1 Corinthians 7
7
1Now about what you wrote to me: “It's good not to marry.”#7:1. It seems that some in Corinth were single and the church was writing to ask if this was permissible. 2However, because of the temptation to sexual immorality, it is better that each man have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should meet his wife's sexual needs, and the wife her husband's. 4The wife's body doesn't just belong to her, but her husband; and similarly the husband's body doesn't just belong to him but his wife. 5So don't deprive each other, except by mutual consent for a while—for example because you want to spend time in prayer. Afterwards come together again so that Satan won't tempt you to sin because of your lack of self-control. 6I'm telling you this not as a command, but as a concession. 7However, I wish that everyone was like me, but each person has their own gift from God—one has this gift, one has another. 8To those who are not yet married, or who are widowed, I would say it is better if they remain like me. 9But if they lack self-control, then they should get married—for it is better to marry than burn with desire.
10These are my instructions to those who are married—in fact not from me but the Lord: The wife should not leave her husband 11(or if she does, she should not remarry, or she should return to her husband); and the husband should not leave his wife.#7:11. One particular problem in the early church was of one spouse becoming Christian, and how then to relate to the non-Christian spouse. This seems to be what is addressed here. 12Now, to the rest of you (and this is me speaking, not the Lord), I would say, If a Christian man has a non-Christian wife and she is willing to stay with him, he should not leave her. 13And if a Christian woman has a non-Christian husband, and he is willing to stay with her, she should not leave her husband.
14For a husband who is not a Christian, the marriage relationship is made holy by the Christian wife, and for a wife who is not a Christian, the marriage relationship is made holy by the Christian husband.#7:14. Paul is not saying here that being married to a Christian the non-Christian spouse therefore becomes a Christian or experiences salvation. He is concerned to address the issue that by being married to a non-Christian spouse in some way “defiles” the marriage or the Christian in the relationship. That this is the real issue is made clear concerning children of such a marriage—they are also not “impure” but they are “holy,” and this is not any reference to the actual spiritual state of the children. Otherwise it would mean your children were impure, but now they are holy. 15However, if the non-Christian spouse leaves, let them leave. In such cases the Christian man or woman is not slavishly bound, for God has called us to live in peace. 16Wives, who knows? You may save your husband! Husbands, who knows? You may save your wife!
17Apart from such cases, each of you should remain in the situation that the Lord has placed you, and continue to live the life to which God has called you. That's my instruction to all the churches. 18Were you circumcised when you were converted? Don't become uncircumcised. Were you uncircumcised when you were converted? Don't become circumcised. 19Circumcision doesn't mean anything, and uncircumcision doesn't mean anything. Keeping the commandments of God is what really matters. 20Everyone should remain in the position they were in when they were called.#7:20. “Called”—in other words, conversion. 21If you were a slave when you were called, don't worry—though if you have an opportunity to become free, take it. 22If you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free, working for the Lord. In the same way if you were called when you were free, you are now Christ's slave! 23A price has been paid for you, so don't become a slave to anyone. 24Brothers and sisters, remain in the position you were in when you were called, living with God.
25Now about “people who are not married,”#7:25. Literally, “virgins.” Paul here continues discussing the issues that the Corinthian church has raised. See 7:1. I don't have a specific instruction from the Lord, so let me give you my opinion as someone who by the Lord's mercy is considered trustworthy. 26Because of the present difficult situation we are in I think it is best to just stay as you are. 27Are you already married? Don't try to get divorced. Are you unmarried? Don't look to get married. 28If you do get married, you haven't sinned. If an unmarried woman gets married, she hasn't sinned. But you will have many troubles in this current world and I would want to spare you these. 29I'm telling you, brothers and sisters, that time is short, and from now on for those who are married it may seem as if they are not married, 30and those who weep as if they did not weep, and those that celebrated as if they had not celebrated, and those that bought as if they did not own, 31and those who are engaged with the world as if it is not fulfilling—for the present world order is passing away.#7:31. In this long sentence Paul indicates that even marriage must be related to contemporary events (“time is short”). Living under persecution, expecting the end of all things, means that even marriage is viewed differently, along with everything else.
