Bible part New Testament Category Pauline epistles | Order in the Bible part 7 | |
 | ||
Book First Epistle to the Corinthians | ||
1 Corinthians 7 is the seventh chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle and Sosthenes in Ephesus.
Contents
Text
Structure
This chapter can be grouped:
Verse 6
New King James Version
But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.Referring either to what Paul had said before, though not to all; not to (1 Corinthians 7:2) that for the avoiding of fornication, every man should make use of his own wife, and every woman of her own husband; since this is not by permission, but by command, (Genesis 2:24) that carnal copulation should be between one man and one woman in a married state; nor to (1 Corinthians 7:3; 1 Corinthians 7:4) for that married persons ought to render due benevolence to, and not defraud each other, having a power over each other's bodies, is a precept, and not a permission, (Exodus 21:10) but to (1 Corinthians 7:5) their parting for a time, and coming together again: it is not an absolute command of God that they should separate for a time, on account of fasting and prayer, but if they thought fit to do so by agreement, they might; nor was there any positive precept for their coming together again directly, after such service was over. The apostle said this,
but, consulting their good, gives this advice, lest Satan should be busy with them, and draw them into sin; but if they had the gift of continence, they might continue apart longer; there was no precise time fixed by God, nor did the apostle pretend to fix any: or it may refer to what follows after, that he would have all men be as he was; though he laid no injunction, but left them to their liberty; unless it can be thought to regard marriage in general, and to be said in opposition to a Jewish notion, which makes marriage, a "command";
a man, they say, is bound to this command at seventeen years of age, and if he passes twenty and does not marry, he transgresses, and makes void an affirmative precept;but the apostle puts it as a matter of choice, and not of obligation.
Verse 11
But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wifeIf the sin of separation has been committed, a new marriage is not to be added (Matthew 5:32).