2 Corinthians 6:16

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.

Cross-reference

In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul asks if Christ is in you, directly tying to the indwelling presence promised here.

1 Kings 18:21 rebukes wavering between God and Baal — the same 'unequal yoke' with unbelievers Paul warns against.

2 Timothy 1:14 urges keeping the gospel by the indwelling Holy Spirit, reinforcing the temple of God motif.

2 Kings 17:33 depicts syncretism — fearing the Lord yet serving other gods — exactly the compromise Paul says is incompatible with being God's temple.

In Hebrews 8:10, the same covenant formula 'I will be their God, and they shall be My people' is cited from Jeremiah, reinforcing the new covenant context of God dwelling among His people.

2 Kings 21:4 describes Manasseh placing pagan altars in the LORD's temple — the ultimate defilement of God's dwelling, which believers are.

2 Kings 23:5-7 records Josiah's purging of idolatrous priests and altars from the temple — the cleansing that reflects the holy separation Paul calls for.

2 Chronicles 33:4 shows Manasseh defiling God's temple with altars—the very idolatry Paul contrasts with believers as God's dwelling.

Ephesians 3:17 speaks of Christ dwelling in hearts through faith, another expression of the indwelling God.

Ezekiel 36:25 promises cleansing from idols, which is the separation Paul calls for, leading to God dwelling among His purified people.

Ezekiel 37:27 says 'My dwelling place shall be with them... I will be their God' — almost verbatim to Paul's quotation here.

Exodus 20:3 Allusion

Exodus 20:3 commands no other gods — the foundational prohibition that Paul applies to believers as God's temple, who cannot mix with idols.

Hosea 14:8 Parallel

Hosea 14:8 has God saying He has nothing to do with idols—directly parallel to Paul's 'what agreement has the temple of God with idols?'

1 Corinthians 6:19 reinforces the temple imagery: each believer's body individually is a temple of the Holy Spirit, just as Paul calls the corporate body God's temple here.

Zechariah 2:11 contains the same promise of God dwelling among his people, which Paul quotes here as the basis for believers being God's temple.

Zechariah 8:8 promises 'they shall be my people, and I will be their God' — the covenant formula Paul declares fulfilled in believers.

Matthew 6:24 states you cannot serve two masters—a parallel to Paul's 'no agreement between temple of God and idols' about divided loyalty.

Romans 8:9 Parallel

Romans 8:9 teaches that the Spirit of God dwells in believers, directly paralleling the indwelling temple concept here.

Romans 8:11 Parallel

Romans 8:11 adds the resurrection promise: the same Spirit dwelling in believers will give life to their mortal bodies.

1 Corinthians 3:17 warns that destroying God's temple brings destruction, underscoring the seriousness of defiling the temple Paul addresses.

1 Corinthians 3:16 states the same truth—believers are God's temple—and warns against defiling it, reinforcing Paul's argument.

Exodus 23:13 warns against even mentioning other gods — a stringent separation that matches Paul's call for no agreement between God's temple and idols.

1 John 4:15 Parallel

1 John 4:15 states that confessing Jesus means God dwells in you and you in God — a clear parallel to the temple promise.

Deuteronomy 4:24 describes God as a consuming fire and jealous — the same reason Paul gives for believers to avoid idolatry as God's temple.

1 John 5:21 Parallel

1 John 5:21 directly commands 'keep yourselves from idols'—the same imperative Paul draws from being God's temple.

Deuteronomy 5:7 repeats the first commandment — no other gods — which Paul's temple imagery assumes as the basis for separation from idols.

1 John 4:12 Parallel

1 John 4:12 says God dwells in us when we love one another, linking indwelling to mutual love.

Deuteronomy 6:15 warns of God's jealous anger when His people turn to other gods — the same danger Paul addresses by urging separation from idols.

Leviticus 26:12 is the exact source Paul quotes — 'I will walk among you and be your God' — linking the church to the covenant promise.

Joshua 24:14-24 calls Israel to 'put away the gods' and serve the Lord only — precisely the demand Paul applies to believers as God's temple.

Exodus 34:14 declares God's name is Jealous — reinforcing why His temple must have no idols, as Paul argues in the context.

1 Samuel 7:3 commands putting away foreign gods and serving the Lord only — directly echoing the idolatry warning in this passage.

Exodus 29:45 is the OT promise of God dwelling among Israel in the tabernacle, which Paul quotes here to ground the new covenant temple.

Revelation 21:3 Prophetic fulfillment

Revelation 21:3 directly repeats the covenant formula 'they shall be his people, God himself with them', the ultimate fulfillment.

1 Peter 2:5 Parallel

1 Peter 2:5 uses living stones to describe believers being built into a spiritual house, reinforcing the temple identity.

John 2:21 Typology

In John 2:21, 'temple' refers to Jesus' body, grounding Paul's metaphor of believers as God's temple.

Revelation 7:15 depicts saints serving in God's temple with his sheltering presence, a heavenly fulfillment of God dwelling among his people.

Zechariah 8:3 says God will dwell in Jerusalem — a clear OT promise of divine presence that Paul applies to the church as God's temple.

In Ephesians 2:21, Paul develops the same temple imagery, describing the church as a holy temple growing in the Lord.

Numbers 35:34 directly says God dwells among Israel — the same promise Paul applies to believers as the temple.

Joel 2:27 Parallel

Joel 2:27 declares 'I am in the midst of Israel' and 'I am the Lord your God' — directly paralleling the promise Paul quotes.

In 1 Kings 8:27, Solomon questions if God can dwell on earth — contrasting the physical temple with God's transcendence, while Paul affirms God dwells in believers.

Deuteronomy 23:14 says God walks in the camp — closely parallels Paul's 'I will walk among them' for the temple.

Psalm 114:2 Parallel

Psalm 114:2 calls Judah God's sanctuary — directly parallels Paul's statement that believers are the temple of the living God.

In Colossians 1:27, Paul calls 'Christ in you' the mystery of glory, directly paralleling the indwelling here.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:9, turning from idols to serve God exemplifies the separation from idols commanded in this context.

1 Timothy 3:15 calls the church 'the household of God' and 'pillar of truth', paralleling the 'temple of the living God' imagery here.

1 John 3:24 Related theme

1 John 3:24 states God abides in believers, echoing the promise here that God dwells among his people as their temple.

In 1 Kings 6:13, God promises to dwell among Israel during temple building — Paul applies that same dwelling promise to believers as God's temple.

Zechariah 2:10 proclaims God coming to dwell in Zion, a prophecy that Paul sees fulfilled in the church as God's temple.

Ezekiel 43:7 describes God dwelling in the midst of Israel forever, the same OT hope Paul applies to the church as God's temple.

Zephaniah 1:5 condemns swearing to both God and idols—the syncretism Paul opposes when calling believers to separate from idolatry.

Exodus 25:8 Typology

In Exodus 25:8, God says 'let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them' — the same desire for dwelling is now fulfilled in believers as God's temple.

In 1 Chronicles 17:6, God says He never required a house, walking with Israel in a tent — Paul's temple is the community where God walks.

2 Kings 21:5 adds more pagan altars in the temple courts — reinforcing the warning against mixing worship relevant to Paul's call.

2 Samuel 7:6 says God dwelt in a tent — contrasts with Paul's temple of believers but shares the dwelling theme.

In Revelation 21:7, God promises 'I will be his God and he shall be My son' — a variation of the covenant words here, applied to overcomers in the new creation.

In 1 Corinthians 3:9, Paul calls the church 'God's building,' a related metaphor for God's dwelling place.

Numbers 5:3 Parallel

In Numbers 5:3, God dwells in the camp and requires purity — Paul applies the same principle: God dwells in believers, so they must separate from defilement.

Numbers 25:2 shows Israel invited to idol sacrifices — the very idolatry Paul warns against in the context of being God's temple.

Deuteronomy 4:23 warns against making idols — a direct reminder of the covenant command that underlies Paul's argument for separation.

Deuteronomy 6:14 forbids going after other gods — a general command that Paul applies specifically to believers as the temple of the living God.

1 John 4:4 Related theme

1 John 4:4 says 'he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world', reinforcing the indwelling presence of God in believers.

1 Samuel 7:4 shows Israel actually putting away Baals and serving only the Lord — an example of the exclusive devotion Paul demands.

2 Kings 17:34 notes persistent syncretism and lack of true fear of God — a cautionary example for Paul's call to holiness.

In 2 Chronicles 29:5, Levites cleanse the physical temple — Paul calls believers as God's temple to separate from defilement (idols).

2 Chronicles 33:5 adds altars to the host of heaven in the temple courts, deepening the picture of idolatrous pollution Paul rejects.

Jeremiah 14:9 echoes 'you are in our midst' — reinforcing the OT promise of God dwelling among His people that Paul applies to the church.

Ezekiel 43:9 reiterates God's promise to dwell in their midst after removing sin, echoing the purity required for the temple.

Daniel 2:11 Contrast

Daniel 2:11 states pagan gods' dwelling is not with flesh — contrasting with the true God who dwells among His people.