1 Corinthians 7

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.^[1][2] In this chapter, Paul replies to certain questions raised by the Corinthian church in a letter sent to him.

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

The New King James Version organises this chapter as follows:

• 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

Letter from Corinth

In this chapter, Paul replies to certain questions raised by the Corinthian church in a letter to him. Methodist writer Joseph Benson comments:

The letter of the Corinthian believers to which the apostle alludes here, and in which it appears they put divers questions to him, hath long been lost, a circumstance to be much regretted; for had it been preserved, it would doubtless have illustrated many passages of the two epistles to the Corinthians, which are now obscure because we are ignorant of the matters to which the apostle alludes in these passages.^[3]

Verse 6

New King James Version

But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.^[4]

King James Version

But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.^[5]

• "But I say this by permission": the wording refers neither to what Paul had said before (1 Corinthians 7:2) that to avoid 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; or 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.
• "Not as a commandment": The apostle said this as an advice, "lest Satan should 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":^[6]

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;^[7]

but the apostle puts it as a matter of choice, and not of obligation.^[6]

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^[8]

• "depart"

If the sin of separation has been committed, a new marriage is not to be added (Matthew 5:32).^[9]

See also

• Divorce
• Marriage
• Other related Bible parts: Genesis 2, Exodus 19, 1 Samuel 21, Jeremiah 15, Matthew 19, Mark 10

References

1. ↑ Halley, Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook: an Abbreviated Bible Commentary, 23rd edition. Zondervan Publishing House. 1962.
2. ↑ Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.
3. ↑ Benson, J., Benson Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7, accessed 28 March 2017
4. ↑ 1 Corinthians 7:6 (NKJV)
5. ↑ 1 Corinthians 7:6 (KJV)
6. 1 2 John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, - 1 Corinthians 7:6
7. ↑ Maimon. Hilch, Isbot, c. 15. sect. 2.
8. ↑ 1 Corinthians 7:11
9. ↑ Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7, accessed 22 March 2016.

External links

• 1 Corinthians 7 NIV