What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
What {G2228}? know ye {G1492} not {G3756} that {G3754} your {G5216} body {G4983} is {G2076} the temple {G3485} of the Holy {G40} Ghost {G4151} which is in {G1722} you {G5213}, which {G3739} ye have {G2192} of {G575} God {G2316}, and {G2532} ye are {G2075} not {G3756} your own {G1438}?
Or don’t you know that your body is a temple for the Ruach HaKodesh who lives inside you, whom you received from God? The fact is, you don’t belong to yourselves;
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;
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1 Corinthians 3:16
¶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? -
2 Corinthians 6:16
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. -
1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. -
Ephesians 2:21
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: -
Ephesians 2:22
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. -
Psalms 100:3
Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture. -
1 Corinthians 6:15
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make [them] the members of an harlot? God forbid.
1 Corinthians 6:19 (KJV)
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Commentary
This powerful verse follows Paul's strong admonition against sexual immorality and other sins among the Corinthian believers. Corinth was a city known for its pagan temples and rampant immorality, making the concept of the human body as a sacred dwelling place for God's Spirit particularly counter-cultural and significant. Paul uses the familiar imagery of a temple to convey the profound truth about the believer's relationship with the Holy Spirit and God.
The key message here is that every believer in Christ is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The body is not merely a physical vessel but has been consecrated as the 'temple' (Greek: naos, referring to the inner sanctuary where the deity resides) of God's Spirit. This presence of the Holy Spirit is a gift received "of God."
The verse culminates in the declaration, "and ye are not your own." This underscores the theme of ownership and belonging. Because believers have been purchased (as mentioned in the following verse, 1 Cor 6:20), they belong to God. This divine ownership has direct implications for how one lives and uses their body.
Key Themes:
Cross-references:
Practical Application:
Understanding that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit should profoundly impact how you view and treat yourself. It is a call to honor God with your body by avoiding sin, especially those that defile the body, and by using your body for His purposes and glory. It elevates the physical body from something mundane or solely for personal pleasure to a sacred space where God Himself resides.