What Does 1 Corinthians 5:13 Mean in the King James?

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

1 Corinthians 5:13 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

Judgment of those outside is God’s; removing the wicked person from within belongs to the community.

THE MEANING

This verse assigns two different acts in the present: God judges those outside the community, and the community puts the wicked person out from among itself. “Therefore” makes that removal the consequence of the boundary just drawn.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that the community is charged with judging those outside it; the verse assigns that judgment to God.

THE ROOT

κρίνει

krinei

GROWS FROM

κρίνω

krinō

to separate, distinguish, decide, or judge

“judgeth” in this verse is krinei. The verb assigns judgment of those outside to God. Its root carries the sense of distinguishing or deciding, while the next sentence uses a different verb for removing the wicked person from among the community.

ALSO GROWS

krisis: judgment, decision

κρίσις

This related noun names the act or outcome of judging, clarifying the kind of action assigned to God here.

kritēs: judge

κριτής

This names the one who judges and makes the verse’s assignment of that role to God explicit.

kritērion: court, tribunal

κριτήριον

This names a place or means of judgment, extending the root’s sense of making a decision.

THE PATTERN

Judgment of those outside belongs to God, while the community removes wrongdoing from among itself.

The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

Deuteronomy 17:7 · KJVThe verse describes putting evil away from among the people and states plainly that the prescribed removal is death.

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:

1 Corinthians 5:7 · KJVThe community is again told to remove what corrupts from within its own midst.

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Romans 2:16 · KJVJudgment is assigned to God, extending beyond outward acts to the hidden things of people.

THE THREAD

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

1 Corinthians 5:12 · KJV

The preceding line uses the same judgment verb to distinguish those outside from those within. This verse resolves that distinction: God judges those outside, while the community’s action concerns the person among itself.

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