The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 6:5 Explained

1 Corinthians 6:5

KJV: I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

YLT: unto your shame I speak: so there is not among you one wise man, not even one, who shall be able to discern in the midst of his brethren!

Darby: I speak to you to put you to shame. Thus there is not a wise person among you, not even one, who shall be able to decide between his brethren!

ASV: I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I speak  to your  shame.  Is it so,  that there  is not  a wise man  among  you?  no, not  one  that  shall be able  to judge  between  his  brethren? 

What does 1 Corinthians 6:5 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 6:1-11 - Settling Differences Between Brethren
The Apostle was clearly of the opinion that it was wiser for a Christian to bear injustice and wrong than to go to law before a heathen tribunal. It would have been a happy solution of myriads of disputes if his advice had been followed. Where a course of lawless crime has to be arrested in the interests of the weak and defenseless, it is necessary to call in the law and police to vindicate and protect; but when our private, personal and individual interests alone are concerned, we should be wise to submit our case to arbitration or suffer patiently.
Who are the heirs of the kingdom of heaven, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11? Do not inquire into their past history. There are pages in their lives that had better be obliterated and forgotten; or, if remembered, they should be the foil to set forth the matchless grace and love of God. Yes, that grace shall be our theme forever, when we recall the depths out of which it lifted us, and the heights to which it raised us. Let us note that the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit are named together. It is by the Holy Spirit that we become possessed of the nature of our Lord, which takes the place of our old evil nature and empowers us to repeat His life. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 6

1  The Corinthians must take their brothers to court;
6  especially under infidels
9  The wicked shall not inherit the kingdom of God
15  Our bodies are the members of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit:
19  they must not therefore be defiled

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 6:5

I say this to move you to shame [προς εντροπην υμιν λεγω]
Old word εντροπη — entropē from εντρεπω — entrepō to turn in (1 Corinthians 4:14 which see). In N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 15:34. [source]
One wise man [σοπος]
From sarcasm to pathos Paul turns. Does there not exist (ενι — eni short form for ενεστι — enesti)? With double negative ουκουδεις — ouk̇̇oudeis expecting the answer yes. Surely one such man exists in the church. Who Almost consecutive in idea, of such wisdom that he will be able. To decide between his brethren (διακριναι ανα μεσον του αδελπου αυτου — diakrinai ana meson tou adelphou autou). Κριναι — Krinai is to judge or decide (first aorist active infinitive of κρινω — krinō and δια — dia (two) carries on the idea of between. Then ανα μεσον — ana meson makes it still plainer, in the midst as arbitrator between brother and brother like ανα μεσον εμου και σου — ana meson emou kai sou (Genesis 23:15). It is even so a condensed expression with part of it unexpressed (ανα μεσον και του αδελπου αυτου — ana meson kai tou adelphou autou) between brother and his brother. The use of αδελπος — adelphos has a sharp reflection on them for their going to heathen judges to settle disputes between brothers in Christ. [source]
Does there not exist [ενι]
(ενι — eni short form for ενεστι — enesti)? With double negative ουκουδεις — ouk̇̇oudeis expecting the answer yes. Surely one such man exists in the church. [source]
Who [ος]
Almost consecutive in idea, of such wisdom that he will be able. To decide between his brethren (διακριναι ανα μεσον του αδελπου αυτου — diakrinai ana meson tou adelphou autou). Κριναι — Krinai is to judge or decide (first aorist active infinitive of κρινω — krinō and δια — dia (two) carries on the idea of between. Then ανα μεσον — ana meson makes it still plainer, in the midst as arbitrator between brother and brother like ανα μεσον εμου και σου — ana meson emou kai sou (Genesis 23:15). It is even so a condensed expression with part of it unexpressed (ανα μεσον και του αδελπου αυτου — ana meson kai tou adelphou autou) between brother and his brother. The use of αδελπος — adelphos has a sharp reflection on them for their going to heathen judges to settle disputes between brothers in Christ. [source]
To decide between his brethren [διακριναι ανα μεσον του αδελπου αυτου]
Κριναι — Krinai is to judge or decide (first aorist active infinitive of κρινω — krinō and δια — dia (two) carries on the idea of between. Then ανα μεσον — ana meson makes it still plainer, in the midst as arbitrator between brother and brother like ανα μεσον εμου και σου — ana meson emou kai sou (Genesis 23:15). It is even so a condensed expression with part of it unexpressed (ανα μεσον και του αδελπου αυτου — ana meson kai tou adelphou autou) between brother and his brother. The use of αδελπος — adelphos has a sharp reflection on them for their going to heathen judges to settle disputes between brothers in Christ. [source]
To your shame [πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν]
Lit., I speak to you with a view to shame; i.e., to move you to shame, as Rev. See on 1 Corinthians 4:14. [source]
To judge [διακρῖναι]
Rev., better, decide; by arbitration. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 6:5

