1 Corinthians 3 · Verse 17

1 Corinthians 3:17

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, King James Version

1 Corinthians 3:17 in other translations

BSBIf anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
WEBIf anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.
ASVIf any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.
YLTif any one the sanctuary of God doth waste, him shall God waste; for the sanctuary of God is holy, the which ye are.
DARBYIf any one corrupt the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.
BBEIf anyone makes the house of God unclean, God will put an end to him; for the house of God is holy, and you are his house.
WebsterIf any man defileth the temple of God, him will God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

What does 1 Corinthians 3:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. If any ... defile ... destroy--rather as the Greek verb is the same in both cases, "destroy ... destroy." God repays in kind by a righteous retaliation. The destroyer shall himself be destroyed. As temporal death was the penalty of marring the material temple (Le 16:2; Da 5:2, 3, 30), so eternal death is the penalty of marring the spiritual temple--the Church. The destroyers here (1Co 3:16, 17), are distinct from the unwise or unskilful builders (1Co 3:12, 15); the latter held fast the "foundation" (1Co 3:11), and, therefore, though they lose their work of superstructure and the special reward, yet they are themselves saved; the destroyers, on the contrary, assailed with false teaching the foundation, and so subvert the temple itself, and shall therefore be destroyed. (See on 1Co 3:10), [Estius and Neander]. I think Paul passes here from the teachers to all the members of the Church, who, by profession, are "priests unto God" (Ex 19:6; 1Pe 2:9; Re 1:6). As the Aaronic priests were doomed to die if they violated the old temple (Ex 28:43), so any Christian who violates the sanctity of the spiritual temple, shall perish eternally (He 12:14; 10:26, 31). holy--inviolable (Ha 2:20). which temple ye are--rather, "the which (that is, holy) are ye" [Alford], and, therefore, want of holiness on the part of any of you (or, as Estius, "to tamper with the foundation in teaching you") is a violation of the temple, which cannot be let to pass with impunity. Grotius supports English Version.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 17. If any man defile, etc. Or, destroy, corrupt, φθειρει. The Greek word is the same in both parts of the sentence. "If any man destroy the temple of God, God shall destroy him." This is presented in the form of an adage or proverb. And the truth here stated is based on the fact that the temple of God was inviolable; that temple was holy; and if any man subsequently destroyed it, it might be presumed that God would destroy him. The figurative sense is, "If any man by his doctrines or precepts shall pursue such a course as tends to destroy the church, God shall severely punish him."

For the temple of God is holy. The temple of God is to be regarded as sacred and inviolable. This was unquestionably the common opinion among the Jews respecting the temple at Jerusalem; and it was the common doctrine of the Gentiles respecting their temples. Sacred places were regarded as inviolable; and this general truth Paul applies to the Christian church in general. Locke supposes that Paul had particular reference here to the false teachers in Corinth. But the expression, "If any man," is equally applicable to all other false teachers as to him.

Which temple ye are. This proves that though Paul regarded them as lamentably corrupt in some respects, he still regarded them as a true church--as a part of the holy temple of God.

(1) "defile" "destroy"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 If any man defile the temple - This clause is not consistently translated. Ει τις τον ναον του Θεου φθειρει, φθερει τουτον ὁ Θεος If any man destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy. The verb is the same in both clauses. If any man injure, corrupt, or destroy the Church of God by false doctrine, God will destroy him - will take away his part out of the book of life. This refers to him who wilfully opposes the truth; the erring, mistaken man shall barely escape; but the obstinate opposer shall be destroyed. The former shall be treated leniently; the latter shall have judgment without mercy.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

From other parts of the epistle, it appears that the false teachers among the Corinthians taught unholy doctrines. Such teaching tended to corrupt, to pollute, and destroy the building, which should be kept pure and holy for God. Those who spread loose principles, which render the church of God unholy, bring destruction upon themselves. Christ by his Spirit dwells in all true believers. Christians are holy by…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 →

1 Corinthians 3:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἴeiIfG1487
τιςtisanyoneG5100
τὸνtontheG3588
ναὸνnaontempleG3485
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
φθείρει,phtheireidestroys,G5351
φθερεῖphthereiwill destroyG5351
τοῦτονtoutonhimG3778
ὁho<the>G3588
θεός·theosGod;G2316
ὁho<the>G3588
γὰρgarforG1063
ναὸςnaosthe templeG3485
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
ἅγιόςhagiosholyG40
ἐστιν,estinis,G1510
οἵτινέςoitineswhichG3748
ἐστεesteareG1510
ὑμεῖς.¶humeisyou yourselves.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 3:17

  • 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

    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.

  • Ezekiel 43:12

    This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

  • Numbers 19:20

    But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

  • Ezekiel 7:22

    My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.

  • Ezekiel 5:11

    Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

  • Ezekiel 23:38-39

    Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths. For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.

  • Leviticus 20:3

    And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

  • Psalms 79:1

    A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

  • Leviticus 15:31

    Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.

  • Isaiah 64:11

    Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

  • Exodus 3:5

    And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

  • Psalms 99:9

    Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
any.
6:18-20; Le 15:31; 20:3; Nu 19:20; Ps 74:3; 79:1; Eze 5:11; 7:22
Eze 23:38,39; Zep 3:4
defile. or. destroy. for.
Ge 28:17; Ex 3:5; 1Ch 29:3; Ps 93:5; 99:9; Isa 64:11; Eze 43:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 3:16

    Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

  • 1 Corinthians 3:17

    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 3:18

    Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 3

1 Corinthians 3:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Si alguno violare el templo de Dios, Dios destruirá al tal: porque el templo de Dios, el cual sois vosotros, santo es.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Si quelqu’un corrompt le temple de Dieu, Dieu le détruira, car le temple de Dieu est saint, et tels vous êtes.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn jemand den Tempel Gottes verdirbt, den wird Gott verderben; denn der Tempel Gottes ist heilig, und solche seid ihr.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si quis autem templum Dei violaverit, disperdet illum Deus. Templum enim Dei sanctum est, quod estis vos.