1 Corinthians

The Incestuous Man

You have become a news story because of a moral failure, a case so severe it is not even seen among pagans. Yes, one of you has taken his stepmother as wife.

And you’re proud of this! Shouldn’t you be mourning instead and removing the one who committed such a sin?

For my part, even though I am not physically present, my spirit is with you, and I have already judged the man who committed this sin as if I were there.

Let us come together, you and my spirit, in the name of our Lord Jesus, and with his authority,

hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of judgment.

This is not the time to boast. Don’t you know that a bit of yeast causes the whole batch of dough to rise?

Then, discard the old yeast and become new dough. If Christ is our Passover, you should be unleavened bread.

Let us therefore celebrate the Passover, not with old yeast, which is sin and evil, but with unleavened bread, symbolizing purity and sincerity.

In my last letter, I instructed you not to associate with immoral people.

I did not mean, of course, those who are not part of the church and who are sinners, exploiters, embezzlers, or idol worshipers. Otherwise, you would have to leave this world.

What I really meant was to avoid and not associate with anyone who, under the name of brother or sister, becomes immoral, an exploiter, slanderer, drunkard, or embezzler. In these cases, you should not even eat with them.

Why should I judge outsiders? But you, are you not to judge those who are inside?

Let God judge those outside. But as for you, remove the wicked person from among you.