Paul addresses a shocking case of sexual immorality in the Corinthian church: a man is living with his father's wife, and the congregation — far from being grieved — is arrogant about it. Paul demands the man's expulsion from the community, using Passover imagery to explain why: Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed, so the community must purge the old leaven of sin. The chapter closes with a clarification about Paul's earlier letter: he did not mean they should avoid all sinners in the world, but that they must not tolerate flagrant sin within the church.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
The command to 'deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved' (v. 5) is one of the most debated passages in Paul's letters. The Passover typology (vv. 6-8) is one of the earliest Christian interpretations of Christ's death through the lens of Exodus. Paul's distinction between judging insiders and outsiders (vv. 12-13) establishes a principle of church discipline that has shaped Christian practice for centuries.
Translation Friction
The phrase 'his father's wife' (tēn gynaika tou patros, v. 1) likely refers to a stepmother, not the man's biological mother. Whether the father was dead or still living is unclear. The phrase 'for the destruction of the flesh' (eis olethron tēs sarkos, v. 5) could mean physical suffering, physical death, or the destruction of the sinful nature. We render the Greek literally and note the interpretive options.
Connections
The Passover lamb imagery connects to Exodus 12 and John 1:29. The leaven metaphor draws on Exodus 12:15-20 and Jesus's warning about the leaven of the Pharisees (Mark 8:15). The expulsion command echoes the Deuteronomic formula 'purge the evil from among you' (Deuteronomy 17:7, 19:19, 22:21, 24:7), which Paul quotes in verse 13.
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you — and of a kind that is not found even among the Gentiles — that a man has his father's wife.
KJV It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The Greek porneia ('sexual immorality') is the broad term for illicit sexual conduct. The phrase gynaixa tina tou patros echein ('to have a certain woman of the father') uses echein ('to have') as a euphemism for an ongoing sexual relationship. Leviticus 18:8 prohibits sexual relations with a father's wife, and Roman law also forbade such unions. Paul's point that even pagans consider this unacceptable heightens the scandal.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Leviticus 18:8. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
And you are arrogant! Should you not instead have mourned, so that the one who did this would be removed from among you?
KJV And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The verb pephysiōmenoi ('puffed up') recurs from 4:6, 18 — the Corinthians' arrogance now manifests as tolerance of flagrant sin, possibly justified by a misunderstanding of Christian freedom. The verb epenthēsate ('mourned, grieved') is striking — the appropriate response to sin in the community is grief, not indifference or celebration.
For though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has done such a thing, as though I were present.
KJV For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Paul's language apōn tō sōmati parōn de tō pneumati ('absent in body, present in spirit') is not mystical out-of-body experience but an assertion of apostolic authority that operates regardless of physical location. The perfect tense kekrika ('I have already judged') indicates a settled verdict — Paul is not deliberating but announcing a decision.
When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus — and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus —
KJV In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The syntax of verses 3-5 is notoriously tangled in Greek, with multiple phrases that can attach to different clauses. The assembly 'in the name of our Lord Jesus' carries judicial authority — they act not on their own behalf but under Christ's name. Paul's spirit (tou emou pneumatos) participates in the assembly despite his physical absence.
Hand this man over to Satan so that his sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus.
KJV To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The phrase paradounai ton toiouton tō satana ('to hand over such a one to Satan') likely means excommunication — removing the person from the protective sphere of the community into the domain Satan rules (the fallen world). The purpose eis olethron tēs sarkos ('for the destruction of the flesh') is debated: it may mean physical suffering, death, or the destruction of the sinful nature. The ultimate goal is redemptive: hina to pneuma sōthē ('so that the spirit may be saved'). Even this severe action aims at restoration.
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?
KJV Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Paul transitions to Passover imagery. The proverb about leaven (zymē) was widely known — a small amount of yeast permeates an entire batch. In Jewish Passover practice, all leaven was removed from the house before the festival (Exodus 12:15). The Corinthians' tolerance of this sin is like leaving leaven in the dough — it will spread and corrupt the whole community.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Exodus 12:15. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
From the Hebrew pesach. Here it refers specifically to the Passover lamb whose blood protected Israel from the destroying angel (Exodus 12). Paul identifies Christ with this lamb — his death accomplishes a new exodus.
Translator Notes
The imperative ekkatharate ('clean out thoroughly') echoes the Passover preparation command. The logic is paradoxical: 'become what you already are' — they are unleavened (azymoi) in their identity in Christ, so they must live out that identity by removing the leaven of sin. The declaration to pascha hēmōn etythē Christos ('Christ our Passover [lamb] was sacrificed') is one of the earliest Passover-typological interpretations of Christ's death, connecting the cross to the Exodus 12 lamb.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Exodus 12. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
KJV Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The verb heortazōmen ('let us celebrate the feast') suggests the entire Christian life is a perpetual Passover festival. The old leaven is identified as kakia ('malice, wickedness') and ponēria ('evil, depravity'), while the unleavened bread represents eilikrineia ('sincerity, purity' — literally, 'tested by sunlight') and alētheia ('truth'). Paul transforms a Jewish ritual calendar into a metaphor for ongoing Christian existence.
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people —
KJV I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The phrase en tē epistolē ('in the letter') refers to a previous letter, now lost, that predates our 1 Corinthians. This means our '1 Corinthians' is actually at least the second letter Paul wrote to this church. The Corinthians apparently misunderstood his instruction, applying it to outsiders rather than insiders.
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this present age, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters. For then must you needs go out of the present age.
KJV Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Paul corrects their misunderstanding with practical logic: complete separation from sinners outside the church would require leaving the world entirely, which is impossible. The four categories — pornoi ('sexually immoral'), pleonektai ('greedy'), harpaxin ('swindlers, predators'), eidōlolatrai ('idolaters') — represent common vices in Corinthian society.
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister if that person is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler — not even to eat with such a person.
KJV But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The key qualifier is adelphos onomazomenos ('one called/named a brother') — the issue is not outsiders but insiders who claim Christian identity while living in flagrant contradiction. The six vices expand the earlier list to include loidoros ('reviler, verbally abusive person') and methysos ('drunkard'). The prohibition mēde synesthiein ('not even to eat with') would include exclusion from the Lord's Supper and from fellowship meals, effectively cutting off social bonds.
For what business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Is it not those inside that you are to judge?
KJV For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Paul establishes a clear jurisdictional boundary: the church judges its own members (tous esō, 'those inside') but has no authority over outsiders (tous exō, 'those outside'). This distinction was foundational for later Christian thinking about church discipline and the relationship between church and society.
God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."
KJV But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The command exarate ton ponēron ex hymōn autōn ('remove the evil one from among you') quotes the Deuteronomic formula that appears repeatedly in Deuteronomy (17:7, 19:19, 22:21, 22:24, 24:7) as the conclusion to laws requiring capital punishment. Paul applies the formula to excommunication rather than execution, but the gravity of the language is unmistakable — this is a community-survival matter.
[TCR Cross-Reference] References Deuteronomy 17:7 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.