1 Corinthians 6:20

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

For {G1063} ye are bought {G59} with a price {G5092}: therefore {G1211} glorify {G1392} God {G2316} in {G1722} your {G5216} body {G4983}, and {G2532} in {G1722} your {G5216} spirit {G4151}, which {G3748} are {G2076} God's {G2316}.

for you were bought at a price. So use your bodies to glorify God.

you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV): "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

Context

This powerful verse concludes a section in 1 Corinthians 6 where the Apostle Paul addresses the serious issue of sexual immorality within the Corinthian church. He argues against the prevalent pagan view that the body was inconsequential to spiritual life, contrasting it with the Christian understanding that the body is integral to one's faith and destined for resurrection. Paul reminds believers that their bodies are not their own, having been united with Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15) and are in fact a temple of the Holy Spirit. Verse 20 serves as the ultimate theological foundation for the call to sexual purity and a holy life: the immense cost of their redemption.

Key Themes

  • Divine Ownership and Redemption: The phrase "bought with a price" underscores the immense cost of salvation. Believers were not merely freed but purchased, signifying a transfer of ownership from sin to God. This price is understood to be the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, His precious blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). This redemption establishes God's rightful claim over every aspect of a believer's being.
  • Holistic Glorification: The command "glorify God in your body, and in your spirit" emphasizes a complete surrender and dedication. It's not just about avoiding outward sin but about dedicating one's physical actions, thoughts, desires, and entire inner being to honor God. This holistic glorification stands in stark contrast to the self-serving and often immoral practices of the surrounding Corinthian culture.
  • Sanctification and Stewardship: Since believers belong to God, their lives, including their physical bodies and spiritual essence, are to be lived in a way that reflects His holiness. This involves intentional choices to use one's body as an instrument of righteousness, not for sinful desires (Romans 6:13), and to cultivate a spirit aligned with divine purposes.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "bought" is agorazo (ἀγοράζω), which means "to buy in the marketplace." This term often referred to the purchase of slaves, implying that believers were once enslaved to sin but have now been bought out of that bondage. The "price" (timē, τιμῇ) highlights the immense value and cost of this transaction, emphasizing that God's act of redemption was not cheap or trivial but involved the ultimate sacrifice. The word "glorify" (doxazō, δοξάζω) means to honor, praise, or magnify, suggesting that our lives should reflect God's character and bring Him renown.

Practical Application

For contemporary believers, 1 Corinthians 6:20 serves as a foundational reminder of our identity and purpose. Understanding that we are "bought with a price" should profoundly influence our ethical choices, particularly concerning our bodies. It calls us to:

  • Steward Our Bodies Wisely: This includes making healthy choices, avoiding destructive behaviors, and honoring God in our sexual conduct, recognizing that our bodies are sacred vessels.
  • Cultivate Spiritual Purity: Just as our bodies are God's, so too is our spirit. We are called to nurture a spirit that seeks God, walks in integrity, and reflects His character in our thoughts and attitudes.
  • Live Purposefully: Every action, thought, and word has the potential to either glorify or dishonor God. This verse encourages a conscious, daily commitment to live in a way that brings praise and honor to our Redeemer, acknowledging His ultimate ownership and love (Romans 12:1).
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:23

    Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

  • Romans 12:1

    ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

  • 1 Peter 2:9

    But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

  • 1 Peter 1:18

    Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers;

  • Philippians 1:20

    According to my earnest expectation and [my] hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but [that] with all boldness, as always, [so] now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether [it be] by life, or by death.

  • Acts 20:28

    Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

  • Hebrews 9:12

    Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].
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