1 Corinthians 5:9-13 Meaning: Not to Avoid the World, but the Sinning Brother
9I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;
10yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world.
11But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.
12For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within?
13But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.”
9I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10Yet 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.
11But 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.
12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
9I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators;
10not at all meaning with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world:
11but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.
12For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
13But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.
9I did write to you in the epistle, not to keep company with whoremongers--
10and not certainly with the whoremongers of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, seeing ye ought then to go forth out of the world--
11and now, I did write to you not to keep company with him , if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;
12for what have I also those without to judge? those within do ye not judge?
13and those without God doth judge; and put ye away the evil from among yourselves.
9I have written to you in the epistle not to mix with fornicators;
10not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the avaricious and rapacious, or idolaters, since [then] ye should go out of the world.
11But now I have written to you, if any one called brother be fornicator, or avaricious, or idolater, or abusive, or a drunkard, or rapacious, not to mix with [him]; with such a one not even to eat.
12For what have I [to do] with judging those outside also? ye, do not ye judge them that are within?
13But those without God judges. Remove the wicked person from amongst yourselves.
Meaning in one sentence
Paul corrects a misunderstanding: he never meant to avoid all sinners in the world, but to separate from a professing Christian who lives in unrepentant sin.
Context
Paul had written to the church in Corinth, a city known for moral looseness, about a case of incest that the congregation was tolerating with pride. In the middle of dealing with that situation, he recalls a previous instruction, likely from an earlier letter now lost, telling them not to keep company with sexually immoral people. The Corinthians apparently took this too far, cutting themselves off from unbelievers entirely. So Paul steps back and explains what he actually meant. He never intended them to avoid every sinner in the world; that would mean leaving the planet. Instead, the command targets someone who calls himself a brother yet persists in serious sin. The church has a responsibility to judge those within its own fellowship, while leaving outsiders in God’s hands. This passage draws the line between holy separation from the world and holy accountability within the church.
Key Words
The Greek verb sunanamignusthai lies at the heart of this passage. It means to mix together intimately, the picture is of ingredients stirred into one batter, or people mingling freely. Paul uses it twice: once for what he did not mean (avoiding all sinners in the world) and once for what he did mean (refusing that kind of close fellowship with a sinning brother). The word carries the warmth of friendship, not a cold distance. That makes his command more tender, not less.
The term pleonektēs (“covetous” or “greedy”) describes a person who always wants more, money, power, things that belong to others. It appears alongside idolatry because greed can become a kind of false worship. And ponēros (“evil” or “wicked”) in verse 13 goes beyond personal badness: it means actively harmful, like an infection that spoils the whole body. The church removes such a person not to punish but to protect the rest of the family.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators have long debated whether the “letter” Paul mentions is a lost earlier epistle or a previous part of the one we have. Calvin and many Reformed scholars think it is lost; others, like Adam Clarke, hold that Paul is referring to what he has just written. Either way, the apostle’s main point is clear: he is correcting a misunderstanding.
Across traditions, this passage has shaped how churches practice discipline. Catholics see it as grounding the Church’s authority to judge its members. Protestants have used it to insist on purity of communion. Eastern Orthodox emphasize the goal of restoration rather than rejection. All agree that the command is not about harshness but about love that refuses to let sin destroy the community, while leaving final judgment to God.
A common misunderstanding
Many readers think Paul commands Christians to avoid all sinful people and withdraw from society entirely. In fact, he says the opposite: to avoid all sinners in the world, “you would have to leave the world.” His instruction is limited to someone who claims to be a brother yet lives in persistent sin. The church is called to maintain its own purity, not to isolate from the world it is sent to reach.
Living This Out
This week, think about a Christian friend or family member who is caught in a pattern of sin they won’t let go of, perhaps greed, gossip, or a lifestyle that contradicts their faith. It’s tempting to pretend nothing is wrong or to quietly distance yourself. Paul invites something harder: a gentle conversation aimed at restoration. Not condemnation, but honesty that says, “I care about you, and this matters.”
At the same time, remember you are free to love people who don’t share your faith. You don’t have to judge them or treat them with suspicion. God is their judge. You can simply be present, like Jesus was with tax collectors and sinners, offering grace without endorsing sin.
Main takeaway: The church is called to lovingly separate from a brother who persists in serious sin, while leaving the judgment of outsiders to God.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
If someone says they are a Christian but keeps doing bad things on purpose, we should not be close friends with them. This helps them see they need to say sorry and change.
For ages 9, 12
Paul teaches that when a person claims to follow Jesus but lives in a way that dishonors Him, the church should not treat them as a close companion. This is not being mean, it is a way to help them realize their sin and come back to God. The church is not called to judge people who don’t believe, but it must take sin seriously among its own members.
Questions People Ask
What does “I wrote to you in my letter” refer to?
Paul is likely quoting a previous letter he had sent to the Corinthians, which is now lost. Most scholars agree that this earlier letter contained a brief command not to associate with sexually immoral people, which the Corinthians misunderstood as applying to unbelievers. Here Paul clarifies his real meaning.
Does this passage forbid eating with non-Christians?
No. Paul explicitly says that would require leaving the world. The command “not even to eat” applies only to someone who claims to be a brother yet persists in serious sin. Eating together was a sign of intimate fellowship in the ancient world, so Paul is saying believers should not have close, casual fellowship with an unrepentant professing Christian.
What does “outside” and “inside” mean in verses 12, 13?
“Inside” refers to the church community, those who have publicly identified as followers of Jesus. “Outside” means everyone else: unbelievers, the world. Paul says the church has the responsibility to exercise judgment (discipline) among those inside, while God alone judges those outside. This sets a clear boundary for the church’s authority.
Is Paul talking about excommunication?
Yes, this passage is one of the foundational texts for church discipline. The phrase “put away the wicked man from among yourselves” quotes Deuteronomy and calls for removal from the fellowship. Most Christian traditions see this as a last-resort measure, done with the hope of repentance and restoration, not as a final condemnation.
Who is the “wicked person” in verse 13?
The term “wicked” (ponēros) means actively harmful or ruinous. In context, Paul is referring primarily to the man who was living with his father’s wife (the incest case from earlier in the chapter), but he broadens the principle to anyone in the church who persists in serious sin without repentance. The church must remove such a person to protect the whole community.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study