7:1–24 In 1 Corinthians 5–6, Paul addressed issues related to reports he received about the Corinthians. Paul now turns to answer questions from the Corinthian church. The Corinthian believers wrote to him about several issues in the church community, including marriage (v. 1), virgins (v. 25), food sacrificed to idols (8:1), spiritual gifts (12:1), and the money he was collecting for Jerusalem Christians (16:1). Paul spends a majority of the rest of the letter responding to these inquiries.

7:1 the things about which you wrote The precise nature of the Corinthians’ first question is unknown. Paul’s response suggests that the inquiry was broadly related to matters of marriage and sexual relations.

touch a woman The Greek text here uses an idiom to refer to having sexual intercourse with a woman; it may not imply marriage.

7:2 because of sexual immorality Although the Greek word porneia can refer to any illicit sexual behavior, Paul may refer to prostitution here (see 6:9, 12 and note; 6:15–16). Some female believers may have deprived their husbands of sexual relations. In response, these men sought out prostitutes.

7:4 The wife does not have authority Paul discusses this because of the problem of unsatisfied husbands seeking fulfillment from local prostitutes. In Paul’s view, married men and women have pledged their bodies to their spouses and thus do not have authority to deny their spouses sexual relations.

7:5 not defraud one another Paul advises married Corinthian believers not to deprive each other of sexual relations (see note on 1 Cor 7:1); doing so could lead them into temptation.

Building Hedges against Adultery Devotional

devote yourselves to prayer Paul advises the Corinthians to practice abstinence within marriage only for the express purpose of a limited season of focused prayer.

Prayers in Paul’s Letters Table

Satan This type of sexual deprivation within marriage provides an easy means for Satan to tempt people.

your lack of self control See note on 1 Tim 2:15.

7:6 concession Paul is advising, not commanding, the Corinthians.

7:7 could be like myself Paul evidently was unmarried. He considered his ability to remain celibate a gift from God. For Paul, singleness allowed him the freedom to do God’s will without consideration for his own well-being—he didn’t have a spouse or family to care for. Even when one of the spouses is a nonbeliever, Paul never encourages seeking this type of freedom once people are married (see 1 Cor 7:12–16).

his own gift from God Paul implies that married believers should remain married and continue to fulfill their marital obligations (see v. 4), but those unmarried believers who don’t have trouble with sexual desires should remain single.

7:8 unmarried The Greek work used here, agamos, occurs only four times in the nt, all in this passage (compare vv. 11, 32, 34). The word refers to someone who has no spouse, a state that may result from various circumstances: death of one’s spouse, desertion by a spouse (see v. 15), divorce, or remaining single.

good for them Paul describes the advantages of remaining single in vv. 32–34, but he recognizes that not everyone has this “gift” (v. 7); some people should get married (v. 9; compare v. 39).

if they remain as I am The circumstances of Paul’s unmarried state are unclear, and he does not reveal them in any of his autobiographical comments found elsewhere.

7:9 they should marry The solution for those without the gift of celibacy (v. 7). Those with this gift appear to be the exception, not the rule.

to burn with sexual desire Refers to intense sexual desire. Some believers could not refrain from illicitly satisfying their sexual desire. He advises such people to marry and enjoy sexual relations within an exclusive relationship.

7:10 not I, but the Lord Refers to Jesus, who provided His own commands about divorce (e.g., Matt 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18). While Roman law and some Jewish teachers permitted divorce, Jesus did not permit divorce except in cases of marital unfaithfulness.

wife Paul addresses wives first, probably because women brought up this issue. Women in Graeco-Roman society could separate from their husbands, but this was not the custom in Jewish tradition.

7:11 remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband Not an ordinary command; rather, this refers back to seeking the gift of celibacy in 1 Cor 7:6–9. Paul is not categorically prohibiting all remarriage after divorce; instead, he is encouraging people to be free in Christ just as he is, rather than seeking another spouse.

7:12 has an unbelieving wife Some married people converted to Christianity but their spouses did not. The Corinthians sought Paul’s counsel on this issue.

consents to live with him A euphemism for marriage.

he must not divorce her Paul applies the same instruction from vv. 10–11 to believers who are married to unbelievers. In this instance, if an unbeliever chooses to remain married to a believer, the couple should not seek divorce.

7:14 is sanctified Some believing spouses in Corinth may have been concerned that sexual relations with their unbelieving spouse would cause defilement. Paul explains to these believers that they are not defiled; instead, it is their unbelieving spouses who are sanctified through the process of knowing a believer (compare v. 16). This does not mean that such spouses receive salvation.

unclean Describes unbelievers.

holy Just as it is acceptable for a believing wife to have sexual relations with an unbelieving husband, it is also acceptable for her to have children by her husband. Paul also reasons that since the marriage relationship leads to “holiness” instead of defilement, there is no need for divorce.

7:15 brother or the sister is not bound The believing spouse is under no obligation to maintain a marriage with an unbelieving spouse who decides to leave the relationship.

7:16 you will save The believing spouse may have the opportunity to participate in the conversion of the unbelieving spouse. In this way, the believer becomes an instrument that helps the unbeliever turn toward God (9:20–22).

