2 Corinthians 6:16 kjv
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Corinthians 6:16 nkjv
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."
2 Corinthians 6:16 niv
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
2 Corinthians 6:16 esv
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Corinthians 6:16 nlt
And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
2 Corinthians 6 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:11-12 | I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. | God's presence within His people |
| Isa 52:11 | Depart, depart, go out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. | Separation from impurity |
| Jer 31:33 | But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. | God's new covenant |
| Acts 2:42 | And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. | Fellowship in the early church |
| Rom 6:13 | Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. | Yielding to God |
| Rom 12:1-2 | I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. | Consecration and transformation |
| 1 Cor 3:16-17 | Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which ye are. | Believers as God's temple |
| 1 Cor 6:15-20 | 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. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. | Union with Christ vs. unfaithfulness |
| 1 Cor 10:14, 21 | Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. ... Ye cannot drink of the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. | Fleeing from idolatry/false worship |
| 1 Cor 10:31 | Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do it all to the glory of God. | Glorifying God |
| Eph 5:6-7 | Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. | Separation from disobedience |
| Eph 5:11 | And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. | No fellowship with darkness |
| 2 Thess 3:6 | Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. | Withdrawing from disorderly conduct |
| James 4:4 | Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. | Friendship with the world |
| 1 John 2:15 | Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | Not loving the world |
| 1 John 5:19 | And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. | The world under wickedness |
| Rev 18:4 | And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. | Coming out of Babylon |
| Isa 58:12 | And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations: and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths that they may dwell in. | Restoration |
| Psa 149:1-4 | Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their king. Let them praise his name with the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. | God's pleasure in His people |
| John 17:17 | Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. | Sanctification by truth |
| 2 Cor 6:14, 17-18 | Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: ... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. | Direct commands of separation and sonship |
2 Corinthians 6 verses
2 Corinthians 6 16 Meaning
This verse is a powerful exhortation for believers to separate themselves from the corrupting influences of the world and to live in fellowship with God. It highlights the absolute incompatibility between righteousness and lawlessness, light and darkness, Christ and Belial. By embracing God's presence and covenant, believers become His children, cleansed from sin and transformed into His image.
2 Corinthians 6 16 Context
Second Corinthians chapter 6 concludes with a strong appeal from Paul to the Corinthian believers. Having defended his apostolic ministry in the preceding verses, Paul now turns to exhortation. The context is his concern for the purity and spiritual well-being of the church in Corinth, which was facing considerable pressure from the surrounding pagan culture and internal divisions influenced by "super-apostles." This particular verse, and indeed the entire section from verse 14 onwards, serves as a foundational statement for Christian distinctiveness and separation from the world. It's a call to holistic consecration, emphasizing that a genuine relationship with God means an inward and outward transformation, impacting every aspect of life. The argument builds towards the assurance of God's intimate presence and fatherhood for those who heed this call.
2 Corinthians 6 16 Word Analysis
"And (kai)": A conjunction, connecting this verse with the preceding exhortations and arguments.
"what (tis)": An interrogative pronoun, setting up a rhetorical question emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of the statement.
"fellowship (metoche)": Partnership, sharing, participation. Refers to a deep communion and shared life.
"has (echo)": To have, hold, possess. Indicates possession or relationship.
"Christ (Christou)": Anointed One; refers to Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
"with (pros)": To, towards, with. Indicates the direction or recipient of the fellowship.
"lawlessness (anomia)": Without law, iniquity, rebellion against divine law. Can also imply an antinomian spirit.
"And (kai)": Conjunction.
"what (tis)": Interrogative pronoun.
"communion (koinonia)": A deeper form of fellowship, emphasizing a shared participation and common bond. Often used for intimate spiritual fellowship.
"light (photos)": Illumination, understanding, truth; by extension, moral goodness and righteousness.
"with (pros)": To, towards, with.
"darkness (skotous)": Ignorance, sin, evil; absence of spiritual light.
