1 Corinthians 5:13But those who are outside, God judges. "Put away the wicked man from among yourselves."
The setting
Corinth, Greece, ~55 AD. Paul concludes his shocking directive to expel a church member living in sexual sin. The Corinthians were tolerating behavior that even pagans condemned while proudly claiming spiritual maturity.
The emotion here: heartbroken but resolute, making the hardest pastoral decision
The original word
exairate (ἐξάρατε) — remove completely, expel, take away from among, suggesting surgical removal
Why it matters
The specific sin involved a man sleeping with his stepmother, which violated both Jewish and Roman law
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Corinthians 5:13
Paul quotes Deuteronomy exactly — he's applying Old Testament church discipline to New Testament grace community
Common misconceptionModern Christians think this is unloving and judgmental. But Paul's goal is restoration — the man was restored in 2 Corinthians 2:6-8. Sometimes love requires boundaries.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Corinthians 5:13
Bible Genome reading
1 Corinthians 5:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Corinthians 5:13 comes from the book of 1 Corinthians, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Paul. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, removal, purity. Notable phrases: God judges; put away the wicked man. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 1 Corinthians 5:13 mean to you, today?
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