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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 5:10 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
1Co 5:10	Strong Concordance	Yet [2532] not [3756] altogether [3843] with the fornicators [4205] of this [5127] world [2889], or [2228] with the covetous [4123], or [2228] extortioners [727], or [2228] with idolaters [1496]; for [1893] then [686] must ye needs [3784] go [1831] out of [1537] the world [2889].
	King James	Yet 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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Limitation of the prohibition alluded to in Co1 5:9. As in dissolute Corinth to "company with no fornicators," &c., would be almost to company with none in the (unbelieving) world; ye need not utterly ("altogether") forego intercourse with fornicators, &c., of the unbelieving world (compare Co1 10:27; Joh 17:15; Jo1 5:18-19). As "fornicators" sin against themselves, so "extortioners" against their neighbors, and "idolaters" against God. The attempt to get "out of the world," in violation of God's will that believers should remain in it but keep themselves from its evil, led to monasticism and its consequent evils.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Limitation of the prohibition alluded to in Co1 5:9. As in dissolute Corinth to "company with no fornicators," &c., would be almost to company with none in the (unbelieving) world; ye need not utterly ("altogether") forego intercourse with fornicators, &c., of the unbelieving world (compare Co1 10:27; Joh 17:15; Jo1 5:18-19). As "fornicators" sin against themselves, so "extortioners" against their neighbors, and "idolaters" against God. The attempt to get "out of the world," in violation of God's will that believers should remain in it but keep themselves from its evil, led to monasticism and its consequent evils.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Yet not altogether ... - In my direction not "to company" with them, I did not mean that you should refuse all kinds of contact with them; that you should not treat them with civility, or be engaged with them in any of the transactions of life, or in the ordinary contact of society between man and man, for this would be impossible - but that you should not so associate with them as to be esteemed to belong to them, or so as to be corrupted by their example. You are not to make them companions and friends. With the fornicators - Most pagans were of this description, and particularly at Corinth. See the introduction to this Epistle. Of this world - Of those who are out of the church; or who are not professed Christians. Or with the covetous - The avaricious; those greedy of gain. Probably his direction in the former epistle had been that they should avoid them. Or extortioners - Rapacious persons; greedy of gain, and oppressing the poor, the needy, and the fatherless, to obtain money. Or an idolater - All the Corinthians before the gospel was preached there worshipped idols. Then must ye needs ... - It would be necessary to leave the world. The world is full of such persons. You meet them everywhere. You cannot avoid them in the ordinary transactions of life, unless you either destroy yourselves, or withdraw wholly from society. This passage shows: (1) That that society was full of the licentious and the covetous, of idolaters and extortioners. (Compare the notes at Rom. 1.) (2) that it is not right either to take our own lives to avoid them, or to withdraw from society and become monks; and therefore, that the whole monastic system is contrary to Christianity; and, (3) That it is needful we should have some contact with the people of the world; and to have dealings with them as neighbors, and as members of the community. "How far" we are to have contact with them is not settled here. The general principles may be: (1) That it is only so far as is necessary for the purposes of good society, or to show kindness to them as neighbors and as members of the community. (2) we are to deal justly with them in all our transactions. (3) we may be connected with them in regard to the things which "we have in common" - as public improvements, the business of education, etc. (4) we are to endeavor to do them good, and for that purpose we are not to shun their society. But, (5) We are not to make them our companions; or to associate with them in their wickedness, or as idolaters, or covetous, or licentious; we are not to be known as partakers with them in these things. And for the same reason we are not to associate with the frivilous in their gaiety; with the proud in their pride; with the fashionable in their regard to fashion; with the friends of the theater, the ballroom, or the splendid party, in their attachment to these amusements. In all these things we are to be separate; and are to be connected with them only in those things which we may have "in common" with them; and which are not inconsistent with the holy rules of the Christian religion. (6) we are not so to associate with them as to be corrupted by their example; or so as to be led by that example to neglect prayer and the sanctuary, and the deeds of charity, and the effort to do good to the souls of people. We are to make it a great point that our piety is not to suffer by that contact; and we are never to do anything, or conform to any custom, or to have any such contact with them as to lessen our growth in grace; to divert our attention from the humble duties of religion; or to mar our Christian enjoyment.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Yet not altogether ... - In my direction not "to company" with them, I did not mean that you should refuse all kinds of contact with them; that you should not treat them with civility, or be engaged with them in any of the transactions of life, or in the ordinary contact of society between man and man, for this would be impossible - but that you should not so associate with them as to be esteemed to belong to them, or so as to be corrupted by their example. You are not to make them companions and friends.

With the fornicators - Most pagans were of this description, and particularly at Corinth. See the introduction to this Epistle.

Of this world - Of those who are out of the church; or who are not professed Christians.

Or with the covetous - The avaricious; those greedy of gain. Probably his direction in the former epistle had been that they should avoid them.

Or extortioners - Rapacious persons; greedy of gain, and oppressing the poor, the needy, and the fatherless, to obtain money.

Or an idolater - All the Corinthians before the gospel was preached there worshipped idols.

Then must ye needs ... - It would be necessary to leave the world. The world is full of such persons. You meet them everywhere. You cannot avoid them in the ordinary transactions of life, unless you either destroy yourselves, or withdraw wholly from society. This passage shows:

(1) That that society was full of the licentious and the covetous, of idolaters and extortioners. (Compare the notes at Rom. 1.)

(2) that it is not right either to take our own lives to avoid them, or to withdraw from society and become monks; and therefore, that the whole monastic system is contrary to Christianity; and,

(3) That it is needful we should have some contact with the people of the world; and to have dealings with them as neighbors, and as members of the community. "How far" we are to have contact with them is not settled here. The general principles may be:

(1) That it is only so far as is necessary for the purposes of good society, or to show kindness to them as neighbors and as members of the community.

(2) we are to deal justly with them in all our transactions.

(3) we may be connected with them in regard to the things which "we have in common" - as public improvements, the business of education, etc.

(4) we are to endeavor to do them good, and for that purpose we are not to shun their society. But,

(5) We are not to make them our companions; or to associate with them in their wickedness, or as idolaters, or covetous, or licentious; we are not to be known as partakers with them in these things. And for the same reason we are not to associate with the frivilous in their gaiety; with the proud in their pride; with the fashionable in their regard to fashion; with the friends of the theater, the ballroom, or the splendid party, in their attachment to these amusements. In all these things we are to be separate; and are to be connected with them only in those things which we may have "in common" with them; and which are not inconsistent with the holy rules of the Christian religion.

(6) we are not so to associate with them as to be corrupted by their example; or so as to be led by that example to neglect prayer and the sanctuary, and the deeds of charity, and the effort to do good to the souls of people. We are to make it a great point that our piety is not to suffer by that contact; and we are never to do anything, or conform to any custom, or to have any such contact with them as to lessen our growth in grace; to divert our attention from the humble duties of religion; or to mar our Christian enjoyment.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
world Greek, "kosmos", means "mankind". (See Scofield) - (Mat 4:8).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Idolaters (εἰδωλολάτραις) Only twice outside of Paul's writings: Rev 21:8; Rev 22:15. This is the earliest known instance of the use of the word. For the collocation of the covetous and idolaters, compare Col 3:15; Eph 5:5. New-Testament usage does not confine the term to the worship of images, but extends it to the soul's devotion to any object which usurps the place of God.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
But I did not mean that you should altogether refrain from conversing with heathens, though they are guilty in some of these respects. Covetous, rapacious, idolaters - Sinners against themselves, their neighbour, God. For then ye must go out of the world - Then all civil commerce must cease. So that going out of the world, which some account a perfection, St. Paul accounts an utter absurdity.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
For then must ye needs go out of the world - What an awful picture of the general corruption of manners does this exhibit! The Christians at Corinth could not transact the ordinary affairs of life with any others than with fornicators, covetous persons, extortioners, railers, drunkards, and idolaters, because there were none others in the place! How necessary was Christianity in that city!

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¹⁸ We know [1492] that [3754] whosoever [3956] is born [1080] of [1537] God [2316] sinneth [264] not [3756]; but [235] he that is begotten [1080] of [1537] God [2316] keepeth [5083] himself [1438], and [2532] that wicked one [4190] toucheth [680] him [846] not [3756].
¹⁹ And we know [1492] that [3754] we are [2070] of [1537] God [2316], and [2532] the whole [3650] world [2889] lieth [2749] in [1722] wickedness [4190].

¹⁵ I pray [2065] not [3756] that [2443] thou shouldest take [142] them [846] out of [1537] the world [2889], but [235] that [2443] thou shouldest keep [5083] them [846] from [1537] the evil [4190].

²⁷ [1161] If any [1536] of them that believe not [571] bid [2564] you [5209] to a feast, and [2532] ye be disposed [2309] to go [4198]; whatsoever [3956] is set before [3908] you [5213], eat [2068], asking [350] no [3367] question [350] for [1223] conscience [4893] sake [1223].

⁹ I wrote [1125] unto you [5213] in [1722] an epistle [1992] not [3361] to company [4874] with fornicators [4205]:

⁸ Again [3825], the devil [1228] taketh [3880] him [846] up [3880] into [1519] an exceeding [3029] high [5308] mountain [3735], and [2532] sheweth [1166] him [846] all [3956] the kingdoms [932] of the world [2889], and [2532] the glory [1391] of them [846];

⁵ For [1063] this [5124] ye know [2075] [1097], that [3754] no [3756] [3956] whoremonger [4205], nor [2228] unclean person [169], nor [2228] covetous man [4123], who [3739] is [2076] an idolater [1496], hath [2192] any inheritance [2817] in [1722] the kingdom [932] of Christ [5547] and [2532] of God [2316].

¹⁵ And [2532] let [1018] the peace [1515] of God [2316] rule [1018] in [1722] your [5216] hearts [2588], to [1519] the which [3739] also [2532] ye are called [2564] in [1722] one [1520] body [4983]; and [2532] be ye [1096] thankful [2170].

¹⁵ For [1161] without [1854] are dogs [2965], and [2532] sorcerers [5333], and [2532] whoremongers [4205], and [2532] murderers [5406], and [2532] idolaters [1496], and [2532] whosoever [3956] loveth [5368] and [2532] maketh [4160] a lie [5579].

⁸ But [1161] the fearful [1169], and [2532] unbelieving [571], and [2532] the abominable [948], and [2532] murderers [5406], and [2532] whoremongers [4205], and [2532] sorcerers [5332], and [2532] idolaters [1496], and [2532] all [3956] liars [5571], shall have their [846] part [3313] in [1722] the lake [3041] which [3588] burneth [2545] with fire [4442] and [2532] brimstone [2303]: which is [3603] the second [1208] death [2288].