Flee from sexual immorality. Any other sin that man commits is outside the body, but the fornicator sins against his own body.
6:18 Flee fornication — In the Greek, the present tense emphasizes the habitualness of the act. In this sentence, then, Paul is saying that Christians should continue to flee from fornication. Fornication is such a dangerous evil that the only sure course of action against it is to flee. Compare the case of José, Gen 39:12. Consider Proverbs chapter 5, particularly ver. 8. I suggest that you also study Proverbs, chapter 7. This commandment is as strong and imperative as that of Ac 2:38 or the one of 1Co 11:24. It is folly and foolishness to toy with the devil’s temptation through this destructive sin. — Any other sin that man commits — Here the common Greek word for “sin”, harmartia (= a missing the mark) is not used, but is harmartema (= an act of disobedience). With the latter, emphasis is given to the act committed. — is outside the body; but he who fornicates sins against his own body — — The sinner commits many acts of disobedience. All of these are committed outside the body, except fornication, which, in the context in which Paul speaks, is the sin committed against the body. To properly understand this verse, two things must be done: (1) keep this distinction in mind; namely, outside the body, and against the body, and (2) the context (ver. 12-17) in which Paul pronounces the words of this phrase now commented on. It is true that the members of the body are employed in many acts of sin (Romans 6:19). But Paul’s point here is not that. The context here deals with the reality that the Christian’s body is for the Lord, and he for the body, and therefore belongs to the Lord (see. 13,fifteen). In that context and sense, when the Christian fornicates, he sins against the body by taking it from Christ, to whom he alone belongs, and joining it to another person, making him one flesh with her. Other acts of disobedience, in this sense, are not against the body, but outside the body, but fornication is peculiarly an act that violates the reality of the union of the body with Christ, and Christ with the body, for purposes that involve the eternal life beyond the resurrection (ver. 14). This is the point that runs through this section, verses 12 to 20. Now Paul goes on to underscore this truth, adding that the body, which belongs to the Lord alone, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that it is God’s property for having been bought. For these reasons it can be said that fornication, which is the union of the body with another person (such as the harlot), is an act committed against the body!
Source: Commentary on the New Testament by Partain
Flee from fornication. Gen 39:12-18; Pro 2:16-19; Pro 5:3-15; Pro 6:24-32; Pro 7:5; Pro 7:24-27; Pro 9:16-18; Romans 6:12, Romans 6:13; 2Ti 2:22; Hebrews 13:4; 1Pe 2:11.
against his own body he sins. Romans 1:24; 1Thess 4:5.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
Any other sin that man commits is outside the body: This was another slogan the Corinthians used to justify their immorality (vv. 1Co 6:12, 1Co 6:13). Paul points out that sexual sin is against the body, not outside of it. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to run away from any temptation to consent to sexual sin (Gen 39:1-12).
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
FLEE FROM FORNICATION. God expressly abhors sexual immorality. More than any other sinful act, he defiles the body, which is the temple of the Spirit (vv. 1Co 6:15-20). This is why Paul exhorts believers to flee from fornication. The use of the present tense here indicates that the believer must repeatedly flee from fornication (cf. Gen 39:12; see ARTICLE NORMS OF SEXUAL MORALITY, P. 1794. ).
Source: Full Life Study Bible
Any other sin… is out. In a certain sense, sexual sin destroys a person like no other can, since it happens at a very intimate level that entangles and corrupts the deepest part of the human being. Paul is likely alluding here to the venereal diseases that were so prevalent and devastating in his time as they are today. No sin has greater potential to destroy the body and this is something that every believer should avoid in view of the reality of things as presented in vv. 1Co 6:19-20.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
6:18 Flee fornication- In the Greek, the present tense emphasizes the habitualness of the act. In this sentence, then, Paul is saying that Christians should continue to flee from fornication.
Fornication is such a dangerous evil that the only sure course of action against it is to flee. Compare the case of Joseph, Gen 39:12. Consider Proverbs chapter 5, particularly ver. 8. I suggest that you also study Proverbs chapter 7.
This commandment is as strong and imperative as that of Acts 2:38 or 1Co 11:24. It is folly and foolishness to toy with the devil’s temptation through this destructive sin.
— Any other sin that man commits – Here the common Greek word for “sin”, harmartia (= a missing the mark) is not used, but is harmartema (= an act of disobedience). With the latter, emphasis is given to the act committed.
— is outside the body; but he who fornicates sins against his own body – – The sinner commits many acts of disobedience. All of these are committed outside the body, except fornication, which, in the context in which Paul speaks, is the sin committed against the body. To properly understand this verse, two things must be done: (1) keep this distinction in mind; namely, out of the body, and against the body, and (2) the context (ver. 12-17) in which Paul pronounces the words of this phrase now discussed.
It is true that the members of the body are employed in many acts of sin (Rom 6:19). But Paul’s point here is not that. The context here deals with the reality that the Christian’s body is for the Lord, and he for the body, and therefore belongs to the Lord (see 13,15). In that context and sense, when the Christian fornicates, he sins against the body by taking it from Christ, to whom he alone belongs, and joining it to another person, making him one flesh with her. Other acts of disobedience, in this sense, are not against the body, but outside the body, but fornication is peculiarly an act that violates the reality of the union of the body with Christ, and Christ with the body, for purposes that involve the eternal life beyond the resurrection (ver. 14). This is the point that runs through this section, verses 12 to 20.
Now Paul goes on to emphasize this truth, adding that the body, which belongs only to the Lord, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that it is owned by God because it was purchased. For these reasons it can be said that fornication, which is the union of the body with another person (such as the harlot), is an act committed against the body!
Source: Reeves-Partain Notes
GRADES
(1) Lit., “of”.
CROSS-REFERENCES
t 292 Gen 39:12; 1Thess 4:3
u 293 Rom 1:24; Romans 1:27; Romans 6:12
Source: New World Translation
18 (1) Lit., result of sinning; the same Greek word translated sins at Mar_3:28 and Rom_3:25.
Source: New Testament Commentary Recovery Version
Flee from fornication. Ie, acquire the habit of avoiding sexual immorality. Joseph’s reaction to the incitements of Potiphar’s wife (Gen 39:12) literally illustrates this principle.
Source: Ryrie Annotated Study Bible
lit. towards.