1 Corinthians 6:17
The expression ο
δε κολλωμενος τω κυριω ἕν πνευμα εστιν (“but the one joining himself to the Lord
is one spirit”) is generally understood to indicate spiritual union between the
believer and Christ. As two bodies join to become one in sexual union, two
spirits join to become one in spiritual union. It is a union of the divine
Spirit with the human spirit; as such “spirit” should not be capitalized—for it
is not just the divine Spirit. The scribes of 𝔓11 and 𝔓46 showed this interpretation by not writing
πνευμα as a nomen sacrum
(a divine title = the Spirit); rather, they wrote out the word in plene. (Philip W. Comfort, New
Testament Text and Translation Commentary: Commentary on the Variant Readings
of the Ancient New Testament Manuscripts and How They Relate to the Major
English Translations [Carol Stream, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
2008], 495-96)