7:17 God has called each one Refers to those whom God called to be saved (1:26), not the call to ministry service (compare Acts 13:2). Paul encourages the Corinthian believers to maintain whatever marital situation they were in when they first heard God’s call.

in all the churches Emphasizes that the Corinthian believers have deviated from the standard practices in other churches founded by Paul.

7:18 must not undo his circumcision Refers to an epispasm—a surgical procedure intended to disguise the marks of circumcision. Many Gentiles despised circumcision and considered it mutilation. This may have caused some Christian Jews in Corinth to feel ashamed about their circumcision and to seek surgery. Paul advises such people to remain circumcised.

7:19 Circumcision A sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham (Gen 17:11). Jews valued circumcision as a sign that they were part of God’s covenant people. But Paul suggests the Spirit replaced circumcision as that sign; therefore, it no longer has any value (Rom 2:29; compare Gal 6:15).

commandments of God Refers to the moral commandments that apply to believers (see Gal 6:2; Rom 13:8), not the works of the law (such as circumcision). Paul emphasizes that believers should seek to obey these commandments over circumcision.

7:21 not let it be a concern Some believing slaves in Corinth may have been concerned that their social status inhibited them from living for God. Paul argues that if their status did not inhibit God’s call to salvation, it will not inhibit them now that they have the Spirit.

make use of it Refers to the opportunity to have freedom in Christ.

7:22 freedperson A legally free person who continued to perform duties for his or her former master. Paul uses this metaphor to suggest that while believers are free, they still obey the Lord and belong to His “household.” See Col 4:1 and note.

slave of Christ Paul asserts that those who were not slaves should regard Christ as their spiritual master. Since they no longer belong to themselves, they must seek to obey Jesus Christ.

7:23 You were bought at a price See note on 1 Cor 6:20.

slaves of men Paul urges the believers not to become enslaved to human wisdom or troubled by the traditions of marriage, slavery, and circumcision; Paul wants them to focus on Christ and what He has done for them.

7:25–40 Paul addresses the unmarried believers in the Corinthian congregation.

7:25 virgins The Greek word used here, parthenos, can refer to a young woman who is engaged to be married. Based on a misguided notion of spirituality, some Corinthian believers may have advised the “virgins” within the church community not to marry.

The Virgin Shall Conceive: The Vocabulary of Virginity

do not have a command from the Lord Jesus did not teach on this topic during His earthly ministry nor did He provide Paul with any specific revelation about it.

7:26 impending distress May refer to food shortages in Corinth. Alternatively, the phrase may refer to a period of intense difficulties prior to the return of Christ.

7:27 Do not seek a wife Paul notes that for some believers it is preferable that they remain unmarried (1 Cor 7:6–8, 26), but he tells them in the next verse that if they do marry, it is not a sin. The type of person Paul describes here has no spouse, and the reader is not informed as to how that status came to be (v. 8).

7:28 if the virgin marries, she has not sinned The Corinthians may have assumed that marriage was somehow sinful, possibly based upon Paul’s example or suggestion that they remain celibate when possible. Paul corrects them—the virgin who marries has not sinned.

The Virgin Shall Conceive: The Vocabulary of Virginity

have affliction in the flesh Paul does not consider marriage sinful, but he does acknowledge that married couples will face difficulties (v. 26).

7:29 should be as if they do not have Paul urges the Corinthians not to become consumed by temporal matters or worldly concerns. They must not allow such things to control their lives.

7:30 those who weep as if they do not weep Paul alludes to Eccl 3:1–8.

7:31 present form of this world Refers to the world’s system rather than the physical appearance of the world. This system, just like people’s wisdom, is temporal and limited; thus, the Corinthian believers must not order their lives based on either one.

7:34 unmarried woman or the virgin Refers to two different groups of women in the church community (see note on 1 Cor 7:25). The state of being unmarried (see v. 8) is not synonymous with having never been married or sexually active.

holy See Col 1:22 and note.

both in body and in spirit May refer to the entire person. Such a woman offers herself in service to God.

7:35 not that I may put a restriction Paul recognized the tension of attempting to please both a spouse and the Lord. Paul hoped that his instruction would free the Corinthians from anxiety—not cause them more of it.

7:36 his virgin Paul is most likely addressing the men engaged to young women. See note on 1 Cor 7:25.

7:37 keep his own virgin The man who is engaged to the young woman will not marry her—she will remain a virgin.

The Virgin Shall Conceive: The Vocabulary of Virginity

7:38 who does not marry her will do better Paul suggests that the decision not to marry is better because of the “impending distress” (see note on v. 26), not because marriage is sinful. See note on v. 7.

7:39 free to marry whomever she wishes Paul addresses the widows within the church community: they may remarry, but only to another believer. In principle, this may apply to virgins (vv. 8–9, 25–28).

7:40 I think I have the Spirit of God Some Corinthian believers claimed to be spiritual (2:15–16) yet offered troubling counsel to other believers in the church community. Paul describes himself as filled with the Spirit and therefore able to provide authoritative and wise instruction.