Read & explore together
Expel the Immoral Brother
Paul explains a boundary he had already written about. In these verses, he distinguishes between people outside and anyone who is called a brother while being identified by the behaviours he lists.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
This part of the letter gives clarification about an earlier instruction. Paul says he did not mean believers must avoid all immoral or idolatrous people in the world. Instead, he narrows the issue to how the church relates to someone within who is called a brother and fits the listed descriptions.
1 Corinthians 5:9–13Main takeaway
This passage teaches that believers are not told to withdraw from everyone outside, but they are told not to associate with someone called a brother who is marked by the behaviours Paul names.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A previous instruction revisitedPaul starts by referring to something he had already written: they were to have no company with sexual sinners.
Explanation
Paul starts by referring to something he had already written: they were to have no company with sexual sinners. This shows that these verses are a clarification of an earlier message. The emphasis here is on understanding exactly whom Paul meant and how that instruction should be applied.
02Not everyone in the worldPaul quickly explains what he did not mean. He was not speaking about all the sexual sinners of this world, or the covetous, extortionists, or idolaters.
Explanation
Paul quickly explains what he did not mean. He was not speaking about all the sexual sinners of this world, or the covetous, extortionists, or idolaters. If believers had to avoid all such people everywhere, Paul says they would have to leave the world.
03Someone called a brotherPaul then states the specific case. They are not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, covetous, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or an extortionist.
Explanation
Paul then states the specific case. They are not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, covetous, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or an extortionist. He adds a strong instruction: ‘Don’t even eat with such a person.’
04Those within and those outsidePaul asks what place he has in judging those outside, then says, ‘Don’t you judge those who are within?’
Explanation
Paul asks what place he has in judging those outside, then says, ‘Don’t you judge those who are within?’ He contrasts the church’s responsibility toward those within with God’s judgement of those outside. Paul ends with the command, ‘Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.’
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does Paul correct a misunderstanding of his earlier instruction?
Compare 1 Corinthians 5:9 with 1 Corinthians 5:10 and notice that Paul says he was not speaking about all such people in the world.
02What behaviours does Paul list for someone who is called a brother?
Read 1 Corinthians 5:11 slowly and list each behaviour Paul names.
03Who is described as ‘within’, and who is described as ‘outside’?
Use Paul’s contrast in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 to explain whom the church judges and whom God judges.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
1 Corinthians 5:9–13
9I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;
10yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world.
11But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.
12For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within?
13But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.”