1 Corinthians 4:14 To shame [ἐντρέπων]
Lit., as shaming. See on Matthew 21:37. The verb means to turn about, hence to turn one upon himself; put him to shame. Compare 2 Thessalonians 3:14; Titus 2:8. Also, in the middle voice, in the sense of reverence; to turn one's self toward another. See Mark 12:6; Luke 18:2. The kindred noun ἐντροπή occurs twice: 1 Corinthians 6:5; 1 Corinthians 15:34. Compare Sophocles: “Think you he will have any regard ( ἐντροπὴν ) for the blind man” (“Oedipus at Colonos,” 299). [source]
1 Corinthians 15:34 No knowledge of God [αγνωσιαν τεου]
Old word for ignorance, in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 2:15. Ignorance of God, agnosticism. Some today (agnostics) even take pride in it instead of shame See note on 1 Corinthians 6:5 for εντροπη — entropē f0). [source]
Galatians 3:28 There is [ἔνι]
Only in Paul (1 Corinthians 6:5; Colossians 3:11) and James 1:17. Ἔνι is the abbreviation of ἔνεστι thereis in or among. [source]
James 1:17 From the Father of lights [ουκ ενι]
“Of the lights” (the heavenly bodies). For this use of εν — patēr see Job 38:28 (Father of rain); 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:17. God is the Author of light and lights.With whom (ενεστι — par' hōi). For ενι εν — para (beside) with locative sense for standpoint of God see εινε — para tōi theōi (Mark 10:27; Romans 2:11; Romans 9:14; Ephesians 6:9.Can be no This old idiom (also in Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11) may be merely the original form of παραλλαγη — en with recessive accent (Winer, Mayor) or a shortened form of παραλλασσω — enesti The use of παραλλαχις — eni en in 1 Corinthians 6:5 argues for this view, as does the use of τροπης αποσκιασμα — eine Old word from Αποσκιασμα — parallassō to make things alternate, here only in N.T. In Aristeas in sense of alternate stones in pavements. Dio Cassius has αποσκιασμος — parallaxis without reference to the modern astronomical parallax, though James here is comparing God (Father of the lights) to the sun (Malachi 4:2), which does have periodic variations.Shadow that is cast by turning απο σκια — Tropē is an old word for “turning” (from αποσκιαζω — trepō to turn), here only in N.T. η τροπης αποσκιασματος — Aposkiasma is a late and rare word Ropes argues strongly for this reading, and rather convincingly. At any rate there is no such periodic variation in God like that we see in the heavenly bodies. [source]
James 1:17 Can be no [ειναι]
This old idiom (also in Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11) may be merely the original form of παραλλαγη — en with recessive accent (Winer, Mayor) or a shortened form of παραλλασσω — enesti The use of παραλλαχις — eni en in 1 Corinthians 6:5 argues for this view, as does the use of τροπης αποσκιασμα — eine Old word from Αποσκιασμα — parallassō to make things alternate, here only in N.T. In Aristeas in sense of alternate stones in pavements. Dio Cassius has αποσκιασμος — parallaxis without reference to the modern astronomical parallax, though James here is comparing God (Father of the lights) to the sun (Malachi 4:2), which does have periodic variations.Shadow that is cast by turning απο σκια — Tropē is an old word for “turning” (from αποσκιαζω — trepō to turn), here only in N.T. η τροπης αποσκιασματος — Aposkiasma is a late and rare word Ropes argues strongly for this reading, and rather convincingly. At any rate there is no such periodic variation in God like that we see in the heavenly bodies. [source]
Revelation 7:17 In the midst [ανα μεσον]
In Revelation 5:6 we have εν μεσωι του τρονου — en mesōi tou thronou as the position of the Lamb, and so that is apparently the sense of ανα μεσον — ana meson here as in Matthew 13:25, though it can mean “between,” as clearly so in 1 Corinthians 6:5. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 6:5 mean?

For shame to you I say this Thus not is there among you no one a wise [man] who will be able to decide in between the brother of him
πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν λέγω οὕτως οὐκ ἔνι ἐν ὑμῖν οὐδεὶς σοφὸς ὃς δυνήσεται διακρῖναι ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ

ἐντροπὴν  shame 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐντροπή  
Sense: shame.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
λέγω  I  say  this 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
οὕτως  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
ἔνι  is  there 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔνι  
Sense: is in, is among, has place, is present.
οὐδεὶς  no  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
σοφὸς  a  wise  [man] 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: σοφός  
Sense: wise.
δυνήσεται  will  be  able 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
διακρῖναι  to  decide 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: διακρίνω  
Sense: to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to prefer.
μέσον  between 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: μέσος  
Sense: middle.
ἀδελφοῦ  brother 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.