1 ARST 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 BSB: If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints!
2 ARST Surely you know that the people whom God has set apart for himself will decide whether all things and people that God has created are guilty or innocent. Since you will decide whether all these things and people are guilty or innocent, you can surely decide about small quarrels{ within your group}. BSB BSB: Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
3 ARST You need to realize that we will decide whether angels are innocent or guilty.{ Since we will do that,} we are certainly able to decide about disputes related to our current lives. BSB BSB: Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
4 ARST Therefore, whenever you quarrel with one another concerning your current lives, you should not choose people who are not part of your group of believers to decide who is guilty or innocent. BSB BSB: So if you need to settle everyday matters, do you appoint as judges those of no standing in the church?
5 ARST I include what I have just said in order to make you feel ashamed. Surely there are people in your group who are wise enough to be able to decide about disputes among fellow believers. BSB BSB: I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers?
6 ARST But instead, some believers among you accuse other believers in a legal court, and people who do not believe settle the dispute. BSB BSB: Instead, one brother goes to law against another, and this in front of unbelievers!
7 ARST Because you have disputes with each other, you have already completely failed to follow Jesus. Rather{ than failing in this way}, you should instead forgive fellow believers when they harm or defraud you. BSB BSB: The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
8 ARST Rather{ than forgiving others}, however, you have harmed and defrauded{ other people}. In fact,{ you have done} these things to fellow believers! BSB BSB: Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers!
9 ARST { I am shocked that you do these things} even though you realize that people who harm others will not participate in God’ s kingdom. Do not believe anyone who tells you something else. Anyone who has improper sex or who worships other gods or who has sex with a married person or who participates in sexual acts with a person of the same gender or who initiates sexual acts with a person of the same gender BSB BSB: Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,
10 ARST or who steals from others or who wants more than he or she needs or who gets drunk or who abuses others with words or who cheats others will not participate in God’ s kingdom. BSB BSB: nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 ARST Some of you used to behave in these ways. However, now God has cleansed you, he has made you holy, and he has declared you to be innocent.{ You experience these things} because the Lord Jesus the Messiah and the Holy Spirit work powerfully{ to give them to you}. BSB BSB: And that is what some of you were. 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.
12 ARST { Some of you say,}“I can do anything and not become guilty.” However,{ I say that} some things are not helpful{ to anybody}.{ Again, some of you say,}“I can do anything and not become guilty.” However,{ I say that} I will not serve anything that will make me its slave. BSB BSB: “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.
13 ARST { Some of you say,}“Food exists for a person’ s stomach to digest it, and a person’ s stomach exists to digest food.” Indeed,{ I also say that} God will make food and stomachs unimportant.{ While it is true that food exists for a person’ s stomach,} the human body does not exist for a person to have improper sex with it. Instead,{ the human body} exists to serve the Lord, and the Lord has worked to save the human body. BSB BSB: “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food,” but God will destroy them both. The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
14 ARST In fact, God made the Lord alive again, and he will work powerfully to make us also alive again. BSB BSB: By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also.
15 ARST Surely you know that your bodies belong to the Messiah, just as if you were his body parts. Because of that, you should not take your body back and then give it to a prostitute, so that your body belongs to her, just as if you were her body parts. Never do that! BSB BSB: Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
16 ARST Surely you know that a man who has sex with a prostitute unites himself to her as closely as if they shared the same body.{ You should know this} because the scripture says,“The{ man and the woman, although} two people, will become{ like} one person.” BSB BSB: Or don’t you know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”
17 ARST In a similar way, any people who unite themselves to the Lord become spiritually one{ with the Lord}. BSB BSB: But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit.
18 ARST Intentionally avoid having improper sex. When people sin, they usually do so without directly hurting their bodies. However, when people have improper sex, they do hurt their own bodies. BSB BSB: Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
20 ARST { Rather, you belong to God, since the Messiah died for you. When he died for you,} it was as if God paid money to buy you. Because{ you belong to God}, you must honor him whenever you do anything with your body. BSB BSB: you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.