1 Corinthians 5

1 Corinthians 5:1

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

It is brought unto me both by common and credible report, that there is a very shameful practice of uncleanness tolerated or winked at, amongst you: and, indeed, such a one, as for the odiousness of it, is not to be heard of among the very Gentiles themselves; that one should converse and commit filthiness with his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5:2

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

And ye, in the mean time, are taken up with your own proud contentions, and mind not the correction and reformation of so foul a crime: and are not humbled rather, for such a heinous offence; nor have taken a course, that he, which hath done this wickedness, might be taken away from among you. V. 4, 5. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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. I have already decreed concerning this incestuous person, that, when ye are gathered together in the Name and with the Invocation of our Lord Jesus Christ, in which assembly I will in my desire and consent and approbation be present with you, That, in the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, this offender be cast out of the Church; and, by this heavy censure, delivered over into the power of Satan; not for his final damnation, but only for his temporary smart, and for punishment of the flesh, that his soul may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:6

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Ye, Corinthians, have no reason to pride yourselves, and to boast and glory of your estate, while ye have so foul sins amongst you: know ye not that a little leaven of sin soureth the whole lump of your Church?

1 Corinthians 5:7

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:

Purge out therefore this old and sour leaven of offence, that ye may be a holy congregation indeed, as ye are so in profession. Ye know, no leaven may be endured in the Paschal Feast: behold, Christ, our Paschal Lamb, is slain and sacrificed for us:

1 Corinthians 5:8

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with &c.

Away, therefore, with all the sinful leaven of our uncleannesses; and let us keep this spiritual passover, not with old leaven, neither with &c. V. 9, 10. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 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. I admonished you before, in another Epistle, that ye should not keep company with fornicators; and I do now again second that my needful charge: Yet, then I did not intend to require you to avoid the company of heathenish fornicators, or of covetous, or oppressive, or idolatrous heathens; for then must ye go out of the world: these do so abound every where, that ye can meet with no other.

1 Corinthians 5:11

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.

But now I have written unto you, particularly, not to consort yourselves in the company of inordinate Christians: if any, that is called a brother or professed Christian, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an adulterer, &c. with such a one have not so much familiarity, as to frequent his ordinary conversation.

1 Corinthians 5:12

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

As for the rest; what have I to do, to censure or meddle with them, that are without the pale of the Church? Is not this the power, that God hath committed unto you, to judge and censure those, that are within?

1 Corinthians 5:13

But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

But, as for those that are without, we must leave them to the censure of God. Therefore, let the issue of this my exhortation and charge be this; put away from yourselves that wicked person.