New International Version
2 Corinthians 6:16
16What 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- 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 yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 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.” 17Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, 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“Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.
- Exodus 34:14Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
- Deuteronomy 4:23Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden.
- Deuteronomy 5:7“You shall have no other gods before me.
- Deuteronomy 6:14Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you;
- Joshua 24:14“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 7:3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
- 1 Kings 18:21Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.
- 2 Kings 17:33They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.
- 2 Kings 21:4He built altars in the temple 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 appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts.
- 2 Chronicles 33:4He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.”
- Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
- Hosea 14:8Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a flourishing juniper; your fruitfulness comes from me.”
- Zephaniah 1:5those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek,
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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