1 Corinthians 7
Introduction
Chapter 7 marks a significant turning point in the letter. With the phrase "Now concerning the things you wrote about" (Peri de hōn egrapsate), Paul begins responding directly to questions the Corinthian church had sent him in a letter. Chapters 1-6 dealt with problems Paul had heard about through reports (cf. 1:11, 5:1); from chapter 7 onward, he systematically addresses their written questions. The first and longest of these concerns marriage, singleness, divorce, and sexual relations. The Corinthians appear to have been influenced by an ascetic slogan -- "It is good for a man not to touch a woman" (v. 1) -- which some were using to argue that married couples should abstain from sexual relations, that the unmarried should never marry, and perhaps even that existing marriages should be dissolved. Paul must navigate carefully between affirming the goodness of celibacy (which he himself practices) and correcting the idea that marriage is spiritually inferior or that sexual relations within marriage are somehow defiling.
Paul's response is remarkably balanced and pastoral. He affirms that singleness is a genuine gift (charisma) from God, and that in light of "the present crisis" it may be the preferable state. Yet he consistently refuses to elevate singleness into a command or to denigrate marriage as sinful. He addresses married couples (vv. 1-7), the unmarried and widows (vv. 8-9), believers married to believers (vv. 10-11), believers married to unbelievers (vv. 12-16), and virgins or the betrothed (vv. 25-38), with a brief digression on the general principle of remaining in one's calling (vv. 17-24). Throughout, Paul carefully distinguishes between what he presents as the Lord's direct command and what he offers as his own apostolic judgment -- a distinction that actually underscores rather than undermines his authority, since he claims to have the Spirit of God (v. 40). The chapter is one of the most practically relevant in the entire Pauline corpus, addressing questions about sexuality, marriage, divorce, and vocation that Christians continue to wrestle with today.
Principles of Marriage (vv. 1-7)
BSB
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations. But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.
Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
Translation
Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a person not to touch a woman." But on account of the prevalence of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Let the husband give to his wife what is owed, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, 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 set time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this by way of concession, not as a command. I wish that all people were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God -- one person this way, another that way.
Notes
γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι (gynaikos mē haptesthai, "not to touch a woman") -- The verb ἅπτω (haptō) in the middle voice with the genitive means "to touch, to have contact with." In this context it is a well-attested euphemism for sexual relations (cf. Gen 20:6 LXX; Prov 6:29 LXX). Most scholars now believe that "It is good for a man not to touch a woman" is a slogan the Corinthians themselves had adopted -- perhaps from their letter to Paul -- which he quotes before qualifying it. The quotation marks in my translation reflect this reading. Some in Corinth may have taken this ascetic principle to an extreme, arguing that even married couples should abstain from sexual relations as a sign of spiritual maturity. Paul's response is not to reject the slogan outright but to limit its application: celibacy is indeed good, but it is not a universal obligation.
πορνείας (porneias, "sexual immoralities") -- The noun πορνεία (porneia) is plural here, indicating repeated or diverse instances of sexual sin. Corinth was proverbially associated with sexual license; the Greek verb korinthiazesthai ("to live like a Corinthian") meant to practice sexual immorality. Paul's point is practical: in a culture saturated with sexual temptation, the ascetic ideal of universal celibacy is not just unrealistic but dangerous. Marriage is God's provision for the proper expression of sexual desire, not a concession to weakness but a positive good.
τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδότω (tēn opheilēn apodidotō, "let him render what is owed") -- The noun ὀφειλή (opheilē, "debt, obligation, what is due") frames marital sexual relations as a mutual obligation, not a unilateral right. The verb ἀποδίδωμι (apodidōmi, "to give back, to pay what is owed") is used elsewhere for paying debts (Matt 18:25-34) and rendering to Caesar what is Caesar's (Matt 22:21). The language is striking: each spouse owes the other physical intimacy. This is not the language of grudging permission but of genuine obligation rooted in the marriage covenant.
