1 Corinthians 7:2
in 1 Corinthians 7But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
KJV
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 7
Commentary
17 notes on this verseYou have given up your wife, to whom you are bound. This is a big step you have taken. You are not abusing her, you say, but claiming that you can be chaste and live more purely. But look how your poor wife is being destroyed as a result, because she is unable to endure your purity! You should sleep with your wife, not for your sake but for hers.
This site's exposition
Now for the matters you wrote about
on 1 Corinthians 7:1-2
The maxim It is good to abstain from sexual relations is probably a slogan of an ascetic party at Corinth. Verse 2 qualifies it: because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
This site's exposition
have his own wife
Paul answers the ascetic slogan of verse 1 with the reality of Corinth, where Barnes notes the church lived among open licentiousness. Matthew Henry points to the plural word for immoralities, every kind of lawless lust. Theophylact notes that the wording binds husband and wife alike.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
He added immediately, "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife". and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment."
A commentator
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus LactantiusThe Divine Institutes Book 5 · Written before 325.
proposed
There would be no adulteries, and debaucheries, and prostitution of women, if it were known to all, that whatever is sought beyond the desire of procreation is condemned by God. Nor would necessity compel a woman to dishonour her modesty, to seek for herself a most disgraceful mode of sustenance; since the males also would restrain their lust, and the pious and religious contributions of the rich would succour the destitute.
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.
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureDisputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
To that which is objected from the word of the Apostle, who says: On account of fornication, let each man have his own wife; it must be said that the following text determines this: But I say this by way of concession, not by way …
Then when he says, But because of fornication, he shows what is necessary in this matter: first, as to contracting marriage; secondly, as to the use of the matrimony once contracted (v. 3). In regard to the first it should be noted that the act …
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
He speaks about both sides. For it may happen that the husband loves chastity, but the wife does not, or vice versa. With the words "to avoid fornication" he urges restraint. For if marriage is permitted to avoid fornication, then those joined in marriage ought …
A commentator
BonaventureDisputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Against the vowing of widowed continence it is objected: 1 Corinthians 7: On account of fornication let each man have his own wife, and each woman her own husband: but that is not a counsel, since it is not a work of perfection nor of …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
), Porneias -- Fornications, all sorts of lawless lust. To avoid these, Let every man, says he, have his own wife, and every woman her own husband; that is, marry, and confine themselves to their own mates. And, when they are married, let each render the other due benevolence (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication,....
He gives direction to those who are married to continue together, though they might have an unbelieving relative, unless the unbeliever would part, in which case a Christian would not be in bondage,
But, on the other hand, not law bound a man to marry so that he sinned if he did not; I mean, unless his circumstances required it for preventing the lust of uncleanness. It was a thing in which men, by the laws of God, were in a great measure left at liberty.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
To avoid fornication - Δια τας πορνειας· verto, propter exercendam libidinem, vel ut libidinem licite exercere liceat. Probo hanc notionem ex Hebraeo, ibi זנה