1 Corinthians 6:4 asks the Corinthian believers a pointed question: if they must hold trials over everyday disputes, why would they appoint people with little standing in the church to judge them? Paul is rebuking a congregation that was taking its quarrels to secular courts instead of settling them among fellow Christians. He wrote this letter to the church in Corinth, a busy port city in Greece, around the middle of the first century.
If then, you have to judge things pertaining to this life, do you set them to judge who are of no account in the assembly?
1 Corinthians 6:4 (WEB)
What 1 Corinthians 6:4 Means
The verse begins with “If then, you have to judge things pertaining to this life.” Paul is not saying that disputes about money, property, or daily dealings should never be judged. He accepts that such matters exist and sometimes require a decision. The word “then” points back to the previous verse, where he has already stressed that believers will one day judge the world and even angels, so even small matters should be within their ability to resolve.
The second half, “do you set them to judge who are of no account in the assembly?”, carries the sting. The phrase “of no account” can be read as people who carry little respect or influence within the church community. Paul is astonished that the believers would hand such a decision to outsiders or to the least respected members rather than to wise and mature Christians who could judge fairly. The verse does not promise that a problem will be solved neatly, but it does insist that the church should be able to handle its own conflicts with wisdom.
The Context of 1 Corinthians 6:4
First Corinthians is a letter from the apostle Paul, who founded the church in Corinth during his missionary work. The congregation was a mix of people from different social classes and backgrounds, and it was struggling with division, pride, and disorder. Paul addresses a range of problems in the letter, and the lawsuits in chapter 6 are one of them. Many scholars note that Roman courts were often expensive and favored the wealthy, which made suing a fellow believer both costly and damaging to the witness of the church.
The verses just before and after show what Paul wants. In verses 1 through 3 he asks why believers would bring a matter before unbelievers instead of before the saints, and in verses 5 through 7 he says plainly that having lawsuits among themselves is already a failure. He even suggests that it would be better to be wronged or defrauded than to drag a brother into court. Read in this setting, verse 4 is less a question about who the judges should be and more a rebuke aimed at a community that had lost its sense of brotherly reconciliation.
Key Phrases in 1 Corinthians 6:4
Matthew 18:15
“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
(WEB)
Jesus gives a step-by-step pattern for addressing a sin or offense between brothers, beginning with a private conversation. This teaching fits closely with Paul’s concern that believers should resolve disputes among themselves rather than publicly.
Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.
(WEB)
Paul urges believers to live peaceably with everyone as far as it depends on them. This wider call to peace helps explain why the Corinthians should seek reconciliation before resorting to lawsuits.
A Short Prayer From 1 Corinthians 6:4
Lord, you know how quickly disagreements can turn into hard feelings and how easily I reach for my own way. Give me wisdom to see when a matter should be settled among your people and humility to seek counsel rather than insist on winning. Help me to honor the church as a place of peace and to value those you have placed around me. Where I have been quick to dispute, soften my heart and teach me to pursue reconciliation. Amen.