ἐξουσιάζει (exousiazei, "has authority over") -- The verb ἐξουσιάζω (exousiazō, "to exercise authority, to have power over") appears only here and in 6:12 in the New Testament. What is remarkable is the perfect mutuality of Paul's statement: the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and equally, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. In a patriarchal culture where a wife's body was routinely considered the husband's property, Paul's insistence that the husband's body equally belongs to the wife was radical. Neither spouse can unilaterally withdraw from physical intimacy.
ἀποστερεῖτε (apostereite, "deprive, defraud") -- The verb ἀποστερέω (apostereō) means "to rob, to defraud, to deprive of what is rightfully owed." Paul used the same word in 6:7-8 for defrauding a fellow believer in a lawsuit. The choice of this word reinforces the opheilē ("debt") language of verse 3: to withhold sexual intimacy within marriage is not spiritual discipline but a form of theft. The only exception Paul allows is temporary, mutual, and purposeful -- for the sake of prayer.
ἐκ συμφώνου (ek symphōnou, "by mutual agreement") -- The adjective σύμφωνος (symphōnos, "agreeing together, harmonious") is the root of English "symphony." It implies not just reluctant consent but genuine harmony of will. The abstinence must be ek symphōnou -- arising from shared agreement -- and pros kairon -- "for a limited time" (kairos here meaning a defined, bounded period, not an indefinite span). Paul's three conditions for marital abstinence (mutual consent, limited duration, spiritual purpose) guard against the ascetic abuse he is correcting.
χάρισμα (charisma, "gift") -- Paul calls both marriage and celibacy a χάρισμα (charisma, "gracious gift") from God. The word derives from χάρις (charis, "grace") and denotes something freely given by God, not earned or achieved. Elsewhere in 1 Corinthians, charisma refers to spiritual gifts like prophecy and tongues (12:4, 9, 28-30). By applying the same word to one's marital status, Paul dignifies both marriage and singleness as expressions of God's grace. Neither state is spiritually superior; each is a divine calling that equips the person for service.
Counsel to the Unmarried and Widows (vv. 8-9)
BSB
Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Translation
Now to the unmarried and to the widows I say: it is good for them if they remain as I am. But if they are not exercising self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be consumed with desire.
Notes
τοῖς ἀγάμοις (tois agamois, "to the unmarried") -- The adjective ἄγαμος (agamos, "unmarried") is formed from the alpha-privative prefix (a-, "not") and γάμος (gamos, "marriage"). It appears only in this chapter in the New Testament (vv. 8, 11, 32, 34). The term is broad: it includes those who have never married, the divorced, and the widowed (though Paul addresses widows separately here). Some scholars suggest that agamois here refers specifically to widowers, since widows are named explicitly. If so, Paul addresses both male and female survivors of a deceased spouse.
ὡς κἀγώ (hōs kagō, "as I also am") -- Paul presents his own unmarried state as the model, using the crasis κἀγώ (kagō, a contraction of kai egō, "and I/I also"). Whether Paul was never married or was a widower is debated. As a former Pharisee and probable member of the Sanhedrin (cf. Acts 26:10), marriage would have been expected of him. Some scholars argue he was widowed or that his wife left him after his conversion. In either case, Paul presents his current singleness not as deprivation but as a positive state -- "good" (kalon), the same word he used of celibacy in verse 1.
ἐγκρατεύονται (enkrateuontai, "they exercise self-control") -- The verb ἐγκρατεύομαι (enkrateuomai) means "to exercise self-mastery, to have power over oneself." It derives from ἐγκρατής (enkratēs, "having power within, self-controlled"), which in turn comes from κράτος (kratos, "strength, dominion"). Paul uses the same verb in 9:25 of athletes who exercise self-control in training. The present tense (enkrateuontai) suggests an ongoing inability, not a momentary lapse: if their state of life involves a persistent struggle they cannot win, marriage is the appropriate remedy.
