1 Corinthians 5:9

“I wrote unto you in an epistle, etc.]. Not in this same epistle, and in (<460502>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 (<460511>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 <471010>2 Corinthians 10:10, 11)…”

“I wrote . . . in an epistle--rather, "in the Epistle": a former one not now extant. That Paul does not refer to the present letter is proved by the fact that no direction "not to company with fornicators" occurs in the previous part of it; also the words, "in an (or, the) epistle," could not have been added if he meant, "I have just written" (Co2 10:10). "His letters" (plural; not applying to merely one) confirm this. Co2 7:8 also refers to our first Epistle, just as here a former letter is referred to by the same phrase. Paul probably wrote a former brief reply to inquiries of the Corinthians: our first Epistle, as it enters more fully into the same subject, has superseded the former, which…”

“I wrote unto you - I have written ἔγραψα egrapsa. This word may either refer to this Epistle, or to some former epistle. It simply denotes that he had written to them, but whether in the former part of this, or in some former epistle which is now lost, cannot be determined by the use of this word. In an epistle - ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ en tē epistolē. There has been considerable diversity of opinion in regard to this expression. A large number of commentators as Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumenius, most of the Latin commentators, and nearly all the Dutch commentators suppose that this refers to the same Epistle (our 1 Corinthians), and that the apostle means to say that in the former part of…”

“I wrote to you in a former epistle - And, doubtless, both St. Paul and the other apostles wrote many things which are not extant now. Not to converse - Familiarly; not to contract any intimacy or acquaintance with them, more than is absolutely necessary. 1 Corinthians 5:10”

“5:9-13 The church is to discipline anyone in the church who is known to be living in sin. 5:9 When I wrote to you before refers to an earlier letter now lost. • Sexual sin is any form of illicit sexual activity (see also 6:9).”

“not: Co1 5:2, Co1 5:7; Psa 1:1, Psa 1:2; Pro 9:6; Co2 6:14, Co2 6:17; Eph 5:11; Th2 3:14 1 Corinthians 5:10”