1 Corinthians 7:4 kjv
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
1 Corinthians 7:4 nkjv
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
1 Corinthians 7:4 niv
The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:4 esv
For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
1 Corinthians 7:4 nlt
The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.
1 Corinthians 7 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 6:13 | "Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food, but God will destroy both one and the other." | Purity, Body as Temple |
| 1 Cor 6:18 | "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body." | Sexual Purity, Body as Temple |
| 1 Cor 7:2 | "But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband." | Sexual Purity, Marriage |
| 1 Cor 7:5 | "Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer..." | Mutual Consent, Prayer |
| Eph 5:22 | "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." | Submission (contextual) |
| Eph 5:25 | "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." | Marital Love, Sacrifice |
| Col 3:18 | "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." | Submission (contextual) |
| Col 3:19 | "Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them." | Marital Love |
| 1 Pet 3:1 | "Likewise, wives, be submissive to your own husbands..." | Submission (contextual) |
| 1 Pet 3:7 | "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way..." | Understanding Spouses |
| Gen 2:24 | "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." | Unity in Marriage |
| Mal 2:14-16 | "The Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth... And the two shall be one flesh." | Marriage Covenant |
| Heb 13:4 | "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous." | Honor of Marriage, Purity |
| Matt 19:4-5 | "He answered, 'Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?'" | Unity, Creation |
| Prov 5:15-19 | "Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well. ... Let her breasts satisfy you in every season..." | Marital Intimacy |
| 1 Cor 10:13 | "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful..." | Temptation, Faithfulness |
| Phil 2:4 | "Let each of you look not to his own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others." | Selflessness, Mutual Care |
| 1 Thes 4:3-5 | "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor..." | God's Will, Sanctification |
| Romans 12:1 | "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice..." | Body as Sacrifice, Devotion |
| Song of Solomon 4:12 | "You are a garden locked, my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed." | Marital Exclusivity |
1 Corinthians 7 verses
1 Corinthians 7 4 Meaning
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Similarly, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. This verse establishes mutual submission within marriage concerning physical intimacy, emphasizing the shared commitment and responsibility each spouse has towards the other in this regard.
1 Corinthians 7 4 Context
This verse is found within a larger discussion in 1 Corinthians 7 concerning marriage, singleness, and relationships. The Corinthian church had issues regarding sexual immorality and questions about marital duties. Paul is addressing these matters by providing guidance on how Christians should navigate these areas. This particular verse addresses the marital relationship directly, likely in response to misunderstandings or potential abuses of sexual relations within marriage, or perhaps concerning the practice of celibacy for religious reasons, as explored in the surrounding verses. The overarching theme is one of mutual respect, love, and God-ordained order within the marriage covenant.
1 Corinthians 7 4 Word Analysis
αὑτῇ (autē): "her" - referring to the wife.
οὐκ ἔχει (ouk echei): "does not have" - indicating a lack of independent authority.
ἐξουσίαν (exousian): "authority," "right," "power" - a delegated or inherent ability to exercise control.
τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος (tou idiou somatos): "of her own body" - personal physical possession and integrity.
ἀλλ᾽ (all'): "but" - a strong adversative conjunction, contrasting the wife's lack of authority with the husband's.
ὁ ἀνήρ (ho anēr): "the husband" - the male partner in the marriage.
ὁμοίως (homoios): "likewise," "similarly" - drawing an equal comparison for the husband's situation.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἡ γυνή (homoios de kai hē gynē): "likewise also the wife" - emphasizing the symmetrical nature of this mutual authority.
τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος (tou idiou somatos): "of his own body" - personal physical possession and integrity.
Grouped Analysis: The core of this verse lies in the reciprocal surrender of physical autonomy within marriage. The use of "exousian" (authority/right) emphasizes that this isn't a loss of self, but a sharing of rights over their bodies with their spouse. This mutual submission is grounded in the marital covenant. The repetition of "ou ... alla" (not ... but) structurally highlights the contrast and the principle of shared authority. The "homoios" (likewise) is crucial, ensuring that the principle applies equally to both husband and wife, creating a balanced spiritual understanding of marriage.
1 Corinthians 7 4 Bonus Section
This mutual surrender of rights over their bodies underscores that marriage is a sacred covenant involving commitment beyond emotional or spiritual aspects, extending to the physical union. The concept of "one flesh" (Gen 2:24) finds a practical expression here, where individual bodies are brought into unity within the marital context. This perspective contrasts with worldly views that might emphasize absolute bodily autonomy or possession of another, framing marriage as a partnership with shared responsibilities and privileges. This understanding is also linked to the Old Testament emphasis on marriage as a binding covenant witnessed by God (Mal 2:14).
1 Corinthians 7 4 Commentary
This verse is foundational for understanding sexual intimacy within marriage as a mutual act, not one unilaterally controlled by either party. It refutes any idea of one spouse possessing absolute dominion over the other's sexuality. Instead, it posits that a married couple shares a common pool of rights concerning their bodies. This mutual sharing is rooted in their covenantal union, where they become "one flesh." This principle of shared ownership is intended to foster intimacy, discourage selfishness, and guard against sexual immorality, by ensuring both partners are considered and their needs are respected within the marital bond. It doesn't imply that a spouse can be forced into sexual activity against their will, but rather that the right to ask for and grant sexual union belongs to the marital relationship as a whole. This mutual submission serves the larger purpose of maintaining the sanctity and flourishing of the marriage, including opportunities for prayer.