1 Corinthians 6:5

1 Corinthians 6:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?
• English Standard Version (ESV)I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,
• New King James Version (NKJV)I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?

Context of 1 Corinthians 6:5

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? I 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?

1 Corinthians 6:5 word by word

πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν λέγω. οὕτως οὐκ ἔνι ἐν ὑμῖν οὐδεὶς σοφός, ὃς δυνήσεται διακρῖναι ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• shameἐντροπήentropē · shameG1791
• Is itεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• notοὐou · noG3756
• a wiseσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• no, notοὐδέoude · norG3761
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• shall be ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• to judgeδιακρίνωdiakrinō · to judge/doubtG1252
• ·ἀνάana · eachG303
• betweenμέσοςmesos · midstG3319
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• brethrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 6:5

• 1 Corinthians 4:14I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14Does not common sense itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,
• 1 Corinthians 15:34Be sober-minded [be sensible, wake up from your spiritual stupor] as you ought, and stop sinning; for some [of you] have no knowledge of God [you are disgracefully ignorant of Him, and ignore His truths]. I say this to your shame.
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [discarding his worldly pretensions and acknowledging his lack of wisdom], so that he may become [truly] wise.
• 1 Corinthians 4:10We are [regarded as] fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are highly esteemed, but we are dishonored.
• Proverbs 14:8The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of [shortsighted] fools is deceit.
• James 1:5If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.
• James 3:13Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good conduct show his [good] deeds with the gentleness and humility of true wisdom.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 6:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? - Have you none among yourselves that can be arbitrators of the differences which arise, that you go to the heathen tribunals?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5I speak to your shame - I declare that which is a reproach to you, that your matters of dispute are carried before pagan tribunals. Is it so … - Can it be that in the Christian church - the church collected in refined and enlightened Corinth - there is not a single member so wise, intelligent and prudent that his brethren may have confidence in him, and refer their causes to him? Can this be the case in a church that boasts so much of its wisdom, and that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6I say this to your shame: It is a problem for Christians to settle disputes in non-religious courts, as if no one in the church can help resolve them.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. your shame--Thus he checks their puffed-up spirit (1Co 5:2; compare 1Co 15:34). To shame you out of your present unworthy course of litigation before the heathen, I have said (1Co 6:4), "Set the least esteemed in the Church to judge." Better even this, than your present course. Is it so?--Are you in such a helpless state that, &c.? not a wise man--though ye admire "wisdom" so much on other occasions (1Co 1:5, 22). Paul alludes probably to the title…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 6:5

• Arbitration
• Fraternity
• Lawsuits
• Litigation
• Strife

In the dictionaries

• Wise, Man
• Angel
• Extortioner
• Judgment
• Price
• Wash
• Ye
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Pauline Theology
• Peter, the First Epistle of

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings