King James Version

What Does 1 Corinthians 5:2 Mean?

“And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.”

Context

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, judged: or, determined

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) **And ye are puffed up.**—Better, *And are ye puffed up?* &c. We have instances of similar sentences beginning with “and,” Luke 10:29. The Apostle cannot mean that they actually gloried in this act of sin, but that their temper of mind was of that kind which he has already described in the earlier chapters, puffing themselves up, one against another, in party rivalry, instead of being united in one common grief by this common cause, which would lead them as one man to remove from among them the person who had done this deed.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Corinthians. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Corinthians 5:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.