1 Corinthians 7

1 Corinthians 7
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1 Corinthians 7:33-8:4 in Papyrus 15, written in the 3rd century.
Book	First Epistle to the Corinthians
Bible part	New Testament
Order in the Bible part	7
Category	Pauline epistles

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.

Text

• The original text is written in Koine Greek.
• Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter are:
  • Papyrus 15 (3rd century; extant: verses 18-40).
  • Codex Vaticanus (AD 325-350)
  • Codex Sinaiticus (AD 330-360)
  • Codex Alexandrinus (ca. AD 400-440)
  • Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (ca. AD 450; extant: verses 1-17)
  • Papyrus 11 (7th century; extant: verses 3-6, 10-11,12-14)
• This chapter is divided into 40 verses.

Structure

This chapter can be grouped:

• 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 = Principles of Marriage
• 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 = Keep Your Marriage Vows
• 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 = Live as You Are Called
• 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 = To the Unmarried and Widows

Verse 6

New King James Version

But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.

• But I say this as a concession (KJV: But I speak this by permission)

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,

• not as a commandment

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 wife

• "depart"

If the sin of separation has been committed, a new marriage is not to be added (Matthew 5:32).

See also

• Divorce
• Marriage
• Other related Bible parts: Genesis 2, Exodus 19, 1 Samuel 21, Matthew 19, Mark 10

External links

• 1 Corinthians 7 NIV