1. When you have something against another Christian, how can you bring yourself to go before judges who are not right with God? Why do you not let God’s people decide who is right?
2. Surely you know that God’s people will judge the world. So if you are to judge the world, are you not able to judge small cases as well?
3. You know that in the future we will judge angels, so surely we can judge the ordinary things of this life.
4. If you have ordinary cases that must be judged, are you going to appoint people as judges who mean nothing to the church?
5. I say this to shame you. Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between believers.
6. But now one believer goes to court against another believer—and you do this in front of unbelievers!
7. The fact that you have lawsuits against each other shows that you are already defeated. Why not let yourselves be wronged? Why not let yourselves be cheated?
8. But you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do this to other believers!
9-10. Surely you know that the people who do wrong will not inherit God’s kingdom. Do not be fooled. Those who sin sexually, worship idols, take part in adultery, those who are male prostitutes, or men who have sexual relations with other men, those who steal, are greedy, get drunk, lie about others, or rob—these people will not inherit God’s kingdom.