1 Corinthians 7:1
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.
BSB
ASV
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
KJV
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
Heb 13:4, in opposition to ascetic and Romish notions of superior sanctity in celibacy, declares, "Marriage is HONORABLE IN ALL." Another reason why in some cases celibacy may be a matter of Christian expediency is stated in 1Co 7:34, 35, "that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction." But these are exceptional cases, and in exceptional times, such as those of Paul.
But it is good, that is, either abstracting from circumstances there are many things in which the state of celibacy has the advantage above the marriage state; or else at this juncture, by reason of the distress of the Christian church, it would be a convenience for Christians to keep themselves single, provided they have the gift of continency, and at the same time can keep themselves chaste.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
The walk8
Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.
Through
Genesis 20:6Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did…
leads to
Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal…
Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and…
The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.
Through
1 Corinthians 7:8Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.
leads to
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.
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…
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.
