1 COR 6:1 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) If anyone among you all has a case against another believer, how dare they go to a secular court in front of an unbelieving judge instead of to believers.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Do any of you dare, having a dispute with another, to go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

UST When someone from your group quarrels with another person from your group, you should never settle the quarrel in a public court in front of people who do not believe. Rather, you should settle the quarrel in private among the people whom God has set apart for himself.

BSB [If] any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous [instead of] before the saints!

BLB Anyone of you having a matter against the other, dare he go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

AICNT Does any of you, having a dispute with another, dare to be judged by the unrighteous and not by the saints?

OEB ¶ Can it be that, when one of you has a dispute with another, they dare to have their case tried before the heathen, instead of before Christ’s people?

WEBBE Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbour, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

WMBB Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbour, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the holy ones?

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

LSV Dare anyone of you, having a matter with the other, go to be judged before the unrighteous, and not before the holy ones?

FBV How dare any of you file a lawsuit before pagan judges if you have a dispute with your neighbor! Instead you should bring this before other believers.

TCNT When any of you have a dispute against another, do yoʋ dare to go to court before the unrighteous and not before the saints?

T4T Now another matter: When any of you believers accuses another believer about some matter, he takes that matter to judges who are not believers, for them to decide the case, instead of asking God’s people to decide it. ◄That is disgusting!/Why do you do that?► [RHQ]

LEB Does anyone among you, if he[fn] has a matter against someone else, dare to go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

6:1 *Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“has”) which is understood as conditional

BBE How is it, that if any one of you has a cause at law against another, he takes it before a Gentile judge and not before the saints?

Moff When any of you has a grievance against his neighbour, do you dare to go to law in a sinful pagan court, instead of laying the case before the saints?

Wymth If one of you has a grievance against an opponent, does he dare to go to law before irreligious men and not before God's people?

ASV Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

DRA Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to be judged before the unjust, and not before the saints?

YLT Dare any one of you, having a matter with the other, go to be judged before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Drby Dare any one of you, having a matter against another, prosecute his suit before the unjust, and not before the saints?

RV Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbour, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

SLT Dare any of you, having an affair with another, be judged by the unjust, and not by the holy ones?

Wbstr Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

KJB-1769 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

KJB-1611 ¶ Dare any of you, hauing a matter against another, goe to law before the vniust, and not before the Saints?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Dare any of you, hauing businesse with another, be iudged vnder the vniust, and not rather vnder ye saintes?
(Dare any of you, having business with another, be judged under the unjust, and not rather under ye/you_all saints?)

Gnva Dare any of you, hauing businesse against an other, be iudged vnder the vniust, and not vnder the Saintes?
(Dare any of you, having business against another, be judged under the unjust, and not under the Saints? )

Cvdl How dare one off you hauynge busynes with another, go to lawe before the vnrighteous, and not before the sayntes?
(How dare one off you having business with another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?)

TNT How dare one of you havinge busines with another goo to lawe vnder the wicked and not rather vnder the sainctes?
(How dare one of you having business with another go to law under the wicked and not rather under the sainctes? )

Wycl Dar any of you that hath a cause ayens another, be demed at wickid men, and not at hooli men?
(Dar any of you that hath/has a cause against another, be judged at wicked men, and not at holy men?)

Luth Wie darf jemand unter euch, so er einen Handel hat mit einem andern, hadern vor den Ungerechten und nicht vor den Heiligen?
(How may someone under you, so he a Handel has with on change/modify, struggle before/in_front_of the unjust_(one) and not before/in_front_of the saints/holy_ones?)

ClVg Audet aliquis vestrum habens negotium adversus alterum, judicari apud iniquos, et non apud sanctos?[fn]
(Audet someone of_you having negotium against the_other, judgeri at unfairs, and not/no at saints? )

6.1 Audet aliquis. Occasione hujusmodi judicii incipit agere de judiciis, in quibus multis modis peccabant Corinthii, velut, quod contemptis fidelibus infideles judices adibant, vel stultos judices constituebant, et litigabant, et fraudabant, et alia hujusmodi faciebant.

6.1 Audet someone. Occasione of_this_kind judgement begins to_act from/about judgements, in/into/on to_whom many in_ways peccabant Corinthii, like/as, that contemptis to_the_faithful infidels judges adibant, or stupids judges constituebant, and litigabant, and fraudabant, and other of_this_kind they_were_doing.

