Lawsuits Discouraged

6 Does any one of you, when he has a ^[a]complaint (civil dispute) with another [believer], dare to go to law before unrighteous men (non-believers) instead of [placing the issue] before the saints (God’s people)? ^2 [b]Do you not know that the saints (God’s people) will [one day] judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent ^[c]to try trivial (insignificant, petty) cases? ³ Do you not know that we [believers] will judge angels? How much more then [as to] matters of this life? ⁴ So if you have lawsuits dealing with matters of this life, are you appointing those as judges [to hear disputes] who are of no account in the church? ⁵ I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is not one wise man among you who [is governed by integrity and] will be able and competent to decide [private disputes] between his fellow believers, ⁶ but instead, brother goes to law against brother, and that before [judges who are] unbelievers?

⁷ Why, the very fact that you have lawsuits with one another is already a defeat. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? ⁸ On the contrary, it is you who wrong and defraud, and you do this even to your brothers and sisters.