1 Corinthians 6 15

1 Corinthians 6:15 kjv

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

1 Corinthians 6:15 nkjv

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!

1 Corinthians 6:15 niv

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

1 Corinthians 6:15 esv

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

1 Corinthians 6:15 nlt

Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!

1 Corinthians 6 verses

1 Corinthians 6 15 meaning

This verse powerfully asserts that believers' bodies are profoundly united with Christ, metaphorically being "members of Christ." It then poses an indignant rhetorical question: "Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?" The question is immediately followed by the strongest possible negative response, "Never!", condemning any act of sexual immorality, specifically with a prostitute, as a sacrilegious act that dishonors Christ himself through a profound violation of this sacred union. The core message emphasizes the sanctity and belonging of a believer's body to Christ, and thus the impossibility of engaging in sexual sin without desecrating that divine relationship.

1 Corinthians 6 15 Context

Chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians addresses several practical ethical issues within the Corinthian church. Paul begins by chastising believers for litigating against each other in pagan courts (vv. 1-8). He then transitions to the topic of sexual immorality, which appears to have been a pervasive problem in the morally permissive culture of ancient Corinth. Verses 9-10 list various unrighteous acts, including sexual immorality ("fornicators"), that disqualify individuals from inheriting the Kingdom of God, before reminding the Corinthians of their transformed state in Christ (v. 11).

Leading into verse 15, Paul tackles Corinthian slogans or misguided beliefs, such as "All things are lawful for me" (v. 12). While true in a certain sense of Christian liberty, Paul quickly clarifies that not all things are beneficial or build up the community. He then uses the example of food for the stomach to illustrate that not all things lawful are eternal, setting up the critical distinction for the body's purpose: it is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body (v. 13). Verse 14 reiterates God's power to raise bodies, further elevating their significance. Thus, verse 15 builds directly upon this foundational truth of the body's sacred purpose and its union with Christ, sharply contrasting it with the defilement of sexual sin. Historically, Corinth was notorious for its rampant sexual permissiveness, often linked to religious prostitution, challenging the early church to distinguish Christian purity from pagan norms.

1 Corinthians 6 15 Word analysis

• Do you not know (οὐκ οἴδατε - ouk oidate): This is a rhetorical question common in Paul's writings, designed to elicit an obvious affirmative answer. It implies that the Corinthians should know this truth as fundamental to their faith, highlighting a spiritual oversight or disregard rather than ignorance. It calls them to remember foundational Christian teaching.
• that your bodies (τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν - ta sōmata hymōn): "Bodies" refers to the physical, corporeal beings of the believers. Paul emphasizes the concrete physical aspect, rejecting any Gnostic-like philosophy that might separate the spiritual from the physical, deeming bodily actions inconsequential. He stresses the whole person, physical included, is bought by Christ.
• are members (μέλη ἐστίν - melē estin): "Members" here means parts or components. This is a crucial metaphorical extension from anatomical limbs to an organic part of a larger whole, the spiritual body of Christ. It signifies an intimate, vital connection, indicating shared identity and function.
• of Christ? (Χριστοῦ - Christou): This phrase asserts divine ownership and union. The believer's body is not their own to do with as they please in isolation; it belongs to Christ, implying that any action taken with the body impacts Christ Himself. This deepens the sin of sexual immorality.
• Shall I then take (ἄρας οὖν - aras oun): "Take" here means to pick up, remove, or appropriate. The verb implies a deliberate action. Coupled with "then" (οὖν - oun), it links to the preceding statement, forming a logical yet appalling consequence if their "ignorance" were true. The phrase "shall I" (ἀποφήσεως - apophēseōs) makes it an indignant rhetorical question.
• the members of Christ (τὰ μέλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ - ta melē tou Christou): This repeats the earlier declaration, emphasizing the shocking nature of what is being contemplated – a defilement of Christ's very "body parts."
• and make them members of a prostitute? (ποιήσω πόρνης μέλη; - poiēsō pornēs melē): "Make them" implies actively joining or associating. "Prostitute" (πόρνης - pornēs) signifies a woman who sells her body for sexual acts, representing the epitome of sexual impurity and common illicit sexual union. The gravity lies not just in the act, but in the identity of the person with whom one is joined, particularly how it contradicts the sacred union with Christ. The act is not a trivial physical one, but one that creates a temporary, unholy "one-flesh" union (as explained in the next verse).
• Never! (μὴ γένοιτο! - mē genoito!): This is a powerful, emphatic exclamation of abhorrence and strong rejection. It translates to "May it never be!", "God forbid!", or "Absolutely not!". It unequivocally shuts down the unthinkable proposition and reinforces the absolute incompatibility of belonging to Christ and engaging in sexual sin.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?": This forms a declarative question, grounding the subsequent ethical imperative in a theological truth. It's an appeal to an existing, though possibly forgotten, Christian understanding of self-identity and belonging. It underlines that a Christian's physical body is not autonomously theirs but rather incorporated into the mystical body of Christ. This union bestows dignity but also implies responsibility.
• "Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?": This forms a rhetorical question presenting a hypothetical scenario so morally reprehensible that it highlights the depth of the spiritual betrayal inherent in sexual immorality for a Christian. The parallelism between "members of Christ" and "members of a prostitute" starkly contrasts the sacred and the profane, creating intense moral tension. The verb "take" implies agency and conscious choice in bringing about this abhorrent situation.
• "Never!": This strong negation serves as the absolute and final verdict on the posed question. It is an emphatic dismissal, unequivocally asserting that such an action is fundamentally antithetical to the nature of Christian identity and union with Christ. It is a divine, moral firewall against spiritual compromise.

1 Corinthians 6 15 Bonus section

This verse serves as a polemic against common Hellenistic dualism that often devalued the physical body, viewing it as distinct from the soul and therefore its actions as having little spiritual consequence. Paul forcefully asserts the integrated nature of human identity and the sanctity of the body within God's design. The use of "members of Christ" ties directly into the larger New Testament theme of the Church as the Body of Christ, making an individual believer's moral choices—especially regarding their body—an act of corporate significance impacting the Head (Christ) and the entire body of believers. This deep spiritual understanding also sets Christian sexuality apart from the prevalent attitudes of pagan Corinth, demanding a radical ethical distinction based on allegiance to Christ.

1 Corinthians 6 15 Commentary

Paul vehemently condemns sexual immorality by linking the believer's body to Christ himself. The core of his argument rests on the profound theological truth that Christians are intimately united with Christ, their very bodies being "members" of Him. To then engage in sexual relations with a prostitute, forming a "one-flesh" union (as verse 16 elaborates), is therefore a direct affront and a sacrilege against Christ. The phrase "Never!" acts as a powerful, absolute rejection, signifying that such an act is utterly incompatible with Christian identity and desecrates the sacred bond between Christ and His followers. This isn't merely about personal morality; it's about Christ's ownership of the believer and the resulting sanctity of their physical being. The Christian body, redeemed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (as mentioned later in the chapter), has a divine purpose and cannot be used for anything that defiles Christ. It reminds believers that sexual acts have profound spiritual implications beyond mere physical gratification.