πυροῦσθαι (pyrousthai, "to burn") -- The verb πυρόω (pyroō, "to set on fire, to burn") is used literally for refining metals in fire (Rev 1:15; 3:18) and metaphorically here for being consumed with sexual desire. The present passive infinitive suggests a continuous, smoldering state of unfulfilled passion. The image is vivid: Paul is not describing a passing temptation but a condition of being perpetually aflame. Marriage is presented not as a lesser choice but as the wise and honorable solution to a condition that would otherwise lead to sin. The comparison "better ... than" (kreitton ... ē) does not demean marriage; it presents it as the genuinely superior path for those who lack the gift of celibacy.
Marriage, Divorce, and Unbelieving Spouses (vv. 10-16)
BSB
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Translation
Now to those who are married I give this charge -- not I, but the Lord: a wife is not to be separated from her husband. But if she is indeed separated, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to send away his wife.
But to the rest I say -- I myself, not the Lord: if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not send her away. And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she must not send him away. For the unbelieving husband has been set apart through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been set apart through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
But if the unbelieving partner separates, let him separate. The brother or the sister is not enslaved in such circumstances. God has called you in 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?
Notes
παραγγέλλω, οὐκ ἐγὼ ἀλλὰ ὁ Κύριος (parangellō, ouk egō alla ho Kyrios, "I charge -- not I, but the Lord") -- The verb παραγγέλλω (parangellō, "to command, to give orders") is a military term for passing along a commander's orders down the chain of command. Paul distinguishes sharply between a command he can trace directly to the teaching of Jesus during his earthly ministry (here, Jesus' prohibition of divorce in Mark 10:2-12 and Matt 19:3-9) and his own apostolic judgment given under the Spirit's guidance (v. 12). This distinction does not make Paul's own counsel less authoritative; rather, it shows his scrupulous honesty about the source of each instruction. Where Jesus spoke directly to an issue, Paul transmits the Lord's command. Where Jesus did not address the specific situation (e.g., mixed marriages between believers and unbelievers), Paul offers his Spirit-guided judgment.
χωρισθῆναι (chōristhēnai, "to be separated") -- The verb χωρίζω (chōrizō, "to separate, to divide, to depart") appears five times in this passage (vv. 10, 11, 15 [twice]). It is the same verb Jesus uses in Mark 10:9: "What God has joined together, let no one separate" (chōrizetō). In verse 11 Paul also uses ἀφίημι (aphiēmi, "to send away, to release, to divorce"), the standard legal term for formal divorce. The two verbs may represent different aspects of marital dissolution: chōrizō for the physical act of leaving, and aphiēmi for the legal dissolution. Paul's instruction to the separated wife -- remain unmarried or be reconciled -- presupposes that the separation has already occurred and is not easily reversed; he does not condone it but deals pastorally with the reality.
ἡγίασται (hēgiastai, "has been sanctified/set apart") -- The perfect passive of ἁγιάζω (hagiazō, "to make holy, to set apart, to sanctify") is one of the most debated words in the chapter. Paul says the unbelieving spouse "has been sanctified" through the believing partner. This cannot mean personal salvation (since the spouse is still called apistos, "unbelieving") or moral transformation. The most likely sense is covenantal or relational: the unbeliever is brought within the sphere of God's covenant influence through their union with a believer. The proof Paul offers is the children: if the marriage were spiritually defiling, the children would be ἀκάθαρτα (akatharta, "unclean"), but instead they are ἅγια (hagia, "holy"). This echoes Old Testament categories of clean and unclean, applied now to the household of faith.
οὐ δεδούλωται (ou dedoulōtai, "is not enslaved") -- The perfect passive of δουλόω (douloō, "to enslave, to make a slave") is stronger than simply saying "is not bound." Paul could have used δέω (deō, "to bind"), which he uses of marriage in verse 39. Instead he chooses the harsher word for slavery. The believing spouse is "not enslaved" -- not held in bondage -- when an unbelieving partner chooses to leave. This has been interpreted throughout church history as the "Pauline privilege": when an unbeliever willfully abandons the marriage, the believing spouse is released from the obligation to maintain it. Whether "not enslaved" implies freedom to remarry is debated, but the contrast with deō in verse 39 suggests that the bond is genuinely dissolved.
