Do you not knowThis phrase serves as a rhetorical question, emphasizing the importance of the knowledge that Paul is about to impart. It suggests that the Corinthians should already be aware of the truth he is about to state, indicating that this teaching is foundational to Christian doctrine. The use of rhetorical questions is a common teaching method in Scripture, designed to provoke thought and self-examination.
that your body is a temple
In the context of the Corinthian church, which was situated in a city known for its immorality and pagan worship, the concept of the body as a temple would have been striking. Temples in the ancient world were sacred spaces dedicated to deities, and the idea that one's body could serve as such a space elevates the physical body to a place of spiritual significance. This aligns with the Old Testament understanding of the temple as the dwelling place of God (1 Kings 8:27-30).
of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit's indwelling presence is a key aspect of New Testament theology, marking the believer as set apart for God. This indwelling is a fulfillment of the promise found inEzekiel 36:27, where God promises to put His Spirit within His people. The Holy Spirit empowers, guides, and sanctifies believers, making them holy and enabling them to live according to God's will.
who is in you
This phrase underscores the intimate and personal nature of the Holy Spirit's presence. Unlike the Old Testament, where God's presence was often external and associated with specific locations or objects, the New Testament reveals a more personal relationship where God dwells within the believer. This indwelling is a constant source of strength and guidance.
whom you have received from God?
The Holy Spirit is a gift from God, given to believers at the moment of salvation. This aligns with the promise of Jesus inJohn 14:16-17, where He speaks of sending the Helper, the Spirit of truth. The reception of the Holy Spirit is not based on human merit but is a gracious act of God, emphasizing the believer's dependence on divine provision.
You are not your own;
This statement challenges the prevailing cultural norms of autonomy and self-ownership. In the Greco-Roman world, personal freedom and self-determination were highly valued. However, Paul reminds the Corinthians that, as believers, they belong to God. This concept is rooted in the idea of redemption, where believers are bought with a price, as further explained in the following verse (1 Corinthians 6:20). This ownership by God calls for a life of obedience and submission to His will.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Paul the ApostleThe author of 1 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth with guidance and correction.
2.
The Church in CorinthA diverse and often troubled early Christian community in the city of Corinth, known for its moral and spiritual challenges.
3.
The Holy SpiritThe third person of the Trinity, who indwells believers, empowering and sanctifying them.
4.
GodThe giver of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the divine origin and authority of the Spirit's presence in believers.
5.
The TempleA sacred place in Jewish tradition, representing God's dwelling place, now metaphorically applied to the believer's body.
Teaching Points
The Indwelling PresenceRecognize the profound truth that the Holy Spirit resides within each believer, making our bodies sacred.
Stewardship of the BodyUnderstand that our bodies are not our own; they are entrusted to us by God, calling for responsible stewardship.
Holiness and PurityEmbrace a lifestyle that reflects the holiness of the temple, avoiding actions and habits that defile the body.
Identity in ChristOur identity is rooted in being God's temple, which should influence our self-perception and actions.
Empowerment by the SpiritRely on the Holy Spirit's power to live a life that honors God, recognizing His role in our sanctification.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 6:19?
2.How does 1 Corinthians 6:19 emphasize the importance of honoring our bodies?
3.What does "your body is a temple" mean for daily Christian living?
4.How can we glorify God in our bodies, as instructed in 1 Corinthians 6:19?
5.How does 1 Corinthians 6:19 connect with Romans 12:1 about living sacrifices?
6.What practical steps can we take to treat our bodies as God's temple?
7.What does 1 Corinthians 6:19 mean by "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit"?
8.How does 1 Corinthians 6:19 influence Christian views on physical health and lifestyle choices?
9.Why is the concept of the body as a temple significant in 1 Corinthians 6:19?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Corinthians 6?
11.What is the Bible's stance on steroid use?
12.Is it appropriate for Christians to smoke?
13.Is there a Christian view on Viagra vs. Cialis?
14.Does the declaration “you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19) conflict with the broader biblical theme of free will and personal responsibility?What Does 1 Corinthians 6:19 Mean
Do you not knowPaul’s opening question jolts the Corinthians—he assumes they should already grasp this truth. Like a loving coach, he reminds them of what they should have settled in their hearts.
•1 Corinthians 3:16 drives the point home: “Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
•Romans 6:16 shows how Paul often uses this phrase to awaken believers to spiritual realities they may be neglecting.
The lesson: ignorance is no excuse; believers are called to live out gospel facts they already possess.
that your body is a templeThe word “temple” evokes the sacred place where God’s presence dwelt in the Old Testament. Here Paul applies that imagery to every believer’s physical body.
•2 Corinthians 6:16 affirms, “For we are the temple of the living God”.
