1 Corinthians 5:12
in 1 Corinthians 5What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
KJV
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 5
Commentary
12 notes on this verseFor what have I to do to judge them also that are without? - The term without, τους εξω, signifies those who were not members of the Church, and in this sense its correspondent term: החיצונים hachitsonim, those that are without, is generally understood in the Jewish writers, where it frequently occurs. The word και also, which greatly disturbs the sense here, is wanting in ABCFG, and several others, with the Syriac, Coptic, Slavonic, Vulgate, and the Itala; together with several of the fathers.
This site's exposition
What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church?
on 1 Corinthians 5:12-13
The church judges those inside, and God will judge those outside. The chapter closes with the command Expel the wicked man from among you, the step verse 2 should already have taken.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A bishop cannot do anything about unbelievers. But a brother who is caught doing such things he can bar not only from the sacraments but also from common intercourse with his fellows, so that when he is avoided he may feel ashamed and repent.
Dogs, sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, out!" -of course, such as do not act according to the precepts; for to be sent out is the portion of those who have been within. Moreover "What have I to do to judge them who are without? " had preceded (the sentences now in question).
Next he adds also the reason why he forbids them not to mix with heathens of that character, implying that it is not only impossible, but also superfluous. "For what have I to do with judging them that are without?" Calling the Christians and the Greeks, "those within" and "those without," as also he says elsewhere, "He must also have a good report of them that are without." And in the Epistle to the Thessalonians he speaks the same language, saying, "Have no intercourse with him to the end that he may be put to shame." And, "Count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." Here, however, he does not add the reason. Why? Because in the other case he wished to soothe them, but in this, not so. For the fault in this case and in that was not the same, but in the Thessalonians it was less. For there he is reproving indolence; but here fornication and other most grievous sins. And if any one wished to go over to the Greeks, he hinders not him from eating with such persons; this too for the same reason. So also do we act; for our children and our brethren we leave nothing undone, but of strangers we do not make much account. How then? Did not Paul care for them that were without as well? Yes, he cared for them; but it was not till after they received the Gospel and he had made them subject to the doctrine of Christ, that he laid down laws for them. But so long as they despised, it was superfluous to speak the precepts of Christ to those who knew not Christ Himself. "Do not ye judge them that are within, whereas them that are without, God judgeth?" For since he had said, "What have I to do with judging those without;" lest any one should think that these were left unpunished, there is another tribunal which he sets over them, and that a fearful one. […]
Whence the apostle withal judges, and that in a case of fornication, that "such a man must be surrendered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh; " chiding them likewise because "brethren" were not "judged at the bar of the saints: " for he goes on and says, "To what (purpose is it) for me to judge those who are without? ""But you remit, in order that remission may be granted you by God.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Some, after the particle ουχί ("not, no"), place a period; then they read the following words without a question, thus: you judge those who are inside. That is, the apostle, having said above, "what have I to do with judging outsiders," now added ουχί — …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
He calls the Greeks "those without" and the Christians "those within." I, he says, have no concern at all for those without; they live outside my laws; consequently, it is superfluous to prescribe divine commandments to those who live outside the fold of Christ. "Whatever …
Then when he says, For what have I, he gives the reason for what he had said. In regard to this he does three things: first, he gives the reason, saying: I have said that this is to be understood of brothers and not unbelievers, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For what have I to do to judge,.... To admonish, reprove, censure, and condemn: them also that are without? without the church, who never were in it, or members of it; to whom ecclesiastical jurisdiction does not reach; and with whom the apostle had no more concern, than the magistrates of one city, or the heads of one family have with another: do not ye judge them that are within? and them only?
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Rather, Is it not your duty to judge them that are within? God shall judge them that are without: do you look at home [GROTIUS]. God is the Judge of the salvation of the heathen, not we (Ro 2:12-16).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For what have I to do ... - I have no authority over them; and can exercise no jurisdiction over them. All my rules, therefore, must have reference only to those who are within the church. To judge - To pass sentence upon; to condemn; or to punish. As a Christian apostle I have no jurisdiction over them. Them also that are without - Without the pale of the Christian church; pagans; people of the world; those who did not profess to be Christians. Do not ye judge ... - Is not your jurisdiction as Christians confined to those who are within the church, and professed members of it? ought you not to exercise discipline there, and inflict punishment on its unworthy members? Do you not in fact thus exercise discipline, and separate from your society unworthy persons - and ought it not to be done in this instance, and in reference to the offender in your church?
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τί | ti | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| μοι | moi | [is it] to me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔξω | exo | outside | G1854 → | |
| κρίνειν; | krinein | to judge? | G2919 → | 114 times |
| οὐχὶ | ouchi | Surely | G3780 → | 54 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔσω | eso | within | G2080 → | |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | you yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| κρίνετε, | krinete | do judge? | G2919 → | 114 times |
τίWhat
tiG5101 →563 times
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
μοι[is it] to me
moiG3165 →1936 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἔξωoutside
exoG1854 →
κρίνειν;to judge?
krineinG2919 →114 times
οὐχὶSurely
ouchiG3780 →54 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἔσωwithin
esoG2080 →
ὑμεῖςyou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
κρίνετε,do judge?
krineteG2919 →114 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Thessalonians 4:12Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.
it leads to
- Colossians 4:5
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Romans 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
- 1 Peter 2:12
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
- Romans 13:13
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
- 1 Timothy 3:7
Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
- Colossians 4:5
Through
1 Timothy 3:7Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 8:21
For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
- 2 Corinthians 8:21
Through
Mark 4:11He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,
it leads to
- Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
- Luke 8:10
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing,…
- Matthew 11:25
Where this verse is studied
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About 1 Corinthians

This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Tertullian, On Modesty; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.
