1 Corinthians 7:8 BSB

1 Corinthians 7:8

Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

KJV

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

⋯

Commentary

2 voices

Tertullian

On Modesty (220)

But when things lawful are (only) granted by way of indulgence, who hope for things unlawful? "To the unmarried" also, "and widows," he says, "It is good, by his example, to persevere" (in their present state); "but if they were too weak, to marry; because it is preferable to marry than to bum." With what fires, I pray you, is it preferable to "burn"-(the fires) of concupiscence, or (the fires) of penalty? Nay, but if fornication is pardonable, it will not be an object of concupiscence.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

The unmarried and widows - It is supposed that the apostle speaks here of men who had been married, in the word αγαμοι, but were now widowers; as he does of women who had been married, in the word χηραι, but were now widows. And when he says ὡς καγω, even as I, he means that he himself was a widower; for several of the ancients rank Paul among the married apostles.

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

13 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Λέγω	Legō	I say	G3004 →
δὲ	de	now	G1161 →
τοῖς	tois	to the	G3588 →
ἀγάμοις	agamois	unmarried	G22 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ταῖς	tais	to the	G3588 →
χήραις,	chērais	widows,	G5503 →
καλὸν	kalon	good	G2570 →
αὐτοῖς	autois	for them	G846 →
ἐὰν	ean	if	G1437 →
μείνωσιν	meinōsin	they shall remain	G3306 →
ὡς	hōs	as	G5613 →
κἀγώ.	kagō	also I. myself	G1473 →G2532 →

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 walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

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
1 Corinthians 7:32
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.
leads to
- Matthew 6:25–34
  Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more…
- 1 Timothy 5:5
  The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.
- Philippians 4:6
  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Psalms 55:22
  Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
Through
1 Corinthians 7:7
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.
leads to
- Matthew 19:11–12
  “Not everyone can accept this word,” He replied, “but only those to whom it has been given.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5
  Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
- Romans 12:6
  We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
Through
1 Corinthians 7:1
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.
leads to
- Matthew 19:10–11
  His disciples said to Him, “If this is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”

Featured studies on this passage

Walks through 1 Corinthians 7

Marriage, Singleness, and Divorce: 1 Corinthians 7, MannaFest

Open the study →

Walks through 1 Corinthians 7

The Bible and Slavery

Open the study →

Walks through 1 Corinthians 7

Unequally Yoked, MannaFest

Open the study →

About 1 Corinthians

The Crucifixion — 'Christ crucified' (1 Cor 2:2) — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

1 Corinthians: the study guide →Read chapter 7 →The featured study →

Continue: 1 Corinthians 7 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 1 Corinthians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 1 Corinthians