1 Corinthians 5:8

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV)

Context

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to address problems in the Corinthian church, including a case of sexual immorality that the congregation had tolerated. In chapter 5, he calls the church to discipline and purity. Verse 8 concludes his argument by applying the Passover imagery to the whole community.

Meaning

Paul uses leaven as a symbol of sin and corruption. In Scripture, leaven often represents evil or falsehood, and here it stands for the immoral behavior and wickedness that had entered the church. The phrase “let us keep the feast” refers to the Christian life as a continual spiritual celebration, rooted in the Passover. Because Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed, believers are called to live in a way that honors Him.

“Not with old leaven” means not continuing in the sinful patterns of the past before coming to Christ. The old leaven represents the former life of sin and ungodliness, which believers are to abandon. Paul then warns against “the leaven of malice and wickedness,” which includes ill will and every form of evil, not only sexual immorality but also other vices that corrupt the heart and the church.

Instead, believers are to keep the feast “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Unleavened bread symbolizes purity and integrity. Sincerity points to a pure, unmixed love and genuine faith, while truth means sound doctrine and honest living. The feast is not kept by outward ritual but by the inward moral and spiritual condition of the heart.

Biblical connections

This imagery draws from the Jewish practice of removing all leaven before Passover, as commanded in Exodus 12:15-20. Paul applies that Old Testament command to the new covenant community: because Christ has been sacrificed, believers are to live in purity, sincerity, and truth, reflecting their new identity in Him.

Application

This verse calls believers to examine their lives and remove any “leaven” of sin that could corrupt the whole community. It is a call to personal and corporate holiness, essential for the health and witness of the church. The feast is a present, ongoing reality for Christians, not a future or merely ceremonial observance. It is a call to celebrate the gospel through a transformed lifestyle.

Reflection

Living with sincerity and truth means allowing the reality of Christ’s sacrifice to shape daily conduct. It requires honesty in relationships, purity in motives, and a commitment to walk in righteousness. As believers keep the feast, they are reminded that their lives are to be a continual offering of praise to God, free from the leaven of malice and wickedness.