1 Corinthians 6:8

Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that [your] brethren.

Nay {G235}, ye {G5210} do wrong {G91}, and {G2532} defraud {G650}, and {G2532} that {G5023} your brethren {G80}.

Instead, you yourselves wrong and cheat; and you do it to your own brothers!

Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers!

Nay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Commentary

In 1 Corinthians 6:8, the Apostle Paul delivers a sharp rebuke to the Corinthian believers, condemning their practice of taking fellow Christians to secular courts. This verse encapsulates the core of his argument against such behavior, stating, "Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that [your] brethren."

Context

This verse is a direct continuation of Paul's earlier admonition in 1 Corinthians 6:1-7, where he expresses astonishment that believers would seek justice against each other in pagan, unrighteous courts rather than resolving disputes within the church. He had just suggested that it would be better to suffer wrong or be defrauded than to bring public shame upon the name of Christ and the Christian community. Verse 8 highlights the tragic irony: instead of enduring injustice, the Corinthians were actively inflicting it upon their own spiritual family.

Key Themes

  • Internal Injustice: The verse powerfully confronts the egregious sin of Christians harming or cheating other Christians. Paul is not merely lamenting a minor disagreement but a serious ethical failing within the community.
  • Defrauding Brethren: The term "defraud" (Greek: apostereite) implies a deliberate act of withholding what is due, cheating, or exploiting. This goes beyond simple misunderstanding; it suggests intentional deprivation or exploitation of a fellow believer for personal gain.
  • Violation of Christian Ethics: This behavior directly contradicts the fundamental principles of Christian love, unity, and self-sacrifice that Christ taught. It undermines the very witness of the church to the world.

Linguistic Insights

  • The word "wrong" comes from the Greek adikeite (ἀδικεῖτε), meaning "to act unjustly," "to do wrong," or "to injure." It denotes a violation of what is right and fair.
  • "Defraud" is from apostereite (ἀποστερεῖτε), which carries the strong sense of "to rob," "to deprive," or "to cheat." It emphasizes the active taking away of something that belongs to another.
  • The repeated emphasis on "your brethren" (ἀδελφούς - adelphous) underscores the gravity of the offense. These are not strangers but fellow members of God's family, bound by a shared faith and spiritual kinship.

Practical Application

1 Corinthians 6:8 serves as a timeless reminder of the high standard of conduct expected within the Christian community. It calls believers to:

  1. Prioritize Spiritual Relationships: The bond of brotherhood/sisterhood in Christ should be valued above personal gain, vindication, or material possessions.
  2. Seek Internal Resolution: Disputes among believers should ideally be resolved within the church, through biblical principles of forgiveness, reconciliation, and mediation, rather than resorting to secular legal systems that may not uphold kingdom values. This aligns with principles found in Matthew 18:15-17.
  3. Embrace Humility and Sacrifice: Sometimes, true Christian maturity means being willing to suffer loss or injustice for the sake of peace and the unity of the body of Christ, rather than insisting on one's "rights." Paul's earlier statement in 1 Corinthians 6:7, "Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?" highlights this challenging call to self-sacrifice.

This verse challenges us to reflect on how we treat fellow believers, ensuring our actions consistently reflect the love and integrity that define followers of Christ.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:6

    That no [man] go beyond and defraud his brother in [any] matter: because that the Lord [is] the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

  • Colossians 3:25

    But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

  • James 5:4

    Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

  • Malachi 3:5

    And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in [his] wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

  • Mark 10:19

    Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

  • Leviticus 19:13

    Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob [him]: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

  • Micah 2:2

    And they covet fields, and take [them] by violence; and houses, and take [them] away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
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