Lawsuits

1When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints? 2Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters! 4So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? 5I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians? 6Instead, does a Christian sue a Christian, and do this before unbelievers? 7The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8But you yourselves wrong and cheat, and you do this to your brothers and sisters!

9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, 10thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. 11Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Flee Sexual Immorality

12“All things are lawful for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “All things are lawful for me” – but I will not be controlled by anything. 13“Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both.” The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14Now God indeed raised the Lord and he will raise us by his power. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16Or do you not know that anyone who is united with a prostitute is one body with her? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him. 18Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin a person commits is outside of the body” – but the immoral person sins against his own body. 19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.