"For (gar)": A conjunction indicating cause or reason.
"what (tis)": Interrogative pronoun.
"participation (metoche)": Partnership, sharing, communion. Used again to emphasize the lack of common ground.
"righteousness (dikaiosune)": Justice, righteousness, moral integrity; specifically, the righteousness that comes from God.
"has (echo)": To have, hold, possess.
"lawlessness (anomia)": Without law, iniquity, rebellion against divine law.
"And (kai)": Conjunction.
"what (tis)": Interrogative pronoun.
"fellowship (koinonia)": Communion, partnership, sharing.
"has (echo)": To have, hold, possess.
"God (Theou)": The supreme being, the Creator.
"with (meta)": With, together with.
"darkness (skotous)": Ignorance, sin, evil.
"For (gar)": Conjunction indicating cause or reason.
"what (poios)": Of what kind, what sort. Used to inquire about the nature of the agreement.
"union (sumphasis)": Agreement, harmony, consent. Denotes working together in accord.
"has (echo)": To have, hold, possess.
"Belial (Belial)": Worthlessness, wickedness, destruction; a personification of evil, Satan. A Hebrew term often translated as "worthless" or "wicked."
"Or (e)": A disjunctive conjunction, presenting an alternative.
"what (poios)": Of what kind, what sort.
"part (meros)": A portion, share, lot.
"has (echo)": To have, hold, possess.
"Belial (Belial)": Worthlessness, wickedness, destruction.
"with (pros)": To, towards, with.
"faithful (pisti)": Believer, one who trusts or believes.
Group of concepts: The verse establishes a series of unbridgeable dualisms: Christ vs. Belial, Light vs. Darkness, Righteousness vs. Lawlessness. The Greek words chosen (metoche, koinonia, sumphasis) highlight that there can be no shared participation, communion, or agreement between these opposing forces. "Belial" as a personification of Satan, contrasts directly with "Christ" the Anointed One. "Light" signifies God's truth and purity, standing against the ignorance and sin represented by "darkness." "Righteousness" denotes God's justice and holy nature, starkly contrasted with "lawlessness," which implies rebellion and violation of God's standards.
2 Corinthians 6 16 Bonus Section
The term "Belial" (Hebrew: בְּלִיַּעַל - Bĕliyyāʿal) is a significant figure in Old Testament thought and extra-biblical literature, often referring to wickedness, worthlessness, or a source of rebellion. In this context, it's clearly personified as the antithesis of Christ. This rhetorical question is deeply rhetorical, aiming to elicit an immediate and affirmative "No!" from the reader, reinforcing the absolute dichotomy. The parallel structure, posing similar questions about light and darkness, righteousness and lawlessness, amplifies the point about the inherent separation required for genuine communion with God. The entire passage builds toward the promise of God's active presence and relationship ("I will be your Father") for those who obey this call to separation. This is not about social isolation, but about moral and spiritual distinctiveness to maintain a pure relationship with the Creator.
2 Corinthians 6 16 Commentary
The verse confronts believers with stark theological realities: there is no common ground, no shared existence, and no possibility of accord between followers of Christ and those aligned with ultimate evil and ungodliness. The concept of "unequally yoked" (mentioned in the preceding verse) underpins this. One cannot partner with Christ, who is light and righteousness, while simultaneously being yoked with darkness and lawlessness, which are epitomized by Belial (Satan).
This is not a mere suggestion but a declaration of fundamental incompatibility inherent in being a disciple. Believers are called to separate from associations and practices that compromise their allegiance to God and identify them with the world system ruled by darkness. True unity is found in Christ, making any compromise with opposing forces a denial of that union. This demands discernment and a conscious decision to identify with God's kingdom of light.
- Practical Example: A Christian choosing to participate actively in activities or environments clearly associated with immoral behavior or the worship of false gods would be demonstrating a violation of this principle. Conversely, a believer might leave a compromising workplace or social group, demonstrating their commitment to separate from what is considered darkness.