1 Corinthians 1:11

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

(.) By them ... of the house of Chloe - a matron resident at Corinth. The Corinthians "wrote" to the apostle (), consulting him concerning marriage, the eating of things offered to idols, the decorum to be observed by women in religious assemblies; but they said not a syllable about the disorders that had crept in. That information reached Paul by other quarters. Hence, his language is, "It hath been declared unto me," etc.; "it is reported" (1 Corinthians 5:1). All this he says before he notices their letter, which shows that it did not give him any intimation of those evils. An undesigned proof of genuineness (Paley). Observe his prudence. He names the family, to let it be seen that he made his allegation not without authority. He does not name the individuals, not to excite odium against them. He tacitly implies that the information ought rather to have come to him directly from their presbyters, as they had consulted him about matters of less moment.

Contentions - not so severe a word as "divisions," or schisms (margin, ).