1 Corinthians 6:18

18 ¹Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin^[a] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person ²sins against his own body.

1 Corinthians 6:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 6:18

Flee fornication
As that which is hurtful, scandalous, and unbecoming Christians; avoid it, and all the occasions of it, that may lead unto it, and be incentives of it:

every sin that a man doth is without the body
not but that other sins are committed by the body, and by the members of it as instruments; they are generally committed by the abuse of other things that are without, and do not belong to the body; and so do not bring that hurt unto and reproach upon the body, as fornication does:

but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body;
not meaning his wife, which is as his own body; but his proper natural body, which is not only the instrument by which this sin is committed, but the object against which it is committed; and which is defiled and dishonoured by it; and sometimes its strength and health are impaired, and it is filled with nauseous diseases hereby.

1 Corinthians 6:18 In-Context

16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh. ”

17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

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.

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,

20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Cross References

• 1. 6:18 2 Cor. 12:21; Eph. 5:3
• 2. 6:18 [Prov. 5:11]

Footnotes

• [a] 6:18 Or 'Every sin'