UGNT τολμᾷ τις ὑμῶν, πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων?
(tolma tis humōn, pragma eⱪōn pros ton heteron, krinesthai epi tōn adikōn, kai ouⱪi epi tōn hagiōn?)

SBL-GNT Τολμᾷ τις ὑμῶν πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων;
(Tolma tis humōn pragma eⱪōn pros ton heteron krinesthai epi tōn adikōn, kai ouⱪi epi tōn hagiōn;)

RP-GNT Τολμᾷ τις ὑμῶν, πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων;
(Tolma tis humōn, pragma eⱪōn pros ton heteron, krinesthai epi tōn adikōn, kai ouⱪi epi tōn hagiōn;)

TC-GNT Τολμᾷ τις ὑμῶν, πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων;
(Tolma tis humōn, pragma eⱪōn pros ton heteron, krinesthai epi tōn adikōn, kai ouⱪi epi tōn hagiōn; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:1–11: Believers must not take fellow believers to court before unbelieving judges

In this section Paul discussed another problem in the church in Corinth. At least one of the believers had taken another believer to a pagan/civil court to settle a dispute. Paul told the Corinthian believers that this was unwise and harmful to the church. He taught them what they as believers should do if another believer wronged them.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Believers should not go to law before unbelievers

Christians should not sue other Christians in pagan courts

Advice about lawsuits

Paragraph 6:1–6

In this paragraph Paul told the Corinthian believers how foolish they were to take disputes among themselves to be settled before unbelievers. He gave them some reasons why they should not have unbelievers judge between them. Paul used sarcasm and rhetorical questions to show the Corinthians how serious the situation in their church was. He wanted them to feel ashamed of themselves. They should settle disputes between believers themselves.

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

If any of you has a grievance against another,

¶ When/If one of you has a disagreement/argument with another believer,
¶ When/If you^(sing/plur) have a legal problem with a fellow believer,

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

how could you/he think of asking ungodly people to judge between you?
you should not dare/presume to go to/before a judge who is not one of God’s people.
it is totally/absolutely wrong/shocking to take your disagreement to a public court, where the judges do not know/respect God.

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!

Why not rather ask God’s people to judge?
Instead, the right thing for you to do is to ask people who belong to God to decide your case.
You should ask other believers/Christians to help make peace between you.

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.

General Comment on 6:1a-c

In some languages it may be natural to break up this long question into two or more questions.Some Greek texts do punctuate in this way. See Thiselton p. 430. For example:

When one of you has a complaint against another, do you take your complaint to a court of sinners? Or do you take it to God’s people? (CEV)

When one of you has a complaint against another, how dare you go to court to settle the matter in front of wicked people? Why don’t you settle it in front of God’s holy people? (GW)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τολμᾷ τις ὑμῶν, πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τολμᾷ τὶς ὑμῶν πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρός τόν ἕτερον κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τῶν ἀδικῶν καί οὐχί ἐπί τῶν ἁγίων)

Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. Here, the truthful answer to the question is “they are, but they should not.” Paul asks the question to get the Corinthians to realize how bad going to court before the unrighteous is. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question with a “should” statement or a statement of fact. Alternate translation: [Some of you actually dare, having a dispute with another, to go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints.]

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

τολμᾷ

Here, dare refers to having confidence or boldness when one should not have confidence or boldness. Use a word or phrase in your language that indicates improper confidence. Alternate translation: [Do … have the audacity]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-time-simultaneous

πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον

˓a˒_matter having (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τολμᾷ τὶς ὑμῶν πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρός τόν ἕτερον κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τῶν ἀδικῶν καί οὐχί ἐπί τῶν ἁγίων)

The phrase having a dispute with another provides the situation in which they are going to court. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make it explicit. Alternate translation: [if you have a dispute with another] or [whenever you have a dispute with another]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸν ἕτερον

Here, another identifies the other person as a fellow believer. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate another with a word or phrase that identifies another as a believer. Alternate translation: [another believer]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ & ἐπὶ

˓to_be_being˒_judged (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τολμᾷ τὶς ὑμῶν πρᾶγμα ἔχων πρός τόν ἕτερον κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τῶν ἀδικῶν καί οὐχί ἐπί τῶν ἁγίων)

The phrase to go to court before refers to settling a lawsuit or other legal dispute before a judge. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express go to court before with a comparable idiom that refers to setting a dispute in a court of law. Alternate translation: [to resolve your lawsuit in the presence of … in the presence of]

Parallel 1 COR 6:1