I say this to move you to shame. Isn’t there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between his brothers?
Parallel Translations
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I say this to move you to shame. Isn’t there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between his brothers?
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This I saye to youre shame. Is ther vtterly no wyse man amonge you? What not one at all that can iudge bitwene brother and brother
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I speake it to your shame. Is it so that there is not a wise man among you? no not one, that can iudge betweene his brethren?
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to 1 Corinthians 6:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Corinthians 4:14 I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
- 1 Corinthians 15:34 Wake up righteously, and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
- James 3:13-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
- Proverbs 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
- 1 Corinthians 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.
- 1 Corinthians 11:14 Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
- James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
- Acts 1:15 In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said,
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (17 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 5. I speak to your shame The meaning is…
5. I speak to your shame The meaning is — “If other considerations do not influence you, let it at least be considered by you, how disgraceful it is to you that there is not so much as one among you who is qualified to settle an affair amicably among brethren — an honor which you assign to unbelievers Now this passage is not inconsistent with the declaration which we met with above, when he stated that he did not make mention of their faults with the view of shaming them, (1 Corinthians 4:14,) for instead of this, by putting them to shame in this manner, he calls them back from disgrace, and shows that he is desirous to promote their honor. He does not wish them, then, to form so unfavorable an opinion of their society, as to take away from all their brethren an honor which they allow to unbelievers
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He applieth the general proposition to a particular, always…
He applieth the general proposition to a particular, always calling them back to this, to take away from them that false opinion of their own excellency, from whence all these mischiefs sprang.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so,…
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?
Ver. 5. No, not one that shall be able] Our late judge Dier, if there came any controversies of poor men to be tried before him, would usually say, that either the parties are wilful, or their neighbours uncharitable, because their suits were not quietly ended at home. (The Practice of Quietness.)
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain I do not speak this, as if I would…
I do not speak this, as if I would have you make choice of the meanest persons among you to arbitrate and determine all matters that may be in difference between you; but it would be a shame to you if, amongst you all, there could not be found one man whom you can judge wise enough to determine differences between you about things of this life, without bringing one another into pagan courts, to the reproach and scandal of the religion which you profess: make use of any, yea, the meanest Christians, in such judgments, rather than infidels and unbelievers, who will make use of your differences to the reproaching of the holy name of God.
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another; not that it is simply unlawful for men to make use of human laws, and courts, and methods of judicature; for even the laws of men are good, if they be lawfully used: and the word here used by the apostle is ηττημα, which signifieth rather an impotency or weakness of mind and affections, a defect or diminution from perfection, than any scandalous sin. Going to law with brethren (though lawful in itself) may be made unlawful by circumstances:
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1. When it is before judges that are unbelievers, so as men’s going to law before them tends to the reproach of religion, the credit and reputation of the gospel ought to be dearer to us than any little secular concern. This was the case in this place.
2. When it is for little matters, such as a coat or a cloak. It is against the law of charity to do another a great wrong to recover to ourselves a little that is our right.
3. When we cannot do it without wrath, anger, impatience, covetousness, or desire of revenge. It is a thing possible to go to law without sin, but what very few do, through that corruption which cleaveth to corrupt nature.
Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? It is therefore far more becoming conscientious Christians to take a little wrong, and to suffer themselves to be cheated of their right, especially under such circumstances, where the credit of the gospel and religion must lose more than they can get. And to do otherwise speaks ηττημα, a defect or imperfection in Christians, and is not without its guilt. If, by their contentiousness, they do not show themselves so bad as some would make them, who hold all contendings at law amongst Christians unlawful, yet they do not show themselves so good as the rule of Christianity requireth them to be, Mat 5:39,40; Lu 6:29; Rom 12:19.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain I speak to your shame,.... Not that they did…
I speak to your shame,.... Not that they did set such persons to judge, but that they did not; and instead of so doing went to law with their brethren before the unjust:
is it so that there is not a wise man among you? this also the apostle speaks to their shame, who had so much gloried in their wisdom, and boasted of their parts and abilities to the contempt of others, and even of the apostle himself; and yet acted as if there was not a wise man among them capable of judging and determining trivial matters, but they must carry them before unconverted persons:
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no not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? for though the above mentioned benches consisted of three persons, yet the contending parties might choose one man to be an arbitrator and judge between them. The rule with the Jews was this (f);
"pecuniary judgments are by three, but if he is authorised or approved by the majority, , "he may judge alone". Says R. Nachman, as I judge pecuniary judgments alone; and so says R. Chaijah, as I judge pecuniary punishments alone.''
(f) T. Bab. Sanhed. fol. 5. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Sanhed. c. 5. sect. 8.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Is there not one among you, who are such…
Is there not one among you, who are such admirers of wisdom, that is wise enough to decide such causes?
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 5. Is it so, that there is not…
Verse 5. Is 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?
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain I speak to your shame - I declare that…
I 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 prides itself so much in the number and qualifications of its intelligent members?
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain your shame--Thus he checks their puffed-up spirit (Co1 5:2;…
your shame--Thus he checks their puffed-up spirit (Co1 5:2; compare Co1 15:34). To shame you out of your present unworthy course of litigation before the heathen, I have said (Co1 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.?
