1 CorinthiansChapter 7

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Now concerning the matters you wrote about: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

But because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

The husband should give his wife what he owes her, and likewise the wife her husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does; and likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but his wife does.

Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by mutual agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer; then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

I say this as a concession, not as a command.

I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God—one has this gift, another has that.

To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain as I am.

But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with passion.

To the married I give this charge—not I, but the Lord: a wife must not separate from her husband

(but if she does separate, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and a husband must not divorce his wife.

To the rest I say—I, not the Lord: if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not bound. God has called us to peace.

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 live the life the Lord has assigned to him, the life to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo it. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; what counts is keeping God's commandments.

Each should remain in the condition in which he was called.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it trouble you. But if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

For the slave who was called in the Lord is the Lord's freedman; likewise the free man who was called is Christ's slave.

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

Brothers, each one should remain with God in the condition in which he was called.

Now concerning virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.

I think, then, that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free of a wife? Do not seek a wife.

But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I would spare you that.

This is what I mean, brothers: the time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none,

those who mourn as though they did not mourn, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they owned nothing,

and those who use the world as though they were not engrossed in it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs, how to please the Lord.

But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how to please his wife,

and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how to please her husband.

I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint on you, but to promote good order and undivided devotion to the Lord.

If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are strong and it has to be, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning—they should marry.

But whoever stands firm in his heart, being under no compulsion but having control over his own will, and has made up his mind to keep his betrothed as she is, he will do well.

So then, the one who marries his betrothed does well, and the one who does not marry her will do better.

A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

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Summary2

Chapter 7

Main Theme: Paul gives guidance on marriage, celibacy, and remaining in one's calling in light of the shortness of time.

Content: Paul answers the congregation's questions about marriage and sexuality. He recommends the unmarried state for those who have that gift, but emphasizes that marriage is good and that spouses have mutual responsibilities toward each other. For mixed marriages (believer/non-believer), the rule is that the believer should not leave the spouse, but is free if the non-believer departs. A recurring principle is that each person should remain in the condition they were in when called to faith, whether it concerns civil status, circumcision, or slavery.

Key Terms/Images:

Calling (κλῆσις): God calls people in various life situations, and they are to serve Him where they are.
The time is short (ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος): The eschatological expectation shapes how believers should relate to earthly circumstances.
Mutual obligation: In marriage, husband and wife have authority over each other's bodies—a radically equal view.
Sanctification: The believing spouse sanctifies the non-believer and the children in a mixed marriage.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for 1 Corinthians 7

Events and Customs

Chapter 7 opens with the phrase "Περὶ δὲ ὧν ἐγράψατε" ("now concerning what you wrote"), indicating that Paul here begins to answer specific questions from the church's letter to him. This marks a shift in the structure of the letter. The congregation had clearly asked about marriage, celibacy, and sexuality—topics that were controversial at the intersection of Jewish, Greek, and Christian thought.

In the Greco-Roman world, tensions existed between different views on marriage. Some philosophical schools, particularly certain Stoics and Cynics, emphasized celibacy as ideal for those wishing to devote themselves to philosophy and wisdom. At the same time, marriage was a social duty in Roman culture, and Emperor Augustus had enacted laws that punished unmarried people and rewarded families with children. In Corinth's religious diversity, there were also cults where ritual abstinence or temple prostitution was practiced. This complex background explains why the church needed guidance.

Key Terms

The expression "γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι" (v. 1, "not to touch a woman") was likely a quotation from the Corinthians' own letter, which Paul then nuances. The verb "ἅπτεσθαι" was a common euphemism for sexual intercourse in Greek. Some in the church may have adopted an ascetic position where all sexuality, even within marriage, was viewed as spiritually inferior.

The term "ὀφειλή" (v. 3, "due" or "what is owed") refers to marital relations. This was unusual in antiquity: Paul presents mutual obligation between husband and wife, breaking with the patriarchal norm where a woman was considered her husband's property. Verse 4 elaborates on this with "ἐξουσιάζει" ("has authority over"), emphasizing that both spouses have equal rights over each other's bodies.

The word "ἄγαμος" (vv. 8, 11, 32, 34) refers generally to unmarried people, but in verse 11 it is used specifically for a separated woman. This differs from "παρθένος" (virgin), which denotes an unmarried woman who has never been married.

The expression "ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην" (v. 26, "the present crisis") and "ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος" (v. 29, "the time is short/limited") reflect an eschatological awareness. Paul seems to expect Christ's imminent return, which influences his practical advice.

Specific Cultural Conditions

Verses 17–24 address circumcision and slavery as examples of a person's "calling" (κλῆσις). The procedure "ἐπισπάσθω" (v. 18) refers to epispasm—a surgical or mechanical method to restore the foreskin. This practice is documented in ancient medical texts (including by Celsus) and was used by Jews who wished to conceal their circumcision in order to participate in Greek gymnasia or avoid discrimination.

The discussion about slaves (δοῦλος, vv. 21–23) reflects Corinth's reality where a significant portion of the population were slaves or freedmen. The expression "ἀπελεύθερος κυρίου" (freedman of the Lord) uses terminology from Roman manumission practices, where a freed slave remained in a client-patron relationship with their former owner.

Marriage and Divorce

Paul's guidance on divorce (vv. 10–16) must be understood against the background of different legal systems. In Roman law, both husband and wife could initiate divorce relatively easily. In Jewish law, divorce (גט, "get") was primarily a man's right. Paul quotes Jesus' teaching (vv. 10–11) but also gives his own guidance for "mixed" marriages between believers and non-believers (vv. 12–16)—a situation Jesus had not directly addressed, which arose when one spouse became Christian after marriage.

The term "ἡγίασται" (v. 14, "has been sanctified") reflects Jewish thinking about purity and impurity, but Paul applies it in a new way: the believer's presence sanctifies the household rather than the unbeliever's impurity defiling the family.

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