Word study · Greek
porneia
sexual immorality
Say it: por-NAY-ah (approximate)
πορνεία
What it means
Paul begins with a case of porneia "not even among the Gentiles" (5:1), and tells them to "flee porneia" (6:18).
Open question Debated
Exactly what porneia covers in Jesus' exception (adultery, an unlawful marriage, or sexual sin more broadly) is debated, as is how the clause relates to Mark and Luke, which don't have it.
Range of meaning
- Sexual immoralitySexual sin of any kind.
- ProstitutionThe earliest sense, from the word for a prostitute.
- Unlawful marriageAs in Leviticus 18, which Acts 15 echoes.
In 1 Corinthians
- Chapter 5
"Sexual immorality... not even among the Gentiles" (5:1, 5:9-11).
- Chapter 6
"Flee sexual immorality" (6:13, 6:18).
Every verse (4)
Verses where G4202 is tagged in the Hebrew text: STEPBible Data (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. About our sources