TRV
Translation
King James Version
And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
Complete Jewish Bible
And you stay proud? Shouldn’t you rather have felt some sadness that would have led you to remove from your company the man who has done this thing?
Berean Standard Bible
And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this?
American Standard Version
And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you.
World English Bible Messianic
You are puffed up, and didn’t rather mourn, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And ye are puffed vp and haue not rather sorowed, that he which hath done this deede, might be put from among you.
Young's Literal Translation
and ye are having been puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he may be removed out of the midst of you who did this work,
See also
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In the KJVVerse 28,457 of 31,102
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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 5 verses 1–6
1 ¶ It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
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.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 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.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Here the apostle states the case; and,
I. Lets them know what was the common or general report concerning them, that one of their community was guilty of fornication, Co1 5:1. It was told in all places, to their dishonour, and the reproach of Christians. And it was the more reproachful because it could not be denied. Note, The heinous sins of professed Christians are quickly noted and noised abroad. We should walk circumspectly, for many eyes are upon us, and many mouths will be opened against us if we fall into any scandalous practice. This was not a common instance of fornication, but such as was not so much as named among the Gentiles, that a man should have his father's wife - either marry her while his father was alive, or keep her as his concubine, either when he was dead or while he was alive. In either of these cases, his criminal conversation with her might be called fornication; but had his father been dead, and he, after his decease, married to her, it had been incest still, but neither fornication nor adultery in the strictest sense. But to marry her, or keep her as a concubine, while his father was alive, though he had repudiated her, or she had deserted him, whether she were his own mother or not, was incestuous fornication: Scelus incredibile (as Cicero calls it), et prater unum in omni vit inauditum (Orat. pro Cluent.), when a woman had caused her daughter to be put away, and was married to her husband. Incredible wickedness! says the orator; such I never heard of in all my life besides. Not that there were no such instances of incestuous marriages among the heathens; but, whenever they happened, they gave a shock to every man of virtue and probity among them. They could not think of them without horror, nor mention them without dislike and detestation. Yet such a horrible wickedness was committed by one in the church of Corinth, and, as is probable, a leader of one of the factions among them, a principal man. Note, The best churches are, in this state of imperfection, liable to very great corruptions. Is it any wonder when so horrible a practice was tolerated in an apostolical church, a church planted by the great apostle of the Gentiles?
II. He greatly blames them for their own conduct hereupon: They were puffed up (Co1 5:2), they gloried, 1. Perhaps on account of this very scandalous person. He might be a man of great eloquence, of deep science, and for this reason very greatly esteemed, and followed, and cried up, by many among them. They were proud that they had such a leader. Instead of mourning for his fall, and their own reproach upon his account, and renouncing him and removing him from the society, they continued to applaud him and pride themselves in him. Note, Pride or self-esteem often lies at the bottom of our immoderate esteem of others, and this makes us as blind to their faults as to our own. It is true humility that will bring a man to a sight and acknowledgement of his errors. The proud man either wholly overlooks or artfully disguises his faults, or endeavours to transform his blemishes into beauties. Those of the Corinthians that were admirers of the incestuous person's gifts could overlook or extenuate his horrid practices. Or else, 2. It may intimate to us that some of the opposite party were puffed up. They were proud of their own standing, and trampled upon him that fell. Note, It is a very wicked thing to glory over the miscarriages and sins of others. We should lay them to heart, and mourn for them, not be puffed up with them. Probably this was one effect of the divisions among them. The opposite party made their advantage of this scandalous lapse, and were glad of the opportunity. Note, It is a sad consequence of divisions among Christians that it makes them apt to rejoice in iniquity. The sins of others should be our sorrow. Nay, churches should mourn for the scandalous behaviour of particular members, and, if they be incorrigible, should remove them. He that had done this wicked deed should have been taken away from among them.
