2 Corinthians 6:16

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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.”

Context of 2 Corinthians 6:16

14Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And 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.

2 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

• Orδέde · thenG1161
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• agreementσυγκατάθεσιςsugkatathesis · agreementG4783
• has the templeναόςnaos · templeG3485
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• with idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
• the livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• dwellἐνοικέωenoikeō · to dwell in/withG1774
• walkἐμπεριπατέωemperipateō · to walk in/amongG1704
• and they shall be My peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 6:16

• Exodus 20:3“You shall have no other gods before Me.
• Exodus 23:13Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.
• Exodus 34:14--for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God--
• Deuteronomy 4:23So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the Lord your God has commanded you.
• Deuteronomy 5:7‘You shall have no other gods before Me.
• Deuteronomy 6:14You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,
• Joshua 24:14“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 7:3Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
• 1 Kings 18:21Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.
• 2 Kings 17:33They feared the Lord and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.
• 2 Kings 21:4He built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.”
• 2 Kings 23:5He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven.
• 2 Chronicles 33:4He built altars in the house of the Lord of which the Lord had said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.”
• Ezekiel 36:25Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
• Hosea 14:8O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like a luxuriant cypress; From Me comes your fruit.
• Zephaniah 1:5And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven, And 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

• Church
• Communion
• Fellowship
• God Continued...
• Holiness
• Quotations and Allusions
• Temple
• Unbelief

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• I Will Be
• Agreement
• Care
• Cause
• Communion
• Concord
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Unequally

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