1 Corinthians 7:36
in 1 Corinthians 7However, 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his virgin daughter, if she be past the flower of her age, and if need so requireth, let him do what he will; he sinneth not; let them marry.
KJV
But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 7
Commentary
9 notes on this verseWherefore he rejects those of the more incontinent, who, under the influence of vain-glory, would advance to this state, advising them to marry, lest in their time of manly strength, the flesh stirring up the desires and passions, they should be goaded on to defile the soul. For let us consider what he lays down:
This site's exposition
However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed
on 1 Corinthians 7:36-38
Two readings stand: a father giving his daughter in marriage, or a man deciding whether to marry his betrothed. Either way he is not sinning, and the close says he who marries does well and he who does not does even better.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Paul always wants the best out of Christians. If someone really wants to get married, then it is better to marry publicly according to the permission given than to behave badly and be ashamed in private.
"But if any man think that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his virgin." Here he seems to be talking about marriage; but all that he says relates to virginity; for he allows even a second marriage, saying, "only in the Lord." Now what means, "in the Lord?" With chastity, with honor: for this is needed everywhere, and must be pursued for else we cannot see God.
The Medieval Church1 voice
If anyone, he says, being truly weak in soul, considers it dishonorable to leave his daughter a virgin, especially if she has passed the mature age, then let it be so, he says. How so? "Let him do as he wishes," that is, if he …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But if any man think,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Uncomely towards his virgin - Different meanings have been assigned to this verse; I shall mention three of the principal. 1. “In those early times, both among the Hebrews and Christians, the daughters were wholly in the power of the father, so that he might give or not give them in marriage as he chose; and might bind them to perpetual celibacy if he thought proper; and to this case the apostle alludes.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
behaveth . . . uncomely--is not treating his daughter well in leaving her unmarried beyond the flower of her age, and thus debarring her from the lawful gratification of her natural feeling as a marriageable woman. need so require--if the exigencies of the case require it; namely, regard to the feelings and welfare of his daughter.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That he behaveth himself uncomely - Acts an unbecoming part, imposes an unnecessary, painful, and improper constraint, crosses her inclinations which are in them selves proper. Toward his virgin - His daughter, or his ward, or any unmarried female committed to his care. If she pass the flower of her age - If she pass the marriageable age and remains unmarried. It is well known that in the east it was regarded as especially dishonorable to remain unmarried; and the authority of a father, therefore, might be the means of involving his daughter in shame and disgrace. When this would be the case, it would be wrong to prohibit her marriage. And need so require - And she ought to be allowed to marry. If it will promote her happiness, and if she would be unhappy, and regarded as dishonored, if she remained in a state of celibacy. Let him do what he will - He has the authority in the case, for in the east the authority resided with the father. He may either give her in marriage or not, as he pleases. But in this case it is advisable that she should marry. He sinneth not - He errs not; he will do nothing positively wrong in the case. Marriage is lawful, and in this case it is advisable, and he may consent to it, for the reasons above stated, without error or impropriety.
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δέ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἀσχημονεῖν | aschemonein | to be behaving improperly | G807 → | |
| ἐπὶ | epi | to | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παρθένον | parthenon | virgin | G3933 → | 15 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| νομίζει, | nomizei | supposes, | G3543 → | |
| ἐὰν | ean | if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| ᾖ | e | she shall be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὑπέρακμος, | huperakmos | beyond youth, | G5230 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὕτως | houtos | so | G3779 → | 208 times |
| ὀφείλει | opheilei | it ought | G3784 → | 35 times |
| γίνεσθαι, | ginesthai | to be, | G1096 → | 667 times |
| ὃ | ho | what | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| θέλει | thelei | he wills | G2309 → | 208 times |
| ποιείτω· | poieito | he should do; | G4160 → | 569 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἁμαρτάνει, | hamartanei | he does sin, | G264 → | 42 times |
| γαμείτωσαν. | gameitosan | they should marry. | G1060 → | 28 times |
ΕἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
δέhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
ἀσχημονεῖνto be behaving improperly
aschemoneinG807 →
ἐπὶto
epiG1909 →883 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
παρθένονvirgin
parthenonG3933 →15 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
νομίζει,supposes,
nomizeiG3543 →
ἐὰνif
eanG1437 →352 times
ᾖshe shall be
eG1510 →2333 times
ὑπέρακμος,beyond youth,
huperakmosG5230 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὕτωςso
houtosG3779 →208 times
ὀφείλειit ought
opheileiG3784 →35 times
γίνεσθαι,to be,
ginesthaiG1096 →667 times
ὃwhat
hoG3739 →1405 times
θέλειhe wills
theleiG2309 →208 times
ποιείτω·he should do;
poieitoG4160 →569 times
οὐχnot
ouchG3756 →1664 times
ἁμαρτάνει,he does sin,
hamartaneiG264 →42 times
γαμείτωσαν.they should marry.
gameitosanG1060 →28 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 7:9But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 7:2
But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
- 1 Timothy 5:14
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
- 1 Timothy 5:11
But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
- 1 Corinthians 7:28
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…
- 1 Corinthians 7:39
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.
- 1 Corinthians 7:2
Through
1 Samuel 2:33And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 2:26–27
Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried…
- 1 Kings 1:7
So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him.
- 1 Kings 1:19
And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the…
- 1 Kings 2:26–27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 Corinthians

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 19; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Methodius of Olympus, Methodius Discourse III. Thaleia and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.
