SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:9
¶ Os he escrito por carta, que no os envolvis con los fornicarios;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 5:9
Verse 9. I wrote unto you in an epistle] The wisest and best skilled in Biblical criticism agree that the apostle does not refer to any other epistle than this; and that he speaks here of some general directions which he had given in the foregoing part of it; but which he had now in some measure changed and greatly strengthened, as we see from ver. 11. The words egraya en th epistolh may be translated, I HAD written to you in THIS EPISTLE; for there are many instances in the New Testament where the aorist, which is here used, and which is a sort of indefinite tense, is used for the perfect and the plusquam-perfect. Dr. Whitby produces several proofs of this, and contends that the conclusion drawn by some, viz. that it refers to some epistle that is lost, is not legitimately drawn from any premises which either this text or antiquity affords. The principal evidence against this is 2 Cor. vii. 8, where en th epistolh, the same words as above, appear to refer to this first epistle. Possibly the apostle may refer to an epistle which he had written though not sent; for, on receiving farther information from Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, relative to the state of the Corinthian Church, he suppressed that, and wrote this, in which he considers the subject much more at large. See Dr. Lightfoot.
Not to company with fornicators] With which, as we have already seen, Corinth abounded. It was not only the grand sin, but staple, of the place.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. I wrote unto you in an epistle , etc.]. Not in this same epistle, and in ( 1 Corinthians 5:2,7) as some think; for what is here observed is not written in either of those verses, but in some other epistle he had sent them before, as is clear from ( 1 Corinthians 5:11) which either came not to hand, or else was neglected by them; and so what he here says may be considered as a reproof to them, for taking no notice of his advice; but continuing to show respect to the incestuous person, though he in a former epistle had advised them to the contrary: no doubt the apostle wrote other epistles to the Corinthians, besides those that are in being; (see Corinthians 10:10, 11) nor does such a supposition at all detract from the perfection of Scripture; for not all that were written by him were by divine inspiration; and as many as were so, and were necessary for the perfection of the canon of Scripture, and to instruct us in the whole counsel of God, have been preserved; nor is this any contradiction to this epistles being his first to this church; for though it might not be his first to them, yet it is the first to them extant with us, and therefore so called: what he had written to them in another epistle was not to company with fornicators ; which he had not so fully explained, neither what fornicators he meant, nor what by keeping company with them; he therefore in this distinguishes upon the former, and enlarges his sense of the latter; declaring that they were not so much as to eat with such persons; which shows, that this prohibition does not regard unclean copulation, or a joining with them in the sin of fornication, they had been used to in a state of unregeneracy, for some sort of companying with fornicators is allowed of in the next verse; whereas no degree of a sinful mixture with them would ever be tolerated: but that it is to be understood of a civil society and familiar conversation with them; which might bring a reproach upon religion, be a stumbling to weak Christians, and be of dangerous consequence to themselves and others; who hereby might be allured and drawn by their example into the commission of the same sinful practices. The apostle seems to allude to the customs and usages of the Jews, who abstained from all civil commerce and familiar acquaintance with unbelievers. They say, that everyone that does not study in the law, ajrwab hym[ hml kw atrwjs hyb db[mlw hybgl brqml rysa , it is forbidden to come near him, and to exercise merchandise with him, and much less to walk with him in the way, because there is no faith in him f60 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-13 - Christians are to avoid familiar converse with all who disgrace the Christian name. Such are only fit companions for their brethren in sin and to such company they should be left, whenever it is possible to d so. Alas, that there are many called Christians, whose conversation i more dangerous than that of heathens __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
εγραψα 1125 5656 V-AAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF επιστολη 1992 N-DSF μη 3361 PRT-N συναναμιγνυσθαι 4874 5733 V-PMN πορνοις 4205 N-DPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
9. I write - in my epistle. American Rev., as it is I wrote. The reference is probably to a former letter now lost. Some explain egraya I wrote as the epistolary aorist (see on 1 John ii. 13); but the words in my epistle seem to favor the other view.To company (sunanamignusqai): Only here and 2 Thess. iii. 14. The translation company is inadequate, but cannot perhaps be bettered. The word is compounded of sun together, ajna up and down among, and, mignumi to mingle. It denotes, therefore, not only close, but habitual, intercourse.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:9 {I wrote unto you in my epistle} (egraya humin en tei epistolei). Not the epistolary aorist, but a reference to an epistle to the Corinthians earlier than this one (our First Corinthians), one not preserved to us. What a "find" it would be if a bundle of papyri in Egypt should give it back to us? {To have no company with fornicators} (me sunanamignusqai pornois). Present middle infinitive with me in an indirect command of a late double compound verb used in the papyri to mix up with (sun-ana-mignusqai, a mi verb). It is in the N.T. only here and verse #11; 2Th 3:14 which see. It is used here with the associative instrumental case (pornois, from peraw, pernemi, to sell, men and women who sell their bodies for lust). It is a pertinent question today how far modern views try to put a veneer over the vice in men and women.
