OET interlinear 1 COR 6:1

6:1a-c

This is a long rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to show that he strongly disapproved of taking a dispute between Christians to a pagan/civil court. There are two ways of translating it:

• as a rhetorical question. For example:

  When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints? (NET)

• as a statement. For example:

  If one of you has a grievance against another, it is quite wrong for you/him to go before the ungodly for judgment, instead of before God’s people.

  When one of you has a complaint against another, you should not dare to go to court to settle the matter in front of wicked people. You should settle it in front of God’s holy people!

6:1a

This verse begins a new topic in a new section. There is no special word or phrase to mark this in the Greek or the BSB. Consider if you need an introductory word or phrase here.

If any of you has a grievance against another: This clause introduces a situation that can and does happen from time to time.The Greek here is a participle phrase, as the KJV translates: “Dare any of you, having a matter against another.” It is acceptable to understand and translate it as a conditional clause, as the BSB and some other versions do. It is a potential fact conditional clause with a probable future fulfillment. See Appendix 1, sense 2 (c). Disputes between believers will occur occasionally. It is therefore possible to translate this as:

When one of you has a grievance against a brother…. (RSV)

When you have something against another Christian…. (NCV)

a grievance: The Greek word that the BSB translates as a grievance is a general one meaning “a matter, an affair.” In this context it refers to a legal matter such as a lawsuit. Apparently at least one believer in the Corinthian church had already done something wrong to another believer. Perhaps he had cheated him or taken something that belonged to him. The second believer had gone to a court in Corinth and accused his fellow believer before the judge, who was not a believer.

6:1b

how dare he go to law before the unrighteous: These words indicate that Paul was upset/shocked by what he heard. He was implying: “A believer should not even think of taking another believer before an unbelieving judge.”

how dare he go to law: The Greek word that the BSB translates as dare means to be bold or courageous to do something beyond what people would normally expect. In this context it means to act boldly in a disrespectful or shameless way. Another way to translate it is:

he should be ashamed to take it

before the unrighteous: The Greek word that the BSB translates as unrighteous can also be translated as “ungodly.” Here it refers to people who are not believers, not members of the church. Paul was probably talking about the judges in the public courts in Corinth. These judges worked for the Roman government and did not know or respect God’s laws.

6:1c

instead of before the saints: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as instead of before the saints is a short way of saying “he should take his dispute before the saints.”

the saints: The Greek word that the BSB translates as saints here refers to believers, Christians. Here is another way to translate this:

God’s people (GNT)

The word saints is related to the word “sanctified” that Paul used in 1:2b (see the notes there). Believers are people set apart for God’s service. They have been made holy. This word is also used in this way in Acts 9:13 and Philippians 1:1.