1 Corinthians Chapter 5

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Introduction

This chapter is entirely occupied with a notice of an offence which existed in the church at Corinth, and with a statement of the measures which the apostle expected them to pursue in regard to it. Of the existence of this offence he had been informed, probably by "those of the house of Chloe," 1Cor 1:11, and there is reason to suppose that they had not even alluded to it in the letter which they had sent to him asking advice. See 1Cor 7:1. Comp. the Introduction. The apostle 1Cor 5:1 reproves them for tolerating a species of licentiousness which was not tolerated even by the heathens; he reproves them 1Cor 5:2 for being puffed up with pride even while this scandal existed in their church; he ordered them forthwith to purify the church by removing the incestuous person, 1Cor 5:4, 1Cor 5:5 and exhorted them to preserve themselves from the influence which a single corrupt person might have, operating like leaven in a mass 1Cor 5:6, 1Cor 5:7. Then, lest they should mistake his meaning, and suppose that by commanding them not to keep company with licentious persons, 1Cor 5:9, he meant to say, that they should withdraw from all intercourse with the heathen, who were known to be idolaters and corrupt, he says that that former command was not designed to forbid all intercourse with them, 1Cor 5:9ff); but that he meant his injunction now to extend particularly to such as as were professed members of the church; that they were not to cut off all intercourse with society at large because it was corrupt; that if any man professed to be a Christian and yet was guilty of such practices, they were to disown him, 1Cor 5:11; that it was not his province, nor did he assume it, to judge the heathen world which was without the church, 1Cor 5:12; but that this was entirely consistent with the view that eh had a right to exercise discipline within the church, on such as professed to be Christians; and that therefore they were bound to put away that wicked person.

Text

1: It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. edit

2: And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. edit

3: 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, edit

4: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, edit

5: To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. edit

6: Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? edit

7: Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: edit

8: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. edit

9: I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: edit

10: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. edit

11: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. edit

12: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? edit

13: But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. edit