1 Corinthians 7:2

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

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

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

BSB

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

KJV

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

ASV

But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

BBE

But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband.

Original Greek

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The early church

For they had written to him, "Whether it was right to abstain from one's wife, or not:" and writing back in answer to this and giving rules about marriage, he introduces also the discourse concerning virginity: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." "For if," says he, "thou enquire what is the excellent and greatly superior course, it is better not to have any connection whatever with a woman: but if you ask what is safe and helpful to thine own infirmity, be connected by marriage." But since it was likely, as also happens now, that the husband might be willing but the wife not, or perhaps the reverse, mark how he discusses each case. Some indeed say that this discourse was addressed by him to priests. But I, judging from what follows, could not affirm that it was so: since he would not have given his advice in general terms. For if he were writing these things only for the priests, he would have said, "It is good for the teacher not to touch a woman." But now he has made it of universal application, saying, "It is good for a man;" not for priest only. And again, "Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife." He said not, "You who are a priest and teacher," but indefinitely. And the whole of his speech goes on entirely in the same tones And in saying, "Because of fornications, let every man have his own wife" by the very cause alleged for the concession he guides men to continence.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 1 Corinthians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–9

The apostle tells the Corinthians that it was good, in that juncture of time, for Christians to keep themselves single. Yet he says that marriage, and the comforts of that state, are settled by Divine wisdom. Though none may break the law of God, yet that perfect rule leaves men at liberty to serve him in the way most suited to their powers and circumstances, of which others often are very unfit judges. All must determine for themselves, seeking counsel from God how they ought to act.

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7 →

Cross-references

10

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.