ἐν δὲ εἰρήνῃ κέκληκεν ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεός (en de eirēnē keklēken hymas ho Theos, "God has called you in peace") -- The perfect tense of καλέω (kaleō, "to call") indicates a settled, ongoing reality: God's call to believers is fundamentally characterized by εἰρήνη (eirēnē, "peace"). This grounds Paul's permission to let the unbeliever go. Forcing an unwilling spouse to remain is not the peace to which God has called believers. The principle is pastoral: the believing spouse should not feel guilty about a departure they did not initiate, because God's calling is toward peace, not toward the perpetual turmoil of a coerced marriage.
τί γὰρ οἶδας, γύναι, εἰ τὸν ἄνδρα σώσεις (ti gar oidas, gynai, ei ton andra sōseis, "For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?") -- The rhetorical question in verse 16 has been interpreted in two opposite ways. Some read it as hopeful: "Who knows? Perhaps you will save your spouse!" -- an encouragement to stay. Others read it as discouraging false hope: "How can you know that you will save your spouse? You cannot." In context, following the permission to let the unbeliever go (v. 15), the second reading is more likely: the believing spouse should not cling to the departing unbeliever on the uncertain hope of their eventual conversion. The verb σῴζω (sōzō, "to save") here refers to the unbeliever's ultimate salvation, not merely to preserving the marriage.
Remain in Your Calling (vv. 17-24)
BSB
Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commandments is what counts.
Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called. Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you -- but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave.
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.
Translation
Only, as the Lord has apportioned to each person, as God has called each one, so let him walk. And this is what I direct in all the churches. Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? Let him not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing -- but what matters is keeping the commandments of God.
Let each person remain in the calling in which he was called. Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it trouble you. But if you are also able to become free, by all means make use of the opportunity. For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise, the one who was called as a free person is Christ's slave.
You were purchased at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and sisters, let each person remain with God in the condition in which he was called.
Notes
ἐμέρισεν ... κέκληκεν (emerisen ... keklēken, "has apportioned ... has called") -- Paul uses two different verbs to describe God's sovereign arrangement of each person's life circumstances. Μερίζω (merizō, "to divide, to distribute, to apportion") pictures God distributing life situations as an allotment -- the Lord "has dealt out" to each person a particular set of circumstances. Καλέω (kaleō, "to call") in the perfect tense (keklēken) indicates a settled, abiding reality. Together they express the principle that governs the entire chapter: your external circumstances at the time of conversion are not obstacles to your Christian life but the very arena in which God has placed you to serve him.
ἐπισπάσθω (epispasthō, "let him not undo his circumcision") -- The verb ἐπισπάω (epispaō) refers to a surgical procedure known as epispasm, in which a circumcised man attempted to restore the appearance of a foreskin by stretching the remaining skin. This practice is attested in Hellenistic Judaism (cf. 1 Macc 1:15) and was undertaken by Jews who wanted to participate in Greek athletic games (which were performed nude) without the social stigma of circumcision. Paul's instruction is that Jewish believers should not erase their Jewish identity, just as Gentile believers should not adopt Jewish identity markers. The gospel transcends these categories without erasing them.
κλῆσις (klēsis, "calling") -- The noun κλῆσις (klēsis) appears in verse 20 in a deliberately ambiguous way. In Pauline usage, klēsis normally refers to God's effectual call to salvation (cf. Rom 11:29; Eph 1:18; 4:1; Phil 3:14). But here it also encompasses the social situation in which that call was received. Paul plays on both meanings: "Let each person remain in the calling in which he was called." The divine call does not extract a person from their social location but sanctifies them within it. This does not mean social conditions are permanently fixed (as v. 21 shows), but that they are not inherently disqualifying for life in Christ.
μᾶλλον χρῆσαι (mallon chrēsai, "rather, make use of it") -- This phrase in verse 21 is one of the most debated in Paul's letters. The verb χράομαι (chraomai, "to use, to make use of") lacks an explicit object. Does Paul mean "make use of your slavery" (i.e., remain a slave and use it for Christ's glory) or "make use of the opportunity to become free"? The preceding clause -- "if you are also able to become free" -- makes the second reading more natural: if freedom is available, take it. The adverb μᾶλλον (mallon, "rather, all the more") strengthens this: "all the more, seize the opportunity." Paul is not romanticizing slavery but saying that one's spiritual identity is not determined by social status; and if freedom comes, it should be welcomed.
