1 Corinthians 7
Principles for Marriage
What is good in verse 1?
Why should each man have his own wife? (verse 2)
Why should each women have her own husband? (Verse 2)
What should the husband do for his wife? (Verse 3)
What should the wife do for her husband? (Verse 3)
Who had authority over the husband's body? (Verse 4)
Who doesn't have authority over the husband's body? (Verse 4)
Who doesn't have authority over the wife's body? (Verse 4)
Who has authority over the wife's body? (Verse 4)
Why should a husband and wife not deprive one another? (verse 5)
Why would Satan tempt them? (verse 5)
What exception is given by agreement? (Verse 5)
Is Paul giving a command? (verse 6)
What does Paul wish? (Verse 7)
What does each person have from God? (Verse 7)
What does Paul say to the unmarried and widows? (verse 8)
What does Paul say to them if they can't exercise self-control? (Verse 9)
Between marrying and burning with passion, what is better? (Verse 9)
What command is given by the Lord in verse 10-11?
What does the Lord say about any brother that has a wife who is an unbeliever? (Verse 12)
What does the Lord say about any women who has an unbelieving husband? (verse 13)
How is the unbelieving husband made holy? (Verse 14)
How is the unbelieving wife made holy? (verse 14)
What are their children? (Verse 14)
If the unbelieving partner separates, are the brothers or sisters enslaved? (verse 15)
What has God called us to? (Verse 15)
What is the reasoning behind verse 15? (Verse 15-16)
Live as You Are Called
How should each person walk? (verse 17)
What counts for somethings? (Verse 19)
How should each person be? (Verse 20, 24)
What does Paul say about bondservants? (Verse 21-23)
The Unmarried and the Widowed
How does Paul address the betrothed? (Verse 25)
What has grown very short? (Verse 29)
Why does Paul say "let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it."? (verse 31)
What is the unmarried man anxious about? (Verse 32)
Would marriage be a sin if someone is not behaving properly towards their betrothed, if their passions are strong, and it has to be? (Verse 36)
If someone is firmly established in their heart, being under no necessity but having their desire under control, and has determined this in their heart, to keep their betrothed as their betrothed, will they do well? (verse 37)
What is said comparing those who marry their betrothed, and those who refrain from marriage? (Verse 38)
How long is a wife bound to her husband? (Verse 39)
How is a women free to be married to whom she wishes? (verse 39)
What does Paul say about the widow's happiness in verse 40?
Interpretations
In what context is Paul talking about the betrothed? (Verse 26)
Thoughts
“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”
"But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband."
"For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?
Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?"
"Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him."
"The unmarried... is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord... how to be holy in body and spirit"
I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.
But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.
So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.
Correlation
1 Corinthians 7 - Matthew 19
What Jesus Taught about Marriage and Divorce
19 When Jesus had finished talking, He went from the country of Galilee. He came to the part of the country of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan River. 2 Many people followed Him and He healed them there.
3 The proud religious law-keepers came to Jesus. They tried to trap Him by saying, “Does the Law say a man can divorce his wife for any reason?” 4 He said to them, “Have you not read that He Who made them in the first place made them man and woman? 5 It says, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will live with his wife. The two will become one.’ 6 So they are no longer two but one. Let no man divide what God has put together.”
7 The proud religious law-keepers said to Jesus, “Then why did the Law of Moses allow a man to divorce his wife if he put it down in writing and gave it to her?” 8 Jesus said to them, “Because of your hard hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. It was not like that from the beginning. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sex sins, and marries another, is guilty of sex sins in marriage. Whoever marries her that is divorced is guilty of sex sins in marriage.”
10 His followers said to Him, “If that is the way of a man with his wife, it is better not to be married.” 11 But Jesus said to them, “Not all men are able to do this, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are some men who from birth will never be able to have children. There are some men who have been made so by men. There are some men who have had themselves made that way because of the holy nation of heaven. The one who is able to do this, let him do it.”
Jesus Gives Thanks for Little Children
13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray for them. The followers spoke sharp words to them. 14 But Jesus said,“Let the little children come to Me. Do not stop them. The holy nation of heaven is made up of ones like these.” 15 He put His hands on them and went away.
Jesus Teaches about Keeping the Law
16 A man came to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what good work must I do to have life that lasts forever?” 17 Jesus said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One Who is good. If you want to have life that lasts forever, you must obey the Laws.” 18 The man said to Him, “What kind of laws?” Jesus said, “You must not kill another person. You must not be guilty of sex sins. You must not steal. You must not lie. 19 Show respect to your father and your mother. And love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 20 The young man said to Jesus, “I have obeyed all these Laws. What more should I do?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have and give the money to poor people. Then you will have riches in heaven. Come and follow Me.”22 When the young man heard these words, he went away sad for he had many riches.
The Danger of Riches
23 Jesus said to His followers, “For sure, I tell you, it will be hard for a rich man to get into the holy nation of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the holy nation of heaven.” 25 When His followers heard this, they could not understand it. They said, “Then who can be saved from the punishment of sin?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “This cannot be done by men. But with God all things can be done.”
27 Then Peter said to Him, “We have given up everything and have followed You. Then what will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you, when all the earth will be new and the Son of Man will sit on His throne in His shining-greatness, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, and judge the twelve family groups of the Jewish nation. 29 Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands because of Me, will get a hundred times more. And you will get life that lasts forever. 30 Many who are first will be last. Many who are last will be first.
1 Corinthians 7 English Standard Version (ESV)
Principles for Marriage
7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the 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. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.[a] 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.
12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you[b] to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live as You Are Called
17 Only let each person lead the life[c] that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant[d] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers,[e] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
The Unmarried and the Widowed
25 Now concerning[f] the betrothed,[g] I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present[h] distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman[i]marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed,[j] if his[k]passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.
39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
Footnotes:
- 1 Corinthians 7:6 Or I say this:
- 1 Corinthians 7:15 Some manuscripts us
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 Or each person walk in the way
- 1 Corinthians 7:21 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verses 22 (twice), 23
- 1 Corinthians 7:24 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 Greek virgins
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 Or impending
- 1 Corinthians 7:28 Greek virgin; also verse 34
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Greek virgin; also verses 37, 38
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or her
- 1 Corinthians 7:6 Or I say this:
- 1 Corinthians 7:15 Some manuscripts us
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 Or each person walk in the way
- 1 Corinthians 7:21 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verses 22 (twice), 23
- 1 Corinthians 7:24 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 Greek virgins
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 Or impending
- 1 Corinthians 7:28 Greek virgin; also verse 34
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Greek virgin; also verses 37, 38
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or her
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