Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 5:10

"not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world:" — 1 Corinthians 5:10 (ASV)

Yet not altogether, etc. When I instructed you not "to keep company" with them, I did not mean that you should refuse all kinds of interaction with them. It was not my intention that you should avoid all civility, or engagement in life's transactions, or ordinary social interactions between people, as this would be impossible.

Rather, I meant that you should not associate with them in such a way as to be considered to belong to them, or so as to be corrupted by their example. You are not to make them companions and friends.

With the fornicators. Most pagans were of this description, particularly in Corinth. See the Introduction to this epistle.

Of this world. This refers to those who are outside the church, or who are not professing Christians.

Or with the covetous. This means the avaricious, those greedy for gain. Probably his instruction in the previous letter had been that they should avoid them.

Or extortioners. This refers to rapacious persons: those greedy for gain, and who oppress the poor, the needy, and the fatherless to obtain money.

Or with idolaters. All the Corinthians worshipped idols before the gospel was preached there.

Then you must necessarily, etc. It would be necessary to leave the world. The world is full of such persons. You meet them everywhere. You cannot avoid them in the ordinary transactions of life, unless you either take your own lives or withdraw completely from society. This passage shows:

1. That society at that time was full of the licentious and the covetous, of idolaters and extortioners (see Barnes on Romans 1:1).

2. That it is not right either to take our own lives to avoid them or to withdraw from society and become monks; and therefore, that the whole monastic system is contrary to Christianity.

3. That it is necessary that we should have some interaction with people of the world, and have dealings with them as neighbors and as members of the community.

How far we are to have interaction with them is not settled here. The general principles may be:

1. That it is only so far as is necessary for the purposes of good society, or to show kindness to them as neighbors and as members of the community.

2. We are to deal justly with them in all our transactions.

3. We may be connected with them in regard to the things which we have in common—such as public improvements, the business of education, etc.

4. We are to endeavor to do them good, and for that purpose we are not to shun their society. But,

5. We are not to make them our companions, or associate with them in their wickedness, or as idolaters, or covetous, or licentious; we are not to be known as partakers with them in these things. For the same reason, we are not to associate with the gay in their gaiety, with the proud in their pride, with the fashionable in their regard for fashion, or with the friends of the theater, the ballroom, or the splendid party in their attachment to these amusements. In all these things we are to be separate, and are to be connected with them only in those things which we may have in common with them and which are not inconsistent with the holy rules of the Christian religion.

6. We are not to associate with them in such a way as to be corrupted by their example, or so as to be led by that example to neglect prayer, the sanctuary, deeds of charity, and the effort to do good to the souls of people. We are to make it a great point that our piety is not to suffer by that interaction; and we are never to do anything, conform to any custom, or have any such interaction with them as to lessen our growth in grace, divert our attention from the humble duties of religion, or mar our Christian enjoyment.

* "fornicators": "The impure."

+ "extortioners": "Oppressors."