ἀπελεύθερος Κυρίου ... δοῦλός ἐστιν Χριστοῦ (apeleutheros Kyriou ... doulos estin Christou, "the Lord's freedman ... Christ's slave") -- Paul creates a magnificent paradox. The ἀπελεύθερος (apeleutheros, "freedman") was a former slave who had been formally manumitted but remained in a relationship of obligation and loyalty to the patron who freed him. In Roman society, the freedman-patron relationship was a well-defined legal and social category. A Christian slave has been set free by Christ from the ultimate slavery (to sin and death) and is now Christ's freedman. Conversely, a free person who is called has become Christ's δοῦλος (doulos, "slave") -- willingly belonging to a new Master. Both end up in the same place: bound to Christ.
τιμῆς ἠγοράσθητε (timēs ēgorasthēte, "you were bought at a price") -- The verb ἀγοράζω (agorazō, "to buy in the marketplace, to purchase") was used of buying goods and of purchasing the freedom of slaves. The genitive τιμῆς (timēs, "of a price, at a cost") indicates the purchase price, left unspecified here but clearly referring to Christ's death (cf. 6:20, where the same phrase appears). The metaphor is drawn from the slave market: believers have been purchased out of bondage. The implication -- "do not become slaves of human beings" -- does not forbid employment or social obligation but warns against allowing any human authority to usurp the absolute loyalty that belongs to Christ alone.
The Present Crisis and the Unmarried (vv. 25-35)
BSB
Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord. But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife, and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.
Translation
Now concerning virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I offer my considered 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 release. Have you been released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people will have affliction in the flesh, and I am trying to spare you that.
But this I say, brothers and sisters: the appointed time has been compressed. From now on, let even those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who weep as though they were not weeping, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who make use of the world as though they did not make full use of it. For the outward form of this world is passing away.
I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord -- how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about the things of the world -- how to please his wife -- and he is divided. The unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the things of the Lord, so that they may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is anxious about the things of the world -- how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to throw a noose around you, but to promote what is fitting and devoted attendance on the Lord without distraction.
Notes
γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι (gnōmēn de didōmi, "I give my judgment") -- The noun γνώμη (gnōmē, "opinion, judgment, considered advice") comes from γινώσκω (ginōskō, "to know"). Paul carefully distinguishes this from ἐπιταγή (epitagē, "command, order") in verse 6 and from a direct command of the Lord (v. 10). Yet his gnōmē is not casual opinion: he qualifies it by saying he has been shown mercy by the Lord and is πιστός (pistos, "trustworthy, faithful"). In verse 40 he will claim to have the Spirit of God. Paul's personal judgment, informed by the Spirit, carries real apostolic weight even when it is not a direct dominical command.
τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην (tēn enestōsan anankēn, "the present distress/crisis") -- The participle ἐνεστῶσαν (enestōsan, from enistēmi, "to be present, to be at hand") combined with ἀνάγκη (anankē, "necessity, distress, compulsion") describes a crisis that is already underway, not merely anticipated. What this "present distress" refers to is debated: it may be a local famine or persecution in Corinth, or more broadly the eschatological tribulation that Paul believed characterized the present age between Christ's resurrection and return. The BSB footnote notes the alternative translation "impending." Either way, Paul's advice about singleness is explicitly grounded in these present difficult circumstances, not in a timeless devaluation of marriage.
ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος ἐστίν (ho kairos synestalmenos estin, "the appointed time has been compressed") -- The noun καιρός (kairos, "appointed time, critical moment") is distinct from χρόνος (chronos, "time" in general). Kairos carries a sense of decisive, significant time. The perfect passive participle συνεσταλμένος (synestalmenos, from systellō, "to wrap up, to shorten, to compress") pictures time being drawn tight like a sail being furled or a garment being folded up. The image conveys urgency: the remaining time before Christ's return is contracted, compressed, foreshortened. This eschatological perspective governs everything Paul says about marriage and worldly engagement in verses 29-31.