III. We have the apostle's direction to them how they should now proceed with this scandalous sinner. He would have him excommunicated and delivered to Satan (Co1 5:3-5); as absent in body, yet present in spirit, he had judged already as if he had been present; that is, he had, by revelation and the miraculous gift of discerning vouchsafed him by the Spirit, as perfect a knowledge of the case, and had hereupon come to the following determination, not without special authority from the Holy Spirit. He says this to let them know that, though he was at a distance, he did not pass an unrighteous sentence, nor judge without having as full cognizance of the case as if he had been on the spot. Note, Those who would appear righteous judges to the world will take care to inform them that they do not pass sentence without full proof and evidence. The apostle adds, him who hath so done this deed. The fact was not only heinously evil in itself, and horrible to the heathens, but there were some particular circumstances that greatly aggravated the offence. He had so committed the evil as to heighten the guilt by the manner of doing it. Perhaps he was a minister, a teacher, or a principal man among them. By this means the church and their profession were more reproached. Note, In dealing with scandalous sinners, not only are they to be charged with the fact, but the aggravating circumstances of it. Paul had judged that he should be delivered to Satan (Co1 5:5), and this was to be done in the name of Christ, with the power of Christ, and in a full assembly, where the apostle would be also present in spirit, or by his spiritual gift of discerning at a distance. Some think that this is to be understood of a mere ordinary excommunication, and that delivering him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh is only meant of disowning him, and casting him out of the church, that by this means he might be brought to repentance, and his flesh might be mortified. Christ and Satan divide the world: and those that live in sin, when they profess relation to Christ, belong to another master, and by excommunication should be delivered up to him; and this in the name of Christ. Note, Church-censures are Christ's ordinances, and should be dispensed in his name. It was to be done also when they were gathered together, in full assembly. The more public the more solemn, and the more solemn the more likely to have a good effect on the offender. Note, Church-censures on notorious and incorrigible sinners should be passed with great solemnity. Those who sin in this manner are to be rebuked before all, that all may fear, Ti1 5:20. Others think the apostle is not to be understood of mere excommunication, but of a miraculous power or authority they had of delivering a scandalous sinner into the power of Satan, to have bodily diseases inflicted, and to be tormented by him with bodily pains, which is the meaning of the destruction of the flesh. In this sense the destruction of the flesh has been a happy occasion of the salvation of the spirit. It is probable that this was a mixed case. It was an extraordinary instance: and the church was to proceed against him by just censure; the apostle, when they did so, put forth an act of extraordinary power, and gave him up to Satan, nor for his destruction, but for his deliverance, at least for the destruction of the flesh, that the soul might be saved. Note, The great end of church-censures is the good of those who fall under them, their spiritual and eternal good. It is that their spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, Co1 5:5. Yet it is not merely a regard to their benefit that is to be had in proceeding against them. For,
IV. He hints the danger of contagion from this example: Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? The bad example of a man in rank and reputation is very mischievous, spreads the contagion far and wide. It did so, probably, in this very church and case: see Co2 12:21. They could not be ignorant of this. The experience of the whole world was for it; one scabbed sheep infects a whole flock. A little heaven will quickly spread the ferment through a great lump. Note, Concern for their purity and preservation should engage Christian churches to remove gross and scandalous sinners.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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TertullianAD 220
On Modesty
Accordingly, he could have said that to a fornicator, too, "affection" only was conceded, not "communion "as well; to an incestuous man, however, not even "affection; "whom he would, to be sure, have bidden to be banished from their midst -much more, of course, from their mind.
AmbrosiasterAD 384
COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES
Paul humbles their pride, but in such a way that instead of making them angry he makes them willing to cooperate with him.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on 1 Corinthians 15
And "tell me not," saith he, "that the fornicator is but one: the charge hath become common to all." Wherefore at once he added, "and ye are puffed up:" he said not, "with the sin;" for this would imply want of all reason: but with the doctrine you have heard from that person. This however he set not down himself, but left it undetermined, that he might inflict a heavier blow.
And mark the good sense of Paul. Having first overthrown the wisdom from without, and signified that it is nothing by itself although no sin were associated with it; then and not till then he discourses about the sin also. For if by way of comparison with the fornicator who perhaps was some wise one, he had maintained the greatness of his own spiritual gift; he had done no great thing: but even when unattended with sin to take down the heathen wisdom and demonstrate it to be nothing, this was indicating its extreme worthlessness indeed. Wherefore first, as I said, having made the comparison, he afterwards mentions the man's sin also.
And with him indeed he condescends not to debate, and thereby signifies the exceeding greatness of his dishonor. But to the others he saith, "You ought to weep and wail, and cover your faces, but now ye do the contrary." And this is the force of the next clause, "And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn."
"And why are we to weep?" some might say. Because the reproach hath made its way even unto the whole body of your Church. "And what good are we to get by our weeping?" "That such an one should be taken away from you." Not even here doth he mention his name; rather, I should say, not any where; which in all monstrous things is our usual way.
And he said not, "Ye have not rather cast him out," but, as in the case of any disease or pestilence, "there is need of mourning," saith he, "and of intense supplication, 'that he may be taken away.' And you should have used prayer for this, and left nothing undone that he should be cut off."
