action, cause, or suit. The apostle having dispatched the affair of the incestuous person, and blamed this church for their conduct therein: and having given them instructions what they should do, proceeds to lay before them another evil among them he had to complain of; which was, when any difference arose among them about their worldly concerns, they would

go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints; a method of proceeding condemned by the Jews, who would not suffer any causes of theirs to be tried before Gentiles, only before Israelites; their canon runs thus u,

"he that tries a cause before the judges of the Gentiles, and before their tribunals, although their judgments are as the judgments of the Israelites, lo, this is an ungodly man; and it is as if he blasphemed and reproached, and lift up his hand against the law of Moses our master, as it is said, Exodus 21:1 now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them, ולא לפני גוים, "and not before the Gentiles"; ולא לפני הדיוטות, "and not before idiots", private or illiterate men.''

They looked upon such an action as bad as profaning the name of God; hence they say w,

"we must not try a cause in the courts of the Gentiles, for they come from the strength of judgment; this is Esau an hairy man, for they have no concord nor mercy--and he that comes before thee מחלל הש"י, "profanes the name of God", who is gracious and merciful, and honours the name of an idol--wherefore he that brings a cause before the Gentiles, is the occasion of spreading the property of judgment in the world----therefore let a cause be tried before the Israelites, for they are the secret of mercy, and not before the Gentiles, nor before idiots:''

they affirm x it to be a greater sin than murder, and that not only profanations of the name of God, but rapine and violence are comprehended in it; and that to give evidence in an Heathen court against an Israelite, deserves excommunication; for so it is said, y

"he that bears witness against an Israelite

בערכאות של גוים, "in the courts of the Gentiles", and by his testimony gets money from him, which is not according to the judgment of the Israelites, they excommunicate him until he repays it.''

Again z

"it is forbidden to order causes in the courts of (the rest of the nations) idolaters, for they have no part in the side of our faith.''

The apostle here dissuades from this practice, of going to law before Heathen magistrates, not only from its being an imprudent, but an impudent, "daring", rash and adventurous action; and seems surprised that any should attempt it, when it must unavoidably expose their weaknesses and faults to their enemies; nor could they expect justice to be done them by men of such a character, as "unjust", who neither feared God, nor regarded men; were not only destitute of righteousness, but filled with all unrighteousness, and had not so much as the principles of common justice and equity in them; when on the contrary, from the saints, men who have the principles of grace and holiness wrought in them, and live soberly, righteously, and godly, who have the fear of God before their eyes, and upon their hearts; they might reasonably conclude, were matters brought before them, they would be adjusted according to judgment and truth, without exposing the sin and weakness of any party to the world.

u Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 26. sect. 7. Vid. T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 38. 2. w R. Abraham Seba in Tzeror Hammor, fol. 80. 4. x R. Bechai in Kad Hakkemach, fol. 21. 4. apud Buxtorf, Lex. Talm. col. 1666. y Maimon. Talmud Tora, c. 6. sect. 14. z Zohar in Exod. fol. 103. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Dare any of you - The reasons why the apostle introduced this subject here may have been:

1. That he had mentioned the subject of judging 1 Corinthians 5:13, and that naturally suggested the topic which is here introduced; and,
2. This might have been a prevailing evil in the church of Corinth, and demanded correction. The word “dare” here implies that it was inconsistent with religion, and improper. “can you do it; is it proper or right; or do you presume so far to violate all the principles of Christianity as to do it.”

Having a matter - A subject of litigation; or a suit. There may be differences between people in regard to property and right, in which there shall be no blame on either side. They may both be desirous of having it equitably and amicably adjusted. It is not a difference between people that is in itself wrong, but it is the spirit with which the difference is adhered to, and the unwillingness to have justice done that is so often wrong.

Against another - Another member of the congregation. A Christian brother. The apostle here directs his reproof against the “plaintiff,” as having the choice of the tribunal before which he would bring the cause.

Before the unjust - The pagan tribunals; for the word “unjust” here evidently stands opposed to the saints. The apostle does not mean that they were always unjust in their decisions, or that equity could in no case be hoped from them, but that they were classed in that division of the world which was different from the saints, and is synonymous with unbelieveRS, as opposed to believers.

And not before the saints - Before Christians. Can you not settle your differences among yourselves as Christians, by leaving the cause to your brethren, as arbitrators, instead of going before pagan magistrates? The Jews would not allow any of their causes to be brought before the Gentile courts. Their rule was this, “He that tries a cause before the judges of the Gentiles, and before their tribunals, although their judgments are as the judgments of the Israelites, so this is an ungodly man,” etc. Maimon, Hilch, Sanhedrin, chapter 26 section 7. They even looked upon such an action as bad as profaning the name of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER VI.

The Corinthians are reproved for their litigious disposition;

brother going to law with brother, and that before the

heathen, 1-6.

They should suffer wrong rather than do any, 7, 8.

No unrighteous person can enter into the glory of God, 9, 10.

Some of the Corinthians had been grievous sinners, but God had

saved them, 11.

Many things may be lawful which are not at all times expedient,

12.

Meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats; but the body

is not for uncleanness, 13.

Christ's resurrection a pledge of ours, 14.

The bodies of Christians are members of Christ, and must not be

defiled, 15-17.

He that commits fornication sins against his own body, 18.

Strong dissuasives from it, 19, 20.

NOTES ON CHAP. VI.

Verse 1 Corinthians 6:1. Dare any of you, c.] From the many things that are here reprehended by the apostle, we learn that the Christian Church at Corinth was in a state of great imperfection, notwithstanding there were very many eminent characters among them. Divided as they were among themselves, there was no one person who possessed any public authority to settle differences between man and man therefore, as one party would not submit to the decisions of another, they were obliged to carry their contentions before heathen magistrates; and probably these very subjects of litigations arose out of their ecclesiastical divisions. The thing, and this issue of it, the apostle strongly reprehends.

Before the unjust, and not before the saints? — The heathen judges were termed δικασται from their presumed righteousness in the administration of justice; here the apostle, by a paronomasia, calls them αδικοι, unrighteous persons; and it is very likely that at Corinth, where such corruption of manners reigned, there was a great perversion of public justice; and it is not to be supposed that matters relative to the Christians were fairly decided. The Christians the apostle terms αγιοι saints, which they were all by profession; and doubtless many were so in spirit and in truth.