ὡς μή (hōs mē, "as though not") -- Paul builds a series of five parallel clauses using the construction hōs mē ("as though not"), creating one of the most striking passages in his letters. Those who have wives should live "as though" they had none; those who weep "as though" they were not weeping; those who rejoice "as though" they were not rejoicing. This is not a call to emotional detachment or marital neglect but an eschatological reorientation of priorities. In light of the passing away of this world's present form, no earthly circumstance -- whether marriage, grief, joy, or commerce -- should become ultimate. Believers hold all things with an open hand, knowing that τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου (to schēma tou kosmou toutou, "the outward form of this world") is transient.
σχῆμα (schēma, "form, outward appearance, figure") -- The noun σχῆμα (schēma) refers to the external, visible configuration of something -- its shape, fashion, or appearance. The same word appears in Philippians 2:8, where Christ was found "in outward form" (schēmati) as a man. Paul's claim is not that the material world will be annihilated but that its present configuration, its current arrangement of social structures, power dynamics, economic systems, and cultural forms, is παράγει (paragei, "passing away, passing by"). The present tense indicates a process already underway: the world in its present form is even now in the act of passing off the stage.
μεριμνᾷ (merimna, "is anxious about, is concerned with") -- The verb μεριμνάω (merimnaō, "to be anxious, to be concerned, to care for") appears six times in verses 32-34, creating a deliberate pattern. In the Gospels, Jesus warns against merimna as anxiety about food and clothing (Matt 6:25-34). But here Paul uses the word more neutrally: the married person's "concern" for worldly affairs and for pleasing a spouse is not sinful anxiety but a legitimate set of responsibilities that inevitably divides attention. The verb is related to μερίζω (merizō, "to divide"), and Paul makes the connection explicit: the married person is μεμέρισται (memeristai, "divided"). Undivided devotion to the Lord is easier -- not morally superior -- in the unmarried state.
βρόχον ὑμῖν ἐπιβάλω (brochon hymin epibalō, "throw a noose around you") -- The noun βρόχος (brochos, "noose, lasso, snare") appears only here in the New Testament. Paul insists his counsel about singleness is not meant to entrap or constrain anyone. The verb ἐπιβάλλω (epiballō, "to throw upon, to cast on") combined with brochos creates the vivid image of lassoing someone -- restricting their freedom of movement. Paul wants to promote εὐπάρεδρον (euparedron, "devoted attendance, constant waiting upon") the Lord ἀπερισπάστως (aperispastōs, "without distraction"). This last word, appearing only here in the New Testament, is composed of the alpha-privative and perispaō ("to draw away, to distract"), the same verb used of Martha in Luke 10:40 when she was "distracted" (periespato) by much serving.
The Betrothed and Widows (vv. 36-40)
BSB
However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married. But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well.
So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord. In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
Translation
But if anyone thinks he is behaving dishonorably toward his virgin, if she is past her prime and it ought to happen, let him do what he wishes -- he does not sin. Let them marry. But whoever stands firm in his heart, being under no compulsion but having authority over his own will, and has resolved in his own heart to keep his virgin, he will do well. So then, the one who marries his virgin does well, and the one who does not marry does even better.
A wife is bound for as long a time as her husband lives. But if the husband falls asleep, she is free to be married to whomever she wishes -- only in the Lord. But she is more blessed, in my judgment, if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
Notes
ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ (aschēmonein epi tēn parthenon autou, "behaving dishonorably toward his virgin") -- The verb ἀσχημονέω (aschēmoneō, "to act improperly, to behave dishonorably") is formed from the alpha-privative and σχῆμα (schēma, "proper form") -- literally, to act in an unbecoming way. The identity of the man and "his virgin" is one of the most debated questions in the chapter. Three main interpretations have been proposed: (1) a father deciding whether to give his daughter in marriage; (2) a man and his betrothed/fiancee; (3) a couple practicing a "spiritual marriage" of cohabitation without sexual relations. The second reading fits the context best: a man engaged to a woman feels he is treating her unfairly by prolonging the engagement indefinitely under the pressure of the ascetic teaching in Corinth.
