7:1Greek It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ‘tians are to have no part in sexual immorality, even if it is acceptable and popular in our culture. ‘6:18 Christians are free to be ail they can be for God, but they are not free from God. God created sex to be a beautiful and essential ingredient of marriage, but sexual sin—sex outside the marriage relationship—a/ways hurts someone. It hurts God because it shows that we prefer following our own desires instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a relationship. It Often brings disease to our bodies. And it deeply affects our per- - sonality, which responds in anguish when we harm ourselves - physically and spiritually. + &:19, 20 What did Paul mean when he said that our body belongs to Gad? Many people say they have the right to do whatever they want with their own bodies. Although they think that this is freedom, they are really enslaved to their own desires. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. Therefore, we no longer own our bodies. That God bought us “with a high price” refers to slaves purchased at an auction. Christ's death freed us from sin but also obligates us to his service. If you live in a building owned by someone else, you try Not to violate the building's rules. Because your body belongs to God, you must not violate his standards for living.
Life Application Study Bible1 CorinthiansChapter 7
1 Corinthians 7
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1937, 1938, 1939
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
1Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life.* 2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. 4The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 61 say this as a concession, not as a command. 7But J wish everyone were single, just as 1am. But God gives to some the gift of marriage, and to others the gift of singleness. 8So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as Tam. 9But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust. 10But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the LORD.* A wife must not leave her husband. ‘But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife. 12Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the LORD. If a Christian man* has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. 13And if a Christian woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband* brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy. 15(But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife* is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you* to live in peace.) 16Don’'t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you? 17Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the LORD has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches. 18For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now. 19For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments. 20Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. 21Are you a slave? Don't let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22And remember, if you were a slave when the LORD called you, you are now free in the LORD. And if you were free when the LORD called you, you are nowa slave of Christ. 23God paid a high price for you, 50 don’t be enslaved by the world.* 24Each of you, dear brothers and sisters,* should remain as you were when God first called you. 25Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. Ido not have a command from the LORD for them. But the LORD in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you. 26Because of the present crisis,* I think it is best to remain as you are. 27If you have a wife, do not seek to end the marriage. If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married. 28But if you do get married, it is not a sin. And if a young woman gets married, it is not a sin. However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems. 29But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. 30Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. 31Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away. 32I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the LORD’s work and thinking how to please him. 33But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. 34His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the LORD and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. 351 am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the LORD best, with as few distractions as possible. 36But if a man thinks that he’s treating his fiancée improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin. 37But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry. 38So the person who marries his fiancée does well, and the person who doesn’t marry does even better. 39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the LORD.* 40But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God's Spirit when I say this. 7:23 Greek don't become slaves of people. 7:24 Greek brothers; also in 7:29. 7:26 Or the pressures of life.
Textual footnotes
- 7:10 See Matt 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18.
- 7:12 Greek a brother.
- 7:14 Greek the brother.
- 7:15a Greek the brother or sister.
- 7:15b Some manuscripts read us.
- 7:39 Greek but only in the LORD.
Life Application Notes 14 notes
7:1The Corinthians had written to Paul, asking him several questions relating to the Christian life and problems in the church. The first question was whether it was good to be married. Paul answers this and other questions in the remainder of this letter. 7:1f Christians in Corinth were surrounded by sexual temptation. The city had a reputation even among pagans for sexual immorality and religious prostitution. It was to this kind of society that Paul delivered these instructions on sex and marriage. The Corinthians needed special, specific instructions because of their Culture’s immorat standards. For more on Paul's teaching about Marriage, see Ephesians 5.
7:3-5Sexual temptations are difficult to withstand because they appeal to the normal and natural desires that God has given us.
7:9Sexual pressure is not the best motive for getting married, but it is better to marry the right person than to “burn with lust.” Many new believers in Corinth thought that all sex was wrong, and so engaged couples were deciding not to get married. In this passage, Paul was telling couples who wanted to marry that they should not frustrate their normal sexual drives by avoiding marriage. This does not mean, however, that people who have trouble controlling themselves should marry the first person who comes along. It is better to deal with the pressure of desire than to deal with an unhappy marriage.
7:12Paul’s “command” about the permanence of marriage (7:10} comes from the Old Testament (Genesis 2:24) and from Jesus (Mark 10:2-12). His suggestion in this verse is based on God's command, and Paul applies it to the situation the Corinthians were facing. Paul ranked the command above the suggestion because one is an eternal principle while the other is a specific application. Nevertheless, for people in similar situations, Paul’s Suggestion is the best advice they will get. Paul was a man of God, an apostle, and he had the mind of Christ.
