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1 Corinthians 6:5

in 1 Corinthians 6

I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren,

KJV

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?

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This verse in 1 Corinthians 6

Commentary

13 notes on this verse

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 2.27.20-22 · Written before 253.

Paul attacks the Corinthians because, although they are right in the middle of Greece, they have no truly wise people in their midst, even though many had gone to preach wisdom to them.

This site's exposition

I speak to your shame

on 1 Corinthians 6:5-6

Paul names the shame directly, asking whether not one wise man exists in the whole congregation able to arbitrate between brothers, a pointed question to a church that had just prided itself on its wisdom in chapters 1 through 4. But brother goeth to law with brother states the concrete scandal plainly, a family dispute, believers bound by the same Lord, carried before the unbelievers for judgment. The bench notes the double wound in the practice, the loss to the brother wronged and the witness lost before a watching pagan court, which now sees Christians unable to govern themselves.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Ambrosiaster

COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES · Written before 384.

proposed

Paul meant that they were so unmanageable and thoughtless that they might choose inexperienced brothers as judges. There must, he said, be some people in the church wise enough to judge such cases, and they should be allowed to do so. He said this, incidentally, …

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 1 Corinthians 16 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"But this I say to move you to shame." These are the words of one exposing their objection as being an idle pretext: and therefore he adds, "Is it so that there is not a wise man among you, no not even one?" Is the scarcity, says he, so great? so great the want of sensible persons among you? And what he subjoins strikes even still harder. For having said, "Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one?" he adds, "who shall be able to judge in the case of his brother." For when brother goes to law with brother, there is never any need of understanding and talent in the person who is mediating in the cause, the feeling and relationship contributing greatly to the settlement of such a quarrel.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1274.

proposed

Then when he says, I say this, he explains in what sense he meant the foregoing. For someone who could believe that literally the least esteemed were to be chosen judges. But he excludes this, saying: I say this to your shame. As if to …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

Wishing to turn them away from external courts, he says: perhaps someone will say that in the Church there is no one wise who could adjudicate disputes. But if, in your opinion, there is not a single wise person in the Church, then it is …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The meanest of your own members are able surely to determine these disputes. Refer the matters in variance to any, rather than go to law about them before heathen judges. They are trifles not worth contending about, and may easily be decided, if you have first conquered your own spirits, and brought them into a truly Christian temper.
6 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Note, It is a shame that little quarrels should grow to such a head among Christians, that they cannot be determined by arbitration of the brethren. He puts them on a method to remedy this fault. By referring it to some to make it up: " Is it so that there is no wise man among you, no one able to judge between his brethren?

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

proposed

Is there not one among you, who are such admirers of wisdom, that is wise enough to decide such causes?
I speak to your shame,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

To shame you out of your present unworthy course of litigation before the heathen, I have said (1Co 6:4), "Set the least esteemed in the Church to judge." Better even this, than your present course. Is it so?--Are you in such a helpless state that, &c.? not a wise man--though ye admire "wisdom" so much on other occasions (1Co 1:5, 22).

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? - Have you none among yourselves that can be arbitrators of the differences which arise, that you go to the heathen tribunals?
I speak to your shame - I declare that which is a reproach to you, that your matters of dispute are carried before pagan tribunals. Is it so ... - Can it be that in the Christian church - the church collected in refined and enlightened Corinth - there is not a single member so wise, intelligent and prudent that his brethren may have confidence in him, and refer their causes to him?

The words behind it

19 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

16 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Corinthians 15:34Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.15 worksPsalms 14:3All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.12 worksJames 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.8 works1 Corinthians 4:14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.6 worksRomans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.6 worksMark 8:21Then He asked them, “Do you still not understand?”4 works
The other 10 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Corinthians 11:14Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,2 works1 Corinthians 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.2 worksJames 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.2 works1 Corinthians 4:10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.2 worksProverbs 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.2 worksJob 17:10But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.2 worksJob 12:2“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!2 works1 Corinthians 10:15I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.2 worksMicah 3:1Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?2 worksActs 1:15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 Corinthians 3:18

    Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 3:5

      Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

    • 1 Corinthians 1:18–21

      For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    • Galatians 6:3

      If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

    • Isaiah 5:21

      Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

    • Luke 18:17

      Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

  • Through

    1 Corinthians 15:34

    Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.

    it leads to

    • Romans 13:11

      And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

    • Hebrews 5:11–12

      We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing.

    • Joel 1:5

      Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Corinthians

The Crucifixion, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Crucifixion, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Corinthians: the study guide →Read 1 Corinthians 6 →
This page draws on 12 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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on First Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 2.27.20-22; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.

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