New Living Translation
2 Corinthians 6:16
16And 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.
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
14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 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. 17Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. 18And I will be your Father, 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 must not have any other god but me.
- Exodus 23:13“Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names.
- Exodus 34:14You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.
- Deuteronomy 4:23So be careful not to break the covenant the Lord your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the Lord your God has forbidden this.
- Deuteronomy 5:7“You must not have any other god but me.
- Deuteronomy 6:14“You must not worship any of the gods of neighboring nations,
- Joshua 24:14“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.
- 1 Samuel 7:3Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
- 1 Kings 18:21Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.
- 2 Kings 17:33And though they worshiped the Lord, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came.
- 2 Kings 21:4He built pagan altars in the Temple of the Lord, the place where the Lord had said, “My name will remain in Jerusalem forever.”
- 2 Kings 23:5He did away with the idolatrous priests, who had been appointed by the previous kings of Judah, for they had offered sacrifices at the pagan shrines throughout Judah and even in the vicinity of Jerusalem. They had also offered sacrifices to Baal, and to the sun, the moon, the constellations, and to all the powers of the heavens.
- 2 Chronicles 33:4He built pagan altars in the Temple of the Lord, the place where the Lord had said, “My name will remain in Jerusalem forever.”
- Ezekiel 36:25“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols.
- Hosea 14:8“O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.”
- Zephaniah 1:5For they go up to their roofs and bow down to the sun, moon, and stars. They claim to follow the Lord, but then they worship Molech, too.
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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