7:12-14Because of their desire to serve Christ, some people in the Corinthian church thought they ought to divorce their pagan spouses and marry Christians. But Paul affirmed the marriage commitment. God's ideal is for husbands and wives to stay together—even when one spouse is not a believer. The Christian spouse should try to win the other to Christ. It would be easy to rationalize leaving; however, Paul makes a strong case for staying with the unbelieving spouse and being a positive influence on the marriage. Paul, like Jesus, believed that marriage is permanent (see Mark 10:1-9).
7:14The blessings that flow to believers don’t stop there but extend to others. God regards the marriage as set apart for his use by the presence of one Christian spouse. The other does not receive salvation automatically but is blessed by this relationship. The children of such a marriage have a godly influence and are set apart (because of God's blessing on the family unit) until they are old enough to make their own decision for Christ.
7:15,16This verse is misused by some as a loophole to get out of marriage. But Paul’s statements were given to encourage the no longer have any claim over us, just as a slave owner no longer has power over the slaves he has sold. The Bible says we become Christ's slaves when we become Christians (Romans 6:18), but this actually means we gain our freedom, because sin no longer controls us.
7:26Paul probably foresaw the impending persecution that the Roman government would soon bring upon Christians. He gave this practical advice because being unmarried would mean less suffering and more freedom to throw one’s life into the cause of Christ (7:29), even to the point of fearlessly dying for him. Paul's advice reveals his single-minded devotion to spreading the Good News.
7:28Many people naively think that marriage will solve all their problems. Here are some problems marriage won't solve: (1) loneliness, (2) sexual temptation, (3) one’s deepest emotional needs, (4) life’s difficulties. Marriage alone does not hold two people together but commitment does—commitment to Christ and to each other despite conflicts and problems. As wondertul as it is, marriage does not automatically solve every Problem. Whether married or single, we must be content with Our situation and focus on Christ, not on loved ones, to heip address our problems.
7:29Paul urges all believers to make the most of their time before Christ’s return. Every person in every generation should have this sense of urgency about telling the Good News to Others. Life is short—there’s not much time!
7:29-31Paul urges believers not to regard marriage, home, Or financial security as the ultimate goals of life. As much as possible, we should live unhindered by the cares of this world, Not getting involved with burdensome mortgages, budgets, investments, or debts that might keep us from doing God's work. A married man or woman, as Paul points out (7:33, 34), must take care of earthly responsibilities but make every effort to keep them modest and manageable. 732-34 Some single people feel tremendous pressure to be married. They think their fives can be complete only with a spouse. But Paul underlines one advantage of being single— the potential of a greater focus on Christ and his work. If you are unmarried, use your special opportunity to serve Christ wholeheartedly.
7:38When Paul says the unmarried person does even better, he is talking about the potential time available for service to God. The single person does not have the responsibility of caring for a spouse and raising a family. Singleness, however, does not ensure service to God; involvement in service depends on the commitment of the individual.
7:40Paul's advice comes from the Holy Spirit, who guides and equips both single and married people to fulfill their roles.
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Study feature · page 1938
Christian spouse to try to get along with the unbeliever and make the marriage work. If, however, the unbelieving spouse insists on leaving, Paut said to let him or her go. The only alternative would be for the Christian to deny his or her faith to preserve the marriage, and that would be worse than dissolving the marriage. Paul's chief purpose in writing this was to urge the married couples to seek unity, not separation (see 7:17; 1 Peter 3:1, 2). 7:17 Apparently the Corinthians were ready to make wholesale changes without thinking through the ramifications. Paul was writing to say that people should be Christians where they are. You can do God’s work and demonstrate your faith anywhere. If you became a Christian after marriage, and your spouse is not a believer, remember that you don’t have to be married to a Christian to five for Christ. Don't assume that you are in the wrong place or stuck with the wrong person. You may be just where God wants you (see 7:20). 7:18, 19 The ceremony of circumcision was an important part of the Jews’ relationship with God. In fact, before Christ came, circumcision was commanded by God for those who claimed to follow him (Genesis 17:9-14), But after Christ’s death, circumcision was no longer necessary (Acts 15; Romans 4:9-11; Galatians 5:2-4; Colossians 2:11). Pleasing God and obeying him are more important than observing traditional ceremonies. 7:20 We may become so concerned about what we could be doing for God somewhere else that we miss great opportunities right where we are. Paul says that when you become a Christian, you should continue on with the work you have previously been doing—provided it isn’t immoral or unethical. Every job can become Christian work when you realize that it can be an opportunity to honor, serve, and speak out for Christ. Because God has placed you where you are, take advantage of every opportunity to serve him there. 7:22 Slavery was common throughout the Roman Empire. Some Christians in the Corinthian church were undoubtedly slaves. Paul said that although they were slaves to other human beings, they were free from the power of sin in their lives. People today are slaves to sin until they commit their lives to Christ, who alone can conquer sin’s power. Sin, pride, and fear