•John 2:21 notes that Jesus spoke “about the temple of His body,” linking Christ’s own body to God’s dwelling.
•Romans 12:1 urges us to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices…your spiritual service of worship”.
Practical takeaways:
– Our bodies are not disposable shells; they are sacred space.
– What happens in and to the body matters to God.
of the Holy Spirit who is in youThis temple status rests on a glorious reality: the Holy Spirit personally indwells each believer.
•John 14:17 promises, “He abides with you and will be in you”.
•Romans 8:11 adds that the Spirit who raised Jesus “dwells within you” and will give life to our mortal bodies.
Because the Spirit lives inside, holiness is not merely external rule-keeping; it’s responsive fellowship with the Resident within.
whom you have received from GodThe indwelling Spirit is a gift, not a human achievement.
•Acts 2:38 guarantees, “You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.
•Luke 11:13 reminds us that the Father “will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him”.
•Ephesians 1:13 declares that believers are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit”.
Respond with gratitude, not pride; stewardship, not neglect.
You are not your ownPaul finishes with a truth that redefines self-ownership. God purchased us through Christ, so ultimate rights belong to Him.
•1 Corinthians 7:23 states, “You were bought at a price”.
•Titus 2:14 says Jesus “redeem[ed] us…to purify for Himself a people for His own possession”.
•Galatians 2:20 echoes, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”.
Daily implications:
– Honor God with moral choices.
– Treat your body with respect—health, sexuality, habits, and media intake all fall under His ownership.
– Serve others; the life you live is on loan from the Redeemer.
summary1 Corinthians 6:19 teaches that every believer’s physical body is God’s holy temple because the Holy Spirit lives within. This indwelling is a gracious gift from the Father, and it means we no longer possess ultimate authority over ourselves. Knowing this, we cherish our bodies, pursue holiness, and live gratefully under God’s rightful ownership.
(19, 20)
What? know ye not . . .?--These verses read better rendered thus:
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? Which you have from God, and you are not your own. For you were bought with a price. Glorify God then in your body.There are two reasons why we are not our own. (1) The Spirit which has possession of our bodies is not our own, but given us "of God." (2) We have been bought with a price, even the blood of Christ; it is a completed purchase (1Peter 1:18-19). Our bodies not being our own to do as we like with, we have no right to give them over unto sin. The last words of the verse are not a cold logical deduction from the previous argument, but rather an earnest exhortation suggested by the solemn thought of our oneness with Christ, and the price paid by Him to make us His.
The words "and in your spirits," which are in the Authorised version, are not in the older Greek MSS. They were probably added to give a kind of verbal completeness to the exhortation. They only tend, however, to weaken the force of the passage as St. Paul wrote it. The dignity of the body is the subject of the previous passage, and the necessity for its purity the sole theme of the entire argument.
Verse 19. -
That your body is the temple (or rather,
a sanctuary)
of the Holy Ghost. He has already said that the Church is a shrine or sanctuary of the Holy Ghost (
1 Corinthians 3:16); but here for the first time expression is given to one of the deepest and newest truths of Christianity (comp.
2 Corinthians 6:16). Three great epochs are marked by the use of the word temple. In the Old Testament it means the material temple, the sign of a localized worship and a separated people; in the Gospels our Lord uses it of his own mortal body; in the Epistles it is used (as here) of the body of every baptized Christian, sanctified by the indwelling Spirit of God.
Ye are not your own. We cannot, therefore, use our bodies as though they were absolutely under our own control. They belong to God, and, "whether we live or die, we are the Lord's" (
Romans 14:8).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Do you not knowοἴδατε(oidate)Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1492:To know, remember, appreciate.thatὅτι(hoti)Conjunction
Strong's 3754:Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.yourὑμῶν(hymōn)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.bodyσῶμα(sōma)Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4983:Body, flesh; the body of the Church. From sozo; the body, used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.isἐστιν(estin)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.a templeναὸς(naos)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3485:A temple, a shrine, that part of the temple where God himself resides. From a primary naio; a fane, shrine, temple.of theτοῦ(tou)Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.HolyἉγίου(Hagiou)Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 40:Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred.SpiritΠνεύματός(Pneumatos)Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151:Wind, breath, spirit.[who is] inἐν(en)Preposition
Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.you,ὑμῖν(hymin)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.whomοὗ(hou)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.you have [received]ἔχετε(echete)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2192:To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.fromἀπὸ(apo)Preposition
Strong's 575:From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.God?Θεοῦ(Theou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316:A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.You areἐστὲ(este)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.notοὐκ(ouk)Adverb
Strong's 3756:No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.your own;ἑαυτῶν(heautōn)Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1438:Himself, herself, itself.
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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or don't you know that your body (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)