1 Corinthians 3:17

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁶ Knowe ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ¹⁶Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you? ¹⁶ Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you? ¹⁶ Do ye not know that ye are [the] temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁶ You should know that you yourselves are God's temple. God's Spirit lives in you. ¹⁶Do you not know and understand that you [the church] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells [permanently] in you [collectively and individually]? ¹⁶ Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ¹⁶Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple, and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁶ All of you surely know that you are God's temple and that his Spirit lives in you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

any: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Leviticus 15:31, Leviticus 20:3, Numbers 19:20, Psalms 74:3, Psalms 79:1, Ezekiel 5:11, Ezekiel 7:22, Ezekiel 23:38, Ezekiel 23:39, Zephaniah 3:4

defile: or

destroy: for, Genesis 28:17, Exodus 3:5, 1 Chronicles 29:3, Psalms 93:5, Psalms 99:9, Isaiah 64:11, Ezekiel 43:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 19:6 - and an Leviticus 18:24 - Defile Leviticus 23:30 - General 2 Chronicles 29:5 - sanctify the house Zechariah 14:20 - HOLINESS Matthew 15:20 - which Mark 7:23 - defile 2 Corinthians 6:16 - ye are Ephesians 2:21 - an 2 Timothy 2:20 - in a 1 Peter 2:9 - an holy 1 John 4:13 - General Revelation 11:1 - Rise

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said vnto the serpent, We eate of the fruite of the trees of the garden,

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of all the trees of the garden;

Genesis 3:2
The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,

Genesis 3:2
The woman answered the snake, "No, we can eat fruit from the trees in the garden.

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat:

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said, We may take of the fruit of the trees in the garden:

Genesis 3:2
The woman answered, "God said we could eat fruit from any tree in the garden,

Genesis 3:2
The woman answered the serpent, "We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden,

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If any man defile the temple of God,.... By the wisdom of the world, through philosophy, and vain deceit; by bringing in false doctrines, errors, and heresies, and hereby corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ; and make rents, factions, and divisions among them:

him shall God destroy; body and soul in hell; for as their wicked principles and heretical notions are pernicious to others, they are damnable to themselves, and will bring upon them that judgment which lingereth not, and that damnation which slumbereth not. The false prophet, as well as the beast, and the devil, shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. God is not only an avenger of all immoralities committed against his righteous law, but of all false doctrine and false worship, and of everything that is contrary to the Gospel, and to the order and ordinances of it. The reason of this is,

for the temple of God is holy; alluding to the holiness of Solomon's temple,

"into which a man might not go with his staff, nor with his shoes on, nor with his purse, nor with dust upon his feet, nor might he make it a thoroughfare, and much less spit in it o.''

And yet, how was it polluted in our Lord's time by the Jews, who made it a den of thieves, instead of an house of prayer?

which temple ye are. This is added for further confirmation, and to assert their holiness in doctrine, worship, and conversation, and to deter the false teachers from making use of any means to corrupt them in either.

o Misn. Beracot, c. 9. sect. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If any man defile ... - Or, “destroy, corrupt” (φθείρει phtheirei). The Greek word is the same in both parts of the sentence. “If any man ‘destroy’ the temple of God, God shall ‘destroy’ him.” This is presented in the form of an adage or proverb. And the truth here stated is based on the fact that the temple of God was inviolable. That temple was holy; and if any man subsequently destroyed it, it might be presumed that God would destroy him. The figurative sense is, “If any man by his doctrines or precepts shall pursue such a course as tends to destroy the church, God shall severely punish him.

For the temple of God is holy - The temple of God is to be regarded as sacred and inviolable. This was unquestionably the common opinion among the Jews respecting the temple at Jerusalem; and it was the common doctrine of the Gentiles respecting their temples. Sacred places were regarded as inviolable; and this general truth Paul applies to the Christian church in general - Locke supposes that Paul had particular reference here to the false teachers in Corinth. But the expression, “if any man,” is equally applicable to all other false teachers as to him.

Which temple ye are - This proves that though Paul regarded them as lamentably corrupt in some respects, he still regarded them as a true church - as a part of the holy temple of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. If any man defile the temple — This clause is not consistently translated. Ει τις τον ναον του Θεου φθειρει, φθερει τουτον ὁ Θεος. If any man destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy. The verb is the same in both clauses. If any man injure, corrupt, or destroy the Church of God by false doctrine, God will destroy him-will take away his part out of the book of life. This refers to him who wilfully opposes the truth; the erring, mistaken man shall barely escape; but the obstinate opposer shall be destroyed. The former shall be treated leniently; the latter shall have judgment without mercy.