32I would prefer you to be free from such worries. A man who is not married pays attention to what is important to the Lord, and how he can please the Lord. 33But a man who is married pays attention to what is important in this world, and how he can please his wife. 34As a result his loyalties are divided. Similarly an unmarried woman or girl pays attention to what is important to the Lord, so she may live a life dedicated both in body and spirit. But a married woman pays attention to what is important in this world, and how she can please her husband. 35I'm telling you this for your benefit. I'm not trying to put a noose around your neck, but to show you the right thing to do so you can serve the Lord without being distracted.
36But if a man thinks he's behaving improperly with the woman he's engaged to, and if he thinks he will give in to his strong sexual desire, and if he thinks he ought to get married, he is not sinning by getting married. 37But if a man stays true to his principles, and there is no obligation to marry, and if he has the power to keep his feelings under control and stay engaged to her, he does well not to marry. 38So the man who marries the woman he's engaged to does well, while the one who does not get married does better.
39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies,#7:39. The word used here means “to fall asleep,” the usual New Testament expression for death. she is free to marry anyone she wants in the Lord.#7:39. Meaning it must be a marriage between two Christians. 40But in my opinion she would be happier if she didn't remarry—and I think I too have the Spirit of God when I say this.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
I Corinthians 7
7
Principles of Marriage
1Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:
#1 Cor. 7:8, 26It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3#Ex. 21:10Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5#Joel 2:16Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that #1 Thess. 3:5Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6But I say this as a concession, #2 Cor. 8:8not as a commandment. 7For #Acts 26:29I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.
8But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: #1 Cor. 7:1, 26It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9but #1 Tim. 5:14if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Keep Your Marriage Vows
10Now to the married I command, yet not I but the #Mark 10:6–10Lord: #Mal. 2:14; (Matt. 5:32)A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.
12But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise #Ezra 9:2; Mal. 2:15your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us #Rom. 12:18to peace. 16For how do you know, O wife, whether you will #Rom. 11:14; 1 Pet. 3:1save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live as You Are Called
17But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And #1 Cor. 4:17so I ordain in all the churches. 18Was anyone called while circumcised? #Acts 15:1Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19#(Rom. 2:27, 29; Gal. 3:28; 5:6; 6:15; Col. 3:11)Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but #(John 15:14)keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 20Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. 22For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is #(John 8:36); Rom. 6:18; Philem. 16the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is #(1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 5:13); Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:24; 1 Pet. 2:16Christ’s slave. 23#Lev. 25:42; 1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; Rev. 5:9You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brethren, let each one remain with #(Eph. 6:5–8; Col. 3:22–24)God in that state in which he was called.
To the Unmarried and Widows
25Now concerning virgins: #2 Cor. 8:8I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one #2 Cor. 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:13, 16whom the Lord in His mercy has made #1 Tim. 1:12trustworthy. 26I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—#1 Cor. 7:1, 8that it is good for a man to remain as he is: 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
29But #(Rom. 13:11); 1 Cor. 7:31; 1 Pet. 4:7; (2 Pet. 3:8, 9)this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31and those who use this world as not #1 Cor. 9:18misusing it. For #Ps. 39:6; 1 Cor. 7:29; James 1:10; 4:14; 1 Pet. 1:24; 4:7; (1 John 2:17)the form of this world is passing away.
32But I want you to be without care. #1 Tim. 5:5He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. 34There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman #Luke 10:40cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.
36But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. 37Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. 38#Heb. 13:4So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
39#Rom. 7:2A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, #2 Cor. 6:14only in the Lord. 40But she is happier if she remains as she is, #1 Cor. 7:6, 25according to my judgment—and #1 Thess. 4:8I think I also have the Spirit of God.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.