1 Corinthians 10 8

1 Corinthians 10:8 kjv

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

1 Corinthians 10:8 nkjv

Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;

1 Corinthians 10:8 niv

We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did?and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

1 Corinthians 10:8 esv

We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

1 Corinthians 10:8 nlt

And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.

1 Corinthians 10 verses

1 Corinthians 10 8 Meaning

The verse warns against sexual immorality, drawing a parallel to the Israelites' actions in the wilderness. It emphasizes that their indulgence led to their demise, serving as a cautionary tale for believers. The act of "fornication" (πορνεία - porneia) is presented as a specific sin that brought divine judgment upon them.

1 Corinthians 10 8 Context

This verse is part of a larger argument by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10, where he addresses the issue of participating in pagan temple feasts. Paul uses the history of Israel in the wilderness as a cautionary example for the Corinthian church. He highlights their sins of idolatry and sexual immorality, which led to God's judgment. He argues that if they continue in such practices, they too will face divine consequences. The immediate context is Paul’s elaboration on the specific sins that caused the downfall of many Israelites, with this verse focusing on sexual sin. The historical context is the period of Israel's wanderings in the Sinai wilderness after their Exodus from Egypt, as recorded in the book of Numbers.

1 Corinthians 10 8 Word Analysis

• "we" (ἡμεῖς - hēmeis): Pronoun. Refers to Paul and the Corinthians.
• "must not" (μη - mē): Particle of prohibition. Indicates a strong negative command.
• "practice" (πορνεύσωμεν - porneuōmen): Verb, present subjunctive of πορνεύω (porneuō). "to practice prostitution," "to commit fornication." This word broadly covers various illicit sexual relationships outside of marriage.
• "sexual immorality" (πορνεία - porneia): Noun. Refers to sexual intercourse between people not married to each other. It's a broad term encompassing various forms of forbidden sexual relations in the Old Testament Law.
• "as" (ὥσπερ - hōsper): Conjunction, meaning "as," "just as," "like." Introduces a comparison.
• "some" (τινες - tines): Indefinite pronoun. Indicates an unspecified number, implying not all.
• "of them" (αὐτῶν - autōn): Pronoun, genitive plural. Refers back to the Israelites mentioned previously in the chapter.
• "did" (ἐποίησαν - epoiēsan): Verb, aorist indicative of ποιέω (poieō). "to do," "to make." Here it means they committed these acts.

Words-group Analysis:

• "must not practice sexual immorality": This is a direct prohibition against the Corinthian believers from engaging in any form of illicit sexual activity, linking it directly to the failure of some Israelites in the past. The emphasis is on refraining from these actions.
• "as some of them did": This phrase establishes a clear parallel between past Israelite failure and potential Corinthian failure. It serves as a severe warning by highlighting a specific historical transgression that had grave consequences.

1 Corinthians 10 8 Bonus Section

The historical incident referred to likely points to the events described in Numbers 25, where Israelites engaged in sexual immorality with Moabite women and participated in the worship of Baal of Peor. This act led to a plague among the people. The term "porneia" is a significant and broad term in the New Testament, reflecting a broad spectrum of sexual sins considered offensive to God, contrasting sharply with the sanctity expected of believers who are temples of the Holy Spirit. This warning also resonates with the principle found in Deuteronomy 6:16, "You shall not put the LORD your God to the test," as the Israelites’ actions often reflected a testing of God’s patience.

1 Corinthians 10 8 Commentary

Paul here draws a stark comparison between the Corinthian believers and the Israelites of the Exodus generation. He prohibits them from falling into the sin of sexual immorality, or "porneia," citing the destructive precedent set by their ancestors in the wilderness. This "porneia" wasn't just casual infidelity but likely involved the worship and rituals associated with pagan cults, which often included sexual acts. The "some of them" who sinned highlights that not all Israelites were judged, but a significant portion engaged in forbidden acts that led to divine judgment. The principle for believers today is that embracing sin, particularly sexual sin, separates them from God and incurs His displeasure, jeopardizing their spiritual standing and fellowship.