ὑπέρακμος (hyperakmos, "past one's prime, beyond the bloom of youth") -- This adjective, appearing only here in the New Testament, is composed of ὑπέρ (hyper, "beyond") and ἀκμή (akmē, "prime, peak, full bloom"). The BSB translates it as "beyond her youth." The word could refer to the woman being past the ideal age for marriage, or it could describe the man as being "over-passionate" (past the peak of self-control). If it refers to the woman, Paul is acknowledging the social reality that prolonged delay in marriage could be harmful to her prospects and reputation. If it refers to the man, the point is that his passions have exceeded his ability to maintain the celibate arrangement.
ἑδραῖος (hedraios, "steadfast, firm, settled") -- The adjective ἑδραῖος (hedraios) means "sitting firmly, established, immovable." Paul uses it in 15:58 ("be steadfast, immovable") and in Colossians 1:23. Here it describes a man who has reached a settled conviction in his heart about remaining unmarried and keeping his betrothed in her virgin state. Paul outlines three conditions for this decision: the man must be (1) ἑδραῖος -- firmly resolved, not wavering; (2) μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην -- under no external compulsion (from family, society, or the woman's own desire); and (3) having ἐξουσίαν περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος -- authority over his own will, meaning his decision is genuinely free, not driven by passion or pressure.
κοιμηθῇ (koimēthē, "falls asleep") -- The verb κοιμάω (koimaō, "to put to sleep") in the passive means "to fall asleep" and is the standard early Christian euphemism for death (cf. 11:30; 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thess 4:13-15; John 11:11). The metaphor of sleep for death expresses the Christian hope that death is not final but temporary -- the deceased will be awakened at the resurrection. From this word English derives "cemetery" (Greek koimētērion, "sleeping place"). Paul states that the marriage bond is dissolved by death and that the widow is genuinely ἐλευθέρα (eleuthera, "free") to remarry.
μόνον ἐν Κυρίῳ (monon en Kyriō, "only in the Lord") -- This brief qualifying phrase is Paul's sole restriction on a widow's remarriage. She is free to marry "whomever she wishes" -- a remarkable affirmation of her agency in an era when remarriage was often arranged by male relatives. But the marriage must be ἐν Κυρίῳ (en Kyriō, "in the Lord"), meaning to a fellow believer. The phrase en Kyriō is one of Paul's most characteristic expressions, describing the sphere of Christ's lordship in which all Christian life takes place (cf. Rom 16:2; Phil 4:1-2). This restriction is consistent with the earlier discussion of mixed marriages: Paul does not want believers voluntarily entering into the very situation he has just been addressing in verses 12-16.
μακαριωτέρα (makariōtera, "more blessed, happier") -- The comparative form of μακάριος (makarios, "blessed, happy, fortunate") -- the same word that opens the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-11). Paul's judgment is that the widow will be "more blessed" if she remains unmarried. This is consistent with his entire argument in the chapter: singleness allows for undivided devotion to the Lord. But the comparative form is important: it does not say remarriage brings unhappiness, only that remaining single brings greater blessedness in the current circumstances.
δοκῶ δὲ κἀγὼ Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἔχειν (dokō de kagō Pneuma Theou echein, "and I think that I too have the Spirit of God") -- Paul's closing remark drips with understated irony. The verb δοκέω (dokeō, "to think, to suppose, to seem") and the emphatic κἀγώ (kagō, "I also, I too") suggest that some in Corinth were claiming the Spirit's authority for their own views on marriage and celibacy. Paul's response is a masterpiece of restrained assertion: "I think that I too have the Spirit of God." The modesty of dokō barely conceals the force of the claim: as an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul's Spirit-inspired judgment carries an authority that the Corinthian spiritualists cannot match. The entire chapter closes on this note -- Paul has given his counsel, distinguished between the Lord's commands and his own, and now stakes his ultimate claim: whatever the Corinthians may think of themselves, he too possesses the Spirit of God.