1 Corinthians 6:9-10
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It's easy to get lost in the list of behaviors, but notice Paul starts by asking, "Or do you not know...?" This isn't new information; he's reminding them of something they already understand about God's kingdom's standards. He's not introducing a new rule but reinforcing an established truth about who belongs in God's presence.
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' tendency to tolerate serious sin within the church community, even resorting to lawsuits against one another. He’s just warned them against taking fellow believers to court and is now highlighting that certain unrighteous behaviors, if unrepented, will keep people out of God’s kingdom, directly challenging their complacency about sexual immorality and other sins. This sets the stage for his strong counsel in the following verses about the transformative power of Christ, urging them to embrace their new identity in Him rather than clinging to their former ways.
Paul throws down a challenge that can feel jarring: who will not inherit the Kingdom of God? It’s a serious question about the reality of God's rule and our place in it.
Paul starts with a strong declaration: the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. This isn't a suggestion; it's a statement of fact about the nature of God's reign.
What is the 'Kingdom of God'?
It refers to God's rule and reign – His perfect, holy presence and authority. It's a present reality for believers and a future hope for a redeemed creation.
Who are the 'Unrighteous'?
Paul immediately clarifies this by listing specific behaviors. This isn't about someone having a bad day; it's about lifestyles and choices that are fundamentally opposed to God’s character and will. The 'unrighteous' are those whose lives are characterized by actions that reject God's order.
The phrase 'Do not be deceived' is a critical warning. Why would Paul feel the need to warn the Corinthians about being fooled on such a vital topic?
Paul's imperative, 'Do not be deceived,' is vital. It suggests that there are powerful, deceptive forces – both internal and external – that can lead people to believe they are right with God when they are not.
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The Danger of Self-Deception
It’s easy to rationalize our behavior or to listen to voices that downplay sin. The Corinthian culture, like ours, had its own ideas about morality and acceptability. Paul confronts this directly, insisting that God's standard is absolute.
A Call to Discernment
This warning calls believers to critical self-examination and discernment. We must continually test our lives and beliefs against the truth of Scripture, rather than against popular opinion or our own feelings.
Paul doesn't just speak in generalities. He names specific actions, challenging us to understand the gravity of certain sins in relation to inheriting God’s Kingdom.
Paul lists several categories of behavior that stand in opposition to God’s kingdom. These are not random examples but represent core areas of human experience where sin often manifests itself in ways that alienate us from God.
Sexual Immorality and Impurity
'Sexually immoral' covers a broad range of sexual sins, reflecting a misuse of the sexuality God created. This immediately sets a boundary for sexual behavior within God's design.
Idolatry
'Idolaters' are those who give their ultimate allegiance and worship to something or someone other than the one true God. This is a foundational sin against the first commandment.
Adultery
'Adulterers' points to betrayal within the covenant of marriage, reflecting a disregard for faithfulness and the sanctity of commitment.
Men Who Practice Homosexuality
The phrase 'men who practice homosexuality' (or literally, 'men who lie with men') is included in this list of behaviors that exclude one from the Kingdom. Paul includes this alongside other clear prohibitions against sexual sin and idolatry, presenting it as contrary to God's intended order.
Understand the original words
adikos · Greek Noun/Adjective
Those who act contrary to God's standard of righteousness; specifically, those who persist in a lifestyle characterized by sin without repentance.
basileia tou Theou · Greek Noun
The sovereign rule and reign of God; the spiritual realm where God is acknowledged as King, which believers enter through faith and will fully inhabit in the age to come.
planaō · Greek Verb
In a biblical context, to be led away from the truth of God’s Word, often through false teaching or sinful rationalization, resulting in spiritual ruin.
pornos · Greek Noun
General term for sexual activity outside the marriage covenant of one man and one woman, including premarital sex and other forms of sexual sin.
eidōlolatrēs · Greek Noun
The worship of anyone or anything other than the one true God, which is a fundamental violation of God's command and covenant.
moichos · Greek Noun
A violation of the marriage covenant, specifically sexual unfaithfulness by a married person.
