1 Corinthians 3:17 kjv
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 3:17 nkjv
If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
1 Corinthians 3:17 niv
If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:17 esv
If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:17 nlt
God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 3:16 | "Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" | Consequence of ignoring temple status |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | "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," | Believers as temples |
| Eph 2:20-22 | "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." | Church as a spiritual building |
| 1 Pet 2:4-5 | "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones should be built into a spiritual house..." | Believers as living stones |
| Rev 3:12 | "The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God." | Rewards for faithfulness |
| Heb 12:14 | "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." | Importance of holiness |
| Matt 18:6 | "whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." | Judgment for causing others to stumble |
| Gal 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these..." | Warning against corrupting behavior |
| Jude 1:11 | "Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain..." | Judgment on rebellion |
| Rom 12:4-5 | "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ..." | Unity of the body of Christ |
| 1 Cor 1:10 | "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfecty joined in the same mind and the same judgment." | Call for unity |
| John 2:19-21 | "Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body." | Jesus' body as the temple |
| 1 Cor 11:29-30 | "For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. For this reason many, among you are weak and sickly, and a considerable number are dead." | Consequences of dishonoring the Lord's Supper |
| Deut 32:39 | "“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god besides me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; none can deliver from my hand." | God's sovereign power |
| 2 Thess 2:10-12 | "and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth, so as to be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, so that all may be condemned those who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." | Rejection of truth leads to condemnation |
| Heb 3:6 | "...but Christ is faithful over God's house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our clou's boasting." | Believers as Christ's house |
| Acts 5:3-4 | "But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself some of the ؟reace of the ؟r؟ces of the land? While it remained unsold, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your ؟osal? Why then have you conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”" | Lying to the Holy Spirit |
| Lev 10:1-2 | "Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took their censer, put fire in it and placed incense on it, and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord." | Judgment for unauthorized worship |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." | Importance of obedience |
1 Corinthians 3 verses
1 Corinthians 3 17 Meaning
God destroys whoever destroys the church. This destruction is presented as a consequence of defiling the sanctuary of God, which is the church itself. The divine judgment falls upon the individual who corrupts this sacred space, ultimately meaning that harming the body of Christ leads to one's own ruin.
1 Corinthians 3 17 Context
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul is addressing divisions and immaturity within the Corinthian church. He likens the church to God's building and its members to workers on that building. He distinguishes between foundational work (like his own and Apollos') and the ongoing building by others. He emphasizes that the quality of the work will be tested by fire and that each person will be rewarded according to their work. Verse 17 serves as a strong warning against actions that damage or destroy this spiritual building, particularly through divisive teachings or corrupting influences that undermine the purity and unity of the church, which is identified as God's temple.
1 Corinthians 3 17 Word Analysis
- Εἴ τις (ei tis): "If anyone." This is a conditional statement, introducing a possibility of such destructive action.
- φθείρει (phtheirei): "destroys" or "corrupts." This verb carries the sense of spoiling, damaging, or causing ruin, not just through outright demolition but also through a gradual process of decay or impurity.
- τον̀ ναὸν (ton naon): "the temple." Refers to the sanctuary, specifically God's dwelling place. In the context of 1 Corinthians, Paul has already established that believers collectively are God's temple (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19).
- τοῦ Θεοῦ (tou Theou): "of God." Attributes the temple to God, emphasizing its sacredness and divine ownership.
- καὶ (kai): "and." Connects the preceding phrase with the following consequence.
- καθαιρεῖ (kathairei): "destroys," "tears down," or "demolishes." Similar to 'phtheirei', but can imply a more forceful act of destruction or dismantling.
- τοῦτο (touto): "this." Refers specifically back to "the temple of God."
- ὁ Θεὸς (ho Theos): "God." The subject of the second clause, indicating who will perform the action.
- φθερεῖ (phtheirei): "will destroy." Future tense, indicating a certain outcome of divine judgment.
Group Analysis:
- "If anyone destroys the temple of God": This clause points to the act of harming the unity and purity of the church, which is God's temple. It implies creating division, sowing discord, or leading believers astray from sound doctrine or godly living.
- "God will destroy him": This is the severe consequence for such destruction. It signifies divine judgment, loss, and ultimate ruin for the one who desecrates God's dwelling place, which is the unified body of believers. The repetition of the verb "destroy" ("phtheirei... phtheirei") powerfully underscores the direct and devastating nature of this judgment.
1 Corinthians 3 17 Bonus Section
The severity of this verse is heightened by Paul's earlier statements identifying believers, and the church collectively, as the temple of God (1 Cor 3:16). This concept connects to the Old Testament cherishing of the physical temple as God's dwelling place, where desecration led to divine judgment (e.g., Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10). The repeated use of the root "phtheirei" (destroy/corrupt) for both the action and the consequence emphasizes a reciprocal justice: he who corrupts will be corrupted by God. This is not a casual threat but a foundational principle of divine stewardship over His covenant people and His presence among them. The "fire" mentioned earlier in the chapter also serves as a metaphorical test of the believer's work, with the ultimate purification or destruction depending on the quality of their contribution to God's temple.
1 Corinthians 3 17 Commentary
This verse delivers a sobering warning against causing damage to the unity and sanctity of the church, which is depicted as God's temple where His Spirit resides. Actions like divisive teaching, slander, or promoting sin within the congregation are acts that "destroy" this sacred spiritual building. Paul uses strong terms to convey that such behavior invites severe divine judgment. God holds His church in the highest regard, and those who assault its integrity will face His retribution. It's a call to build up, not tear down, the community of faith.