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not a wise man--though ye admire "wisdom" so much on other occasions (Co1 1:5, Co1 1:22). Paul alludes probably to the title, "cachain," or wise man, applied to each Rabbi in Jewish councils.
no, not one--not even one, amidst so many reputed among you for wisdom (Co1 3:18; Co1 4:6).
shall be able--when applied to.
brethren--literally, "brother"; that is, judge between brother and brother. As each case should arise, the arbitrator was to be chosen from the body of the church, such a wise person as had the charism, or gift, of church government.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 5. Your shame—He has shown them the high ideal…
5. Your shame—He has shown them the high ideal of their state in Christ to humiliate them for debasing that ideal before heathen magistrates.
Able to judge—On the level of plain, literal thought, St. Paul here advises them to place their disputes before some competent Christian arbiter.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 5. I speak to your shame] ‘You are not…
5. I speak to your shame] ‘You are not to suppose me in earnest. I only say this to shame you for the undue value you set on the things of this life. Such matters might fitly be left to the decision of the most insignificant member of your community. But there is no necessity for that. Surely there are plenty of persons among you who are competent to settle such questions, and thus save you the scandal of carrying your disputes before the heathen, when you have pledged yourself to lead a life above such considerations.’
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (5) I speak to your shame.—Better, I say this…
(5) I speak to your shame.—Better, I say this to cause you to feel ashamed. From the latent irony of the previous words, the Apostle turns to ask solemnly whether it be a fact that in the whole Christian community at Corinth, which boasted of their superior wisdom, there is not to be found even one man sufficiently esteemed for his wisdom to be trusted by the brethren with the settlement of their disputes.
Shall be able to judge. . . .—Better, shall be able to arbitrate, in contrast to the “going to law” of the next verse, the words for these two expressions being different in the original.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain I speak to your shame. He adds this to…
I speak to your shame. He adds this to account for the severe irony of the last remark. Not a wise man among you. Among you, who set yourselves up as so specially wise! To judge; rather, to decide.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 5–8. I speak to your shame. The last sentence…
5–8. I speak to your shame. The last sentence was spoken to shame them, not as a serious rule. He now speaks seriously. Is there not a wise man among you? A man of prudent judgment, capable of settling differences among them.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain 5. “I speak to your shame. Is there not…
5. “I speak to your shame. Is there not some wise man among you who shall be able to judge between brother and his brother?” The answer is in the affirmative. The Lord will raise up some Moses among you if you will give Him a chance, who will be fully competent to adjudicate and finally settle all your little controversies involving temporal interests.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain I say this to move you to shame .…
I say this to move you to shame . [If called on as a church to judge any matter, would you choose its simpletons and numbskulls as judges? I ask this to make you ashamed, for ye do even more foolishly when you submit your cases to worldlings, who are even less competent judges.] What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren ,
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain The apostle’s reproof:
The apostle’s reproof:
v. 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?
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v. 6. But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
v. 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?
v. 8. Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
No wonder that Paul, under such circumstances, must call out shame upon them; their conduct is disgraceful and altogether unbecoming that of meek and charitable Christians. And he stresses this point still more: To this point have matters progressed that there is not one wise man among you who could make a decision between his brothers? Was there not a single man with enough experience to arbitrate a matter when a cause came up? He concludes that there is evidently no such man, since one brother is involved in litigation with another, and that before the unbelievers! If there were but one man in the congregation wise enough to settle such matters in private, surely they would have called him in to decide the disputes And so they air their grievances against one another before the unbelieving magistrates. Was not that equivalent to a confession of bankruptcy?
Paul now lays bare the real root of the matter: It is indeed altogether a detriment to you, a bad thing all around, that you have lawsuits. From the very start it is a defeat for them, morally speaking, that it ever comes to that pass, that their differences ever rise to that pitch. Their case is lost before they have ever entered the court, and their action represents a sinking down from the high standard of pure Christian feeling. The cause of Christianity is bound to be harmed by such behavior, for the Gentiles will naturally judge the moral worth of the movement by the evidence of its power in the lives of the Christians. How the believers of all times should conduct themselves in cases which might develop into lawsuits according to the common experience of mankind, the apostle states in the more striking form of questions: Why do you not rather suffer injustice? Why do you not rather submit to fraud? Paul here reproduces the teaching of Jesus, Luk 6:27-35. In following the example of Jesus and of Paul, the believers will be constrained at all times to suffer injustice rather than to afflict injustice. But the litigious members of the Corinthian congregation had not yet reached this stage of unselfish love: It is rather that you commit wrong and defraud, deprive your neighbor of that which is his, and that, literally, to your brethren! The spiritual relationship which obtains between believers should make them all the more willing to yield to their brother in love, but instead of that they provoke quarrels, they inflict wrong. "Paul here does not attack the court, but the fault of the heart that a brother summoned the other before the secular court, namely, before enemies of the faith. For to invoke justice and to seek the sustenance of life he does not prohibit, else a master would not be permitted to tear the lamb away from the wolf. They, however, sought their own vengeance; they tried to bring disgrace upon their brother. But this text means to teach us that not eagerness or desire for vengeance should be our motive for appealing to the judge for help, but rather justice and necessity."
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.