kleptēs · Greek Noun
General terms for those who take the property of others illegally or dishonestly; biblically, it highlights the violation of the neighbor’s rights and the sin of covetousness.
pleonektēs · Greek Noun
An intense, insatiable desire for more, often at the expense of others; it is treated as a form of idolatry in Scripture because it replaces reliance on God with reliance on possessions.
methysos · Greek Noun
Loss of self-control through intoxicating substances, leading to behavior that dishonors God and hinders spiritual clarity.
loidoros · Greek Noun
Those who use speech to verbally abuse, insult, or slander others, contradicting the call for believers to speak words of grace and truth.
harpax · Greek Noun
Those who gain money or advantage through deceitful manipulation and trickery; characterized by a lack of integrity in business and relationships.
The church in Corinth was a diverse community, composed of former pagans steeped in the morality and practices of the Greco-Roman world. Paul's strong words in 1 Corinthians 6 directly confront the deeply ingrained sins prevalent in that society, calling believers to a radical transformation that distinguished them from their surroundings.
c. AD 50-52
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
The Apostle Paul spends about eighteen months in Corinth, establishing the church and teaching the new believers.
c. AD 53-55
First Letter to the Corinthians (Lost)
Paul writes a previous letter to the Corinthian church addressing issues, which is now lost to us. He likely mentioned some of these same concerns.
c. AD 55— this verse
Paul Writes 1 Corinthians
Receiving reports of divisions, immorality, and doctrinal confusion, Paul writes his first canonical letter to the church from Ephesus.
c. AD 56
Demetrius the Silversmith
A riot is stirred up in Ephesus by Demetrius and other silversmiths who felt threatened by Paul's preaching against idol worship, highlighting the tension between the gospel and pagan practices.
c. AD 57
Paul's Third Missionary Journey
Paul likely visits Corinth again during his extensive travels, solidifying his teaching and addressing ongoing issues within the church.
This passage lists similar 'works of the flesh' that exclude one from the kingdom, reinforcing the idea that certain persistent, unrepentant behaviors prevent inheritance in God's reign.
Ephesians 5:3-7Paul here warns against sexual immorality and impurity, directly linking such actions to a lack of inheritance in Christ's kingdom and urging believers to avoid them.
1 Corinthians 10:6-11While discussing the Israelites' failures in the wilderness, Paul draws parallels to the Corinthians' sins, including sexual immorality, as examples that show how God punishes unrighteousness and prevents entry into His promises.
Revelation 21:7-8This passage contrasts the inheritance of believers with the fate of the unrighteous, explicitly listing 'the sexually immoral, the sorcerers, the murderers, the idolaters,' among those who will have their portion in the lake of fire.
It's easy to get lost in the list of behaviors, but notice Paul starts by asking, "Or do you not know...?" This isn't new information; he's reminding them of something they already understand about God's kingdom's standards. He's not introducing a new rule but reinforcing an established truth about who belongs in God's presence.
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' tendency to tolerate serious sin within the church community, even resorting to lawsuits against one another. He’s just warned them against taking fellow believers to court and is now highlighting that certain unrighteous behaviors, if unrepented, will keep people out of God’s kingdom, directly challenging their complacency about sexual immorality and other sins. This sets the stage for his strong counsel in the following verses about the transformative power of Christ, urging them to embrace their new identity in Him rather than clinging to their former ways.
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' tendency to tolerate serious sin within the church community, even resorting to lawsuits against one another. He’s just warned them against taking fellow believers to court and is now highlighting that certain unrighteous behaviors, if unrepented, will keep people out of God’s kingdom, directly challenging their complacency about sexual immorality and other sins. This sets the stage for his strong counsel in the following verses about the transformative power of Christ, urging them to embrace their new identity in Him rather than clinging to their former ways.
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, n…" — It's easy to get lost in the list of behaviors, but notice Paul starts by asking, "Or do you not know...?" This isn't new information; he's reminding them of something they already understand about…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
