Paul rebukes believers who take each other to court before unbelievers. He warns that the wicked will not inherit God's kingdom, and that the body is the Lord's, a temple of the Holy Spirit to be honoured.
1 Dare any of you , having a matter against another , go to law before the unjust , and not before the saints ?
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world ? and if the world shall be judged by you , are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters ?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels ? how much more things that pertain to this life ?
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life , set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church .
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 ?
6 But brother goeth to law with brother , and that before the unbelievers .
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 ?
8 Nay , ye do wrong , and defraud , and that your brethren .
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither fornicators , nor idolaters , nor adulterers , nor effeminate , nor abusers of themselves with mankind ,
10 Nor thieves , nor covetous , nor drunkards , nor revilers , nor extortioners , shall inherit the kingdom of God .
11 And such were some of you : but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus , and by the Spirit of our God .
12 All things are lawful unto me , but all things are not expedient : all things are lawful for me , but I will not be brought under the power of any .
13 Meats for the belly , and the belly for meats : but God shall destroy both it and them . Now the body is not for fornication , but for the Lord ; and the Lord for the body .
14 And God hath both raised up the Lord , and will also raise up us by his own power .
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ ? shall I then take the members of Christ , and make them the members of an harlot ? God forbid .
16 What ? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body ? for two , saith he , shall be one flesh .
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit .
18 Flee fornication . Every sin that a man doeth is without the body ; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body .
19 What ? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you , which ye have of God , and ye are not your own ?
20 For ye are bought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body , and in your spirit , which are God's .