for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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1 Corinthians 6:20
What does 1 Corinthians 6:20 mean?
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1 Corinthians 6:20
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This verse flips our usual idea of ownership on its head. It's not about us choosing to give God our bodies; it's that our bodies are already His because of what Jesus paid. Therefore, glorifying God with our bodies isn't an optional extra, but the natural response to being redeemed.
for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church's struggles with sexual immorality and how believers should live distinctively in a pagan society. He's just explained that believers are united with Christ and that sexual immorality is a sin against their own bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit. This verse serves as the powerful conclusion to that argument, reminding them that their bodies are no longer their own but belong to God because of Christ's sacrificial purchase.
You weren't always free. The cost of your freedom changes everything about how you live.
You Belong to God
The verse drops a bombshell: 'you were bought with a price.' This isn't just a nice idea; it's the foundation for everything that follows. Before Christ, we were enslaved to sin. But Jesus paid the ultimate price—His life—to redeem us, to buy us back from that slavery. This means you are no longer your own. Your life, your body, your choices—they all belong to the One who paid such an incredible ransom for you. This isn't about a transaction; it's about a loving rescue that establishes a new ownership.
A New Master, A New Purpose
Because you've been bought, your body is now a temple of the Holy Spirit. It's not meant for your selfish desires or the destructive patterns of the world. It's now dedicated to God. This transforms our perspective on everything from what we consume to how we treat others. It’s a call to live with intention, recognizing that every part of us has been claimed by love and set apart for His purposes.
Think of your body not just as 'you,' but as a sacred space where God Himself resides. What does that mean for how you treat it?
God's Indwelling Presence
The call to 'glorify God in your body' is deeply connected to the truth that God's Spirit now lives within believers. This isn't a metaphorical indwelling; it's a transformative reality. Your body, the very physical vessel you inhabit, is where the Holy Spirit makes His home. This makes your physical being sacred. It means the way you treat your body has implications for honoring the One who dwells within it.
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Living Sacrifices
Glorifying God means presenting your body as a 'living sacrifice' (Romans 12:1). This isn't a one-time event but a daily commitment. It involves bringing every aspect of your physical life—your actions, your appetites, your rest, your work—under the lordship of Christ. When your body is offered to God, it's no longer a tool for sin but an instrument for righteousness, bringing honor to His name through your very existence.
Understand the original words
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.
This passage echoes the theme of being bought at a price, emphasizing that believers are not their own masters but belong to Christ, reinforcing the idea of glorifying God with our bodies.
Romans 12:1-2It calls believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is a direct expression of glorifying God through our physical beings as a spiritual act of worship.
1 Peter 1:18-19This passage highlights that we were redeemed with precious blood, like that of a lamb without blemish, connecting the 'price' paid with the sacrifice of Jesus and the purpose of living a life that honors Him.
Galatians 2:20It speaks of Christ living in the believer, who has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives for themselves but for the one who died for them, showing how our lives, including our bodies, are now dedicated to God's purposes.
This verse flips our usual idea of ownership on its head. It's not about us choosing to give God our bodies; it's that our bodies are already His because of what Jesus paid. Therefore, glorifying God with our bodies isn't an optional extra, but the natural response to being redeemed.
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church's struggles with sexual immorality and how believers should live distinctively in a pagan society. He's just explained that believers are united with Christ and that sexual immorality is a sin against their own bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit. This verse serves as the powerful conclusion to that argument, reminding them that their bodies are no longer their own but belong to God because of Christ's sacrificial purchase.
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church's struggles with sexual immorality and how believers should live distinctively in a pagan society. He's just explained that believers are united with Christ and that sexual immorality is a sin against their own bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit. This verse serves as the powerful conclusion to that argument, reminding them that their bodies are no longer their own but belong to God because of Christ's sacrificial purchase.
"for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." — This verse flips our usual idea of ownership on its head. It's not about us choosing to give God our bodies; it's that our bodies are already His because of what Jesus paid. Therefore, glorifying…
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Last reviewed October 2026