1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul isn't just saying our bodies are sacred spaces, but that they're living, indwelling temples where the Holy Spirit resides. This means our bodies aren't just ours to use as we please, but are consecrated ground, purchased by God and meant to honor Him.
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church's struggles with sexual immorality, urging them to live lives that honor God. Immediately before this, he's directly confronted them about the sin of sexual impurity and its connection to the body. This verse serves as the foundation for his argument: because their bodies belong to God and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they are not to be defiled by sexual sin.
Ever feel like you're just a vessel carrying yourself through life? This verse flips that idea on its head.
Paul reminds believers in Corinth, and us today, that our bodies aren't just our own personal property. They are chosen as the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. This isn't some distant, abstract idea; it's intimate and personal. God Himself, through His Spirit, resides within you. This changes everything about how we should view ourselves and treat this physical form we inhabit.
The end of the verse delivers a powerful truth about ownership. What does it mean to 'not be your own'?
Paul immediately follows the 'temple' imagery with a profound statement: 'You are not your own.' This isn't a loss of identity, but a radical redefinition of it. Because Christ has redeemed us, we belong to Him. Our lives, our bodies, our choices – they are all part of this purchase made by His sacrifice. This truth frees us from the tyranny of self-ownership and calls us to live for the One who bought us.
Understand the original words
naos · Greek Noun
A sacred dwelling place where God manifests His presence. In the New Testament, the believer's body is described as this, emphasizing that God dwells within His people through the Holy Spirit.
agorazō · Greek Verb
To acquire property or a person through the payment of a price. Theologically, it describes the act of Christ purchasing believers out of slavery to sin and into the possession of God.
doxazō · Greek Verb
The manifestation of God's character, honor, and majesty. To do this with one's life is to live in such a way that God's goodness and holiness are made visible to the world.
The concept of the body as a temple, housing God's Spirit, powerfully countered the prevailing pagan ideas in Corinth, where religious practices often involved elaborate temples and complex rituals, and where sexual immorality was widespread.
c. 44 BC
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c. 30 BC
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c. 50-52 AD
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
The Apostle Paul lived and ministered in Corinth for about eighteen months, establishing a church and addressing various issues within the community. This is the context for his letters.
c. 53-55 AD— this verse
Writing of 1 Corinthians
While likely in Ephesus, Paul writes his first letter to the church in Corinth. He addresses divisions, immorality, and questions about Christian life and practice, including the sanctity of the body.
This passage expands on the 'temple' metaphor, stating that believers themselves are God's temple, and His Spirit dwells in them, highlighting the sacredness of the community and the individual.
Romans 12:1-2Paul calls believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices, urging them to not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewal of their minds. This connects to the idea of our bodies being dedicated to God's purposes.
1 Corinthians 7:23This verse directly follows the 'temple' passage and states, 'You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.' It reinforces the ownership of God and the call to honor Him with our physical selves.
2 Corinthians 6:16Here, Paul asks, 'What union can there be between the temple of God and idols?' linking the concept of being God's temple to a call for purity and separation from anything that would defile it.
Paul isn't just saying our bodies are sacred spaces, but that they're living, indwelling temples where the Holy Spirit resides. This means our bodies aren't just ours to use as we please, but are consecrated ground, purchased by God and meant to honor Him.
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church's struggles with sexual immorality, urging them to live lives that honor God. Immediately before this, he's directly confronted them about the sin of sexual impurity and its connection to the body. This verse serves as the foundation for his argument: because their bodies belong to God and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they are not to be defiled by sexual sin.
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church's struggles with sexual immorality, urging them to live lives that honor God. Immediately before this, he's directly confronted them about the sin of sexual impurity and its connection to the body. This verse serves as the foundation for his argument: because their bodies belong to God and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they are not to be defiled by sexual sin.
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c. 60-62 AD
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul was imprisoned in Rome, a period during which he wrote letters like Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, reflecting on Christian identity and living.
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." — Paul isn't just saying our bodies are sacred spaces, but that they're living, indwelling temples where the Holy Spirit resides. This means our bodies aren't just ours to use as we please, but are…
