English Standard Version
2 Corinthians 6:16
16What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Corinthians 6:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Context of 2 Corinthians 6:16
14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
Read all of 2 Corinthians 62 Corinthians 6:16 word by word
τίς δὲ συγκατάθεσις ναῷ θεοῦ μετὰ εἰδώλων; ἡμεῖς γὰρ ναὸς θεοῦ ἐσμεν ζῶντος, καθὼς εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω, καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτῶν θεὸς καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μου λαός.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- agreementσυγκατάθεσιςsugkatathesis · agreementG4783
- hath the templeναόςnaos · templeG3485
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- of the livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- hath saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- I will dwellἐνοικέωenoikeō · to dwell in/withG1774
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- walk inἐμπεριπατέωemperipateō · to walk in/amongG1704
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 6:16
- Exodus 20:3"You shall have no other gods before me.
- Exodus 23:13"Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.
- Exodus 34:14(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
- Deuteronomy 4:23Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you.
- Deuteronomy 5:7"'You shall have no other gods before me.
- Deuteronomy 6:14You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you—
- Joshua 24:14"Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 7:3And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."
- 1 Kings 18:21And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word.
- 2 Kings 17:33So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
- 2 Kings 21:4And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem will I put my name."
- 2 Kings 23:5And he deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and the moon and the constellations and all the host of the heavens.
- 2 Chronicles 33:4And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem shall my name be forever."
- Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
- Hosea 14:8O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit.
- Zephaniah 1:5those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom,
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 6:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16What agreement hath the temple of God with idols - Nothing could appear more abominable to a Jew than an idol in the temple of God: here, then, could be no agreement; the worship of the two is wholly incompatible. An idolater never worships the true God; a Christian never worships an idol. If ye join in idolatrous rites, it is impossible that ye should be Christians. Ye are the temple of the living God - God intends to make the heart of every believer his…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And what agreement - ( ́ sugkatathesis). Assent, accord, agreement. what putting or laying down together is there? What is there in one that resembles the other? The temple of God - What has a temple of God to do with idol worship? It is erected for a different purpose, and the worship of idols in it would not be tolerated. It is implied here that Christians are themselves the temple of God, a fact which Paul proceeds immediately to illustrate; and that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-18Verses 11-18 It is wrong for believers to join with the wicked and profane. The word unbeliever applies to all destitute of true faith. True pastors will caution their beloved children in the gospel, not to be unequally yoked. The fatal effects of neglecting Scripture precepts as to marriages clearly appear. Instead of a help meet, the union brings a snare. Those whose cross it is to be unequally united, without their wilful fault, may expect consolation…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Believers together form the temple of the living God. The Holy Spirit lives in them, making them holy (1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Peter 2:1–10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. agreement--accordance of sentiments (compare 1Ki 18:21; Ep 5:7, 11). the temple of God--that is, you believers (1Co 3:16; 6:19). with idols--Compare Dagon before the ark (1Sa 5:2-4). as--"even as God said." Quotation from Le 26:12; Jr 31:33; 32:38; Eze 37:26, 27; compare Mt 28:20; Joh 14:23. walk in them--rather, "among them." As "dwell" implies the divine presence, so "walk," the divine operation. God's dwelling in the body and soul of saints may be…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 6:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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