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
1 Corinthians 7
7
Concerning Marriage
1Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” # 1Co 7:8 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. # 1Co 7:9 3Let the husband render to the wife due affection, # Ex 21:10; 1Pe 3:7 and likewise the wife to the husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer. # Ex 19:15; 1Sa 21:4–5 Then come together again, so that Satan does not tempt you for lack of self-control. 6I speak this as a concession and not as a command. # 1Co 7:12; 2Co 8:8 7For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But every man has his proper gift from God, one after this manner and another after that. # Mt 19:11–12; 1Co 9:5
8I say to the unmarried and widows that it is good for them if they live even as I am. # 1Co 7:1 9But if they cannot restrain themselves, let them marry. # 1Co 7:2; 1Ti 5:14 For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10Now to the married I command, not I, but the Lord, do not let the wife depart from her husband. # Mal 2:14–16; Mt 5:32; Lk 16:18 11But if she departs, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And do not let the husband divorce his wife.
12To the rest I speak, not the Lord: # 1Co 7:6; 2Co 11:17 If any brother has an unbelieving wife who consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13And if the woman has an unbelieving husband who consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean. But now they are holy.
15But if the unbeliever departs, let that one depart. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called us to peace. # Ro 14:19; 1Co 14:33 16For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? # Ro 11:14
Living in the Calling of God
17But as God has given to every man and as the Lord has called every man, so let him walk. This I command in all churches. # 1Co 4:17; 2Co 11:28 18Is any man called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any man called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. # Ac 15:5, 19 19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God is everything. # Gal 5:6; 6:15 20Let each man remain in the same condition in which he was called.
21Were you called while a servant? Do not worry about it. But if you may become free, do so. 22For he who is called in the Lord while a servant is the Lord’s freeman. # Phm 16 Likewise, he who is called while free is Christ’s servant. # 1Pe 2:16 23You were bought at a price. Do not be the servants of men. # Lev 25:42; 1Co 6:20 24Brothers, let every man, in whatever condition he is called, remain there with God. # 1Co 7:20
The Unmarried and Widows
25Now concerning those not having married, # 7:25 Gk virgins. I have no command from the Lord. # 1Co 7:6 Yet I will give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful. # 1Co 4:2 26I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. # 1Co 7:1, 8 27Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be uncommitted. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless they will have trouble in this life, but I would spare you that.
29But this I say, brothers, the time is short. # Ro 13:11–12 It remains that 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 possessed nothing; 31and those who use this world, as though they did not make full use of it. # 1Co 9:18 For the form of this world is passing away. # Ps 39:6; 1Jn 2:17
32But I prefer that you have no concern. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. # 1Ti 5:5 33But he who is married cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. 34There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.
36If any man thinks that he is behaving improperly toward his unmarried woman, # 7:36 Or virgin daughter and if she is past the bloom of her youth, and passions so require, let him do what he will. He does not sin. Let them marry. 37Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart without necessity, and has power over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. 38So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who gives her not in marriage does better. # Heb 13:4
39The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, # Ro 7:2–3; 1Co 7:15 but only in the Lord. 40But in my judgment she is happier if she so remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God.
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
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