Nor yet doth he accuse them for not having given him information, but for not having mourned so that the man should be taken away; implying that even without their Teacher this ought to have been done, because of the notoriety of the offence.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
The Apostle Paul sternly rebukes the Corinthian church for their shocking complacency and spiritual arrogance in the face of a severe case of sexual immorality within their fellowship. Rather than exhibiting profound sorrow and taking decisive action to remove the unrepentant offender, the Corinthians had become "puffed up" with a misguided sense of pride or indifference, thereby compromising the purity and witness of the Christian community.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul employs several potent literary devices in 1 Corinthians 5:2 to underscore his rebuke. The most prominent is Contrast, as he juxtaposes the Corinthians' actual state ("puffed up") with their expected, appropriate response ("mourned"). This stark contrast highlights their spiritual failure and the perversion of their values. There is also an element of Irony in their "puffed up" state; true spiritual maturity and wisdom would lead to humility and sorrow over sin, not pride or indifference. Their pride paradoxically reveals their immaturity. Furthermore, the term "puffed up" itself functions as a Metaphor, drawing on the imagery of something being inflated or swollen, suggesting an emptiness or superficiality beneath a facade of self-importance. This metaphor effectively conveys the spiritual hollowness of their pride in the face of such a serious moral breach.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The profound implications of 1 Corinthians 5:2 extend beyond the immediate context of church discipline, touching upon the very nature of the church as God's holy people and the proper response to sin within the community. It underscores that the health and witness of the church are intrinsically tied to its commitment to purity and its willingness to address sin, not with a spirit of judgment, but with a desire for restoration and the glory of God. The failure to mourn over sin and to act decisively against unrepentant immorality indicates a severe spiritual sickness, potentially leading to the corruption of the entire body, much like leaven spreads through a whole batch of dough. This passage highlights that genuine love for God and for fellow believers necessitates a zealous concern for holiness and a willingness to undertake difficult but necessary spiritual surgery for the good of the individual and the community.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
1 Corinthians 5:2 serves as a powerful and timeless mirror for contemporary churches and individual believers. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and the collective conscience of our communities: do we genuinely mourn over sin, both personal and corporate, or have we become "puffed up" with a subtle pride, indifference, or misguided tolerance? True spiritual maturity is not characterized by a detached or self-righteous judgment, nor by a permissive laxity, but by a humble, brokenhearted sorrow over anything that dishonors God and harms His people. This verse calls us to cultivate a profound sensitivity to sin's destructive power and to embrace the difficult but loving responsibility of maintaining the purity of the church through appropriate, restorative discipline, always rooted in prayer and a desire for repentance. It reminds us that our inaction in the face of sin can be as detrimental as the sin itself, compromising our witness and hindering God's work among us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "puffed up" mean in this context, and why was it such a problem for the Corinthians?
Answer: In 1 Corinthians 5:2, "puffed up" (Greek: physióō) means to be inflated with pride, arrogance, or conceit. It describes a spiritual haughtiness or self-satisfaction that Paul frequently condemns in this letter (e.g., 1 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 8:1). For the Corinthians, this "puffed up" attitude was a significant problem because it prevented them from responding appropriately to a grave sin within their community (a man living with his stepmother, as detailed in 1 Corinthians 5:1). Instead of being grieved and taking action, they were indifferent, perhaps even boasting in a misguided sense of "tolerance" or spiritual freedom, or simply too proud to admit there was a serious problem. This pride compromised the church's purity, its witness to the world, and its ability to act in accordance with God's will.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
1 Corinthians 5:2, though a rebuke concerning church discipline, finds its ultimate fulfillment and meaning in Christ. The very reason for the church's call to purity and its need to "take away" unrepentant sin is rooted in the holiness of Christ, who is the head of the church and its spotless Lamb. Just as the Passover lamb was sacrificed to cleanse Israel, Christ, our true Passover Lamb, was sacrificed to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The "mourning" Paul expected from the Corinthians reflects the sorrow of God over sin and the brokenness it causes, a sorrow perfectly embodied in Christ's suffering for humanity's transgressions. Furthermore, the purpose of church discipline, to remove the "leaven" of sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-7), points to Christ's work of sanctification, making His church holy and blameless before God (Ephesians 5:25-27). Ultimately, the removal of the unrepentant individual is not merely punitive but redemptive, aiming for the offender's repentance and restoration, mirroring Christ's persistent call for sinners to turn to Him for forgiveness and new life (Luke 5:32). The church's purity is a reflection of Christ's own purity, and its discipline, when exercised in love and humility, is a means by which the body of Christ participates in His ongoing work of redemption and holiness.