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Monday, October 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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THE MESSAGE

1 Corinthians 5:3

I'll tell you what I would do. Even though I'm not there in person, consider me right there with you, because I can fully see what's going on. I'm telling you that this is wrong. You must not simply look the other way and hope it goes away on its own. Bring it out in the open and deal with it in the authority of Jesus our Master. Assemble the community—I'll be present in spirit with you and our Master Jesus will be present in power. Hold this man's conduct up to public scrutiny. Let him defend it if he can! But if he can't, then out with him! It will be totally devastating to him, of course, and embarrassing to you. But better devastation and embarrassment than damnation. You want him on his feet and forgiven before the Master on the Day of Judgment.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Backsliders;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Discipline of the Church;   Reproof;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Corinthians;   Excommunication;   Peter;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Church;   Fornication;   Judgment;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Apostasy;   Condemnation;   Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Discipline;   Incest;   Law;   Punishment;   Satan;   Spirit;   Suffering;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Church;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Immortality;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Excommunication;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judge (Office);   Marriage;   Worship;   1 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Corinthians, Second Epistle to;   Paul the Apostle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Body;   Judge Judging (Ethical);   Marriage;   Peter;   Punishment;   Separation;   Spirit Spiritual ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Excommunication;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Corinth;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Confession;   Corinthians, Second Epistle to the;   Excommunication;   Hymenaeus;   Jude, the Epistle of;   Pauline Theology;   Salvation;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Apostle;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
I cannot be there with you in person, but I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did this. I judged him the same as I would if I were really there.
Revised Standard Version
For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For I verely as absent in body even so present in sprete have determyned all redy (as though I were present) of him that hath done this dede
Hebrew Names Version
For I most assuredly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing.
International Standard Version
Even though I am away from you physically, I am with you in spirit. I have already passed judgment on the man who did this, as though I were present with you.Colossians 2:5;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
New Century Version
I am not there with you in person, but I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did that sin as if I were really there.
Update Bible Version
For I truly, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that has so worked this thing,
Webster's Bible Translation
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already as though I were present, [concerning] him that hath so done this deed,
English Standard Version
For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.
World English Bible
For I most assuredly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have already,
Weymouth's New Testament
I for my part, present with you in spirit although absent in body, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has so acted.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y absent in bodi, but present in spirit, now haue demyd as present hym that hath thus wrouyt, whanne
English Revised Version
For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him that hath so wrought this thing,
Berean Standard Bible
Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
Contemporary English Version
I am with you only in my thoughts. But in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already judged this man, as though I were with you in person. So when you meet together and the power of the Lord Jesus is with you, I will be there too.
Amplified Bible
For I, though absent [from you] in body but present in spirit, have already passed judgment on him who has committed this [act], as if I were present.
American Standard Version
For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing,
Bible in Basic English
For I myself, being present in spirit though not in body, have come to a decision about him who has done this thing;
Complete Jewish Bible
For I myself, even though I am absent physically, am with you spiritually; and I have already judged the man who has done this as if I were present.
Darby Translation
For *I*, [as] absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged as present,
Etheridge Translation
But I, while distant from you in body, am near you in spirit, and now judge, as if near you, him who hath done this;
Murdock Translation
And I, while distant from you in body but present with you in spirit, have already, as if present, judged him who perpetrateth this deed;
King James Version (1611)
For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, haue iudged alreadie, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
New Living Translation
Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man
New Life Bible
I am far from you. Even if I am not there, my spirit is with you. I have already said that the man is guilty of this sin. I am saying this as if I were there with you.
New Revised Standard
For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment
Geneva Bible (1587)
For I verely as absent in bodie, but present in spirit, haue determined already as though I were present, that he that hath thus done this thing,
George Lamsa Translation
For while I am far away from you in body, yet I am near you in spirit, and I have already judged, as though I were present, him who has done this deed.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, I, indeed, - being absent in the body, but present in the spirit, have already judged, as present, him who, thus, this thing hath perpetrated: -
Douay-Rheims Bible
I indeed, absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged, as though I were present, him that hath so done,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I veryly, as absent in body, but present in spirite, haue determined alredie, as though I were present, concernyng hym that hath done this deede.
Good News Translation
And even though I am far away from you in body, still I am there with you in spirit; and as though I were there with you, I have in the name of our Lord Jesus already passed judgment on the man who has done this terrible thing. As you meet together, and I meet with you in my spirit, by the power of our Lord Jesus present with us,
Christian Standard Bible®
Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing.
King James Version
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
Lexham English Bible
For although I am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already passed judgment on the one who has done this in this way, as if I were present.
Literal Translation
For as being absent in body, but being present in spirit, I have already judged the one who has worked out this thing, as if I were present:
Young's Literal Translation
for I indeed, as being absent as to the body, and present as to the spirit, have already judged, as being present, him who so wrought this thing:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For I verely as absent in body, but present in sprete, haue determyned allready as though I were present (cocernynge him that hath done this dede)
Mace New Testament (1729)
as for me, though I am absent in person, yet being present by my authority, with regard to him that has committed this fact, I am come to the same resolution, as if I was present,
New English Translation
For even though I am absent physically, I am present in spirit. And I have already judged the one who did this, just as though I were present.
New King James Version
For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I may not be riding with you in person, but I'm still a part of your outfit and in the name of the Lord, I pass judgment on this no-account scoundrel.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
Legacy Standard Bible
For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present:

Contextual Overview

1I also received a report of scandalous sex within your church family, a kind that wouldn't be tolerated even outside the church: One of your men is sleeping with his stepmother. And you're so above it all that it doesn't even faze you! Shouldn't this break your hearts? Shouldn't it bring you to your knees in tears? Shouldn't this person and his conduct be confronted and dealt with? 3I'll tell you what I would do. Even though I'm not there in person, consider me right there with you, because I can fully see what's going on. I'm telling you that this is wrong. You must not simply look the other way and hope it goes away on its own. Bring it out in the open and deal with it in the authority of Jesus our Master. Assemble the community—I'll be present in spirit with you and our Master Jesus will be present in power. Hold this man's conduct up to public scrutiny. Let him defend it if he can! But if he can't, then out with him! It will be totally devastating to him, of course, and embarrassing to you. But better devastation and embarrassment than damnation. You want him on his feet and forgiven before the Master on the Day of Judgment. 6Your flip and callous arrogance in these things bothers me. You pass it off as a small thing, but it's anything but that. Yeast, too, is a "small thing," but it works its way through a whole batch of bread dough pretty fast. So get rid of this "yeast." Our true identity is flat and plain, not puffed up with the wrong kind of ingredient. The Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has already been sacrificed for the Passover meal, and we are the Unraised Bread part of the Feast. So let's live out our part in the Feast, not as raised bread swollen with the yeast of evil, but as flat bread—simple, genuine, unpretentious.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as absent: 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 10:11, 2 Corinthians 13:2, Colossians 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:17

judged: or, determined

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 5:26 - Went Matthew 13:28 - Wilt Matthew 18:17 - let 2 Corinthians 2:1 - I determined 2 Corinthians 10:6 - in 2 Corinthians 12:20 - and that

Cross-References

Genesis 4:25
Adam slept with his wife again. She had a son whom she named Seth. She said, "God has given me another child in place of Abel whom Cain killed." And then Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. That's when men and women began praying and worshiping in the name of God .
Genesis 5:3
When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son who was just like him, his very spirit and image, and named him Seth. After the birth of Seth, Adam lived another 800 years, having more sons and daughters. Adam lived a total of 930 years. And he died.
Luke 1:35
The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God.
Romans 5:12
You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we're in—first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses. Even those who didn't sin precisely as Adam did by disobeying a specific command of God still had to experience this termination of life, this separation from God. But Adam, who got us into this, also points ahead to the One who will get us out of it.
1 Corinthians 15:39
You will notice that the variety of bodies is stunning. Just as there are different kinds of seeds, there are different kinds of bodies—humans, animals, birds, fish—each unprecedented in its form. You get a hint at the diversity of resurrection glory by looking at the diversity of bodies not only on earth but in the skies—sun, moon, stars—all these varieties of beauty and brightness. And we're only looking at pre-resurrection "seeds"—who can imagine what the resurrection "plants" will be like!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I verily, as absent in body,.... As he really was, being now at Philippi, if any dependence is to be had upon the subscription of this epistle; or rather at Ephesus; however, wherever he was, it is certain he was not at Corinth:

but present in spirit; in his affection to them, care of them, and concern for their good, and the glory of God:

have judged already; he had considered of the matter, thought very deliberately about it, and was now come to a point, to a determination concerning it, what to do in it:

as though I were present; upon the spot, in person, to do what he had resolved upon:

to him that hath so done this deed; this infamous one, and in so scandalous a manner, and which was continued in: what that was which the apostle, upon mature deliberation and judgment, determined to do with this wicked man, is expressed in 1 Corinthians 5:5 which is to be connected with this, the whole fourth verse being to be read in a parenthesis, and that was to deliver him to Satan.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I verily - But I, whatever it may cost me; however you may esteem my interference; and whatever personal ill-will may be the result toward me, have adjudged this case to be so flagrant as to demand the exercise of discipline, and since the church to whom it belongs have neglected it, I use the authority of an apostle, and of a spiritual father, in directing it to take place. This was not a formal sentence of excommunication; but it was the declared opinion of an apostle that such a sentence should be passed, and an injunction on the church to exercise this act of discipline.

As absent in body - Since I am not personally present with you, I express my opinion in this manner. I am absent in body from you, and cannot, therefore, take those steps in regard to it which I could were I present.

But present in spirit - My heart is with you; my feelings are with you; I have a deep and tender interest in the case; and I judge as if I were personally present. Many suppose that Paul by this refers to a power which was given to the apostles, though at a distance, to discern the real circumstances of a case by the gift of the Spirit. Compare Col 2:5; 2 Kings 5:26; 2 Kings 6:12. (Whitby, Doddridge, etc.) But the phrase does not demand this interpretation. Paul meant, probably, that though he was absent, yet his mind and attention had been given to this subject; he felt as deeply as though he were present, and would act in the same way. He had, in some way, been fully apprized of all the circumstances of the case, and he felt it to be his duty to express his views on the subject.

Have judged already - Margin, “Determined” κέκρικα kekrika. I have made up my mind; have decided, and do decide. That is, he had determined what ought to be done in the case. It was a case in which the course which ought to be pursued was plain, and on this point his mind was settled. What that course should be he states immediately.

As though I were present - As though I had a personal knowledge of the whole affair, and were with you to advise - We may be certain that Paul had the fullest information as to this case; and that the circumstances were well known. Indeed, it was a case about the facts of which there could be no doubt. They were everywhere known 1 Corinthians 5:1, and there was no need, therefore, to attempt to establish them by formal proof.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 5:3. Absent in body, but present in spirit — Perhaps St. Paul refers to the gift of the discernment of spirits, which it is very likely the apostles in general possessed on extraordinary occasions. He had already seen this matter so clearly, that he had determined on that sort of punishment which should be inflicted for this crime.


 
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