1 Or “if you have ordinary lawsuits, appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church!” This alternative reading (cf. , ) takes the Greek verb καθίζετε (kathizete) as an ironic imperative instead of a question. This verb comes, however, at the end of the sentence. It is not impossible that Paul meant for it to be understood this way, but its placement in the sentence does not make this probable.

In other versions

So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?

Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?

So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing in the church?

If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?

Therefore, if you have courts with regard to ordinary matters, do you seat these despised people in the church?

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

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