1 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)

What does 1 Corinthians 6:2 mean?

1 Corinthians 6:2 says that God’s people will have a part in judging the world. Paul uses that future role to challenge the Corinthian believers: they should be able to decide the much smaller disputes arising among themselves.

Paul asks two pointed questions rather than simply giving an instruction. After mentioning lawsuits in verse 1, he contrasts the scale of the world’s judgment with the everyday matters dividing members of the group.

The Greek behind 1 Corinthians 6:2

• “saints” — ἅγιοι (hagioi): The word describes people set apart as belonging to God. Here it refers to the believers Paul is addressing, not just to a select group of especially admired people.
• “judge” — κρίνω (krinō): The word can mean to decide a case or pass judgment. In this verse, it connects the believers’ future role with the work of settling their present disputes.
• “unworthy” — ἀνάξιοι (anaxioi): The word carries the sense of being unfit or not qualified. Paul’s question challenges the idea that the believers are unable to handle such cases.

Why 1 Corinthians 6:2 matters

• Paul’s comparison is about the size of the matters being judged. He calls their disputes “the smallest matters” alongside the judgment of “the world.”
• The question is directed to the group, not merely to one person acting alone. Paul says “you” and “ye” as he addresses the Corinthian believers together.
• The surrounding passage concerns disputes between fellow believers. Verse 6 describes one believer taking another to court before people outside the group.