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.

Defile. Gr. phtheird, the word translated “destroy” later in this verse. This word play in the Greek is preserved in the English by translating both occurrences of phtheird by “destroy”: “If any man destroy the temple of God, him shall God destroy.” Paul’s warning is primarily directed toward those who by their schismatic policy were destroying the Corinthian church. In a secondary sense Paul’s warning may be understood as applying to the individual believer who himself is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, although this feature is more directly dealt with in ch. 6:19 (see comment there). It is a fearful thing to bring injury to the church of God. Those who by word or example tear down that which God has built up are denounced as worthy of the most severe punishment.

Which temple. The word “temple” has been supplied, and probably correctly so, although grammatically “which” may refer to “holy,” so as to make the clause read, “of which holy character ye are.” The idea would then be that, even as the building in which the presence of God was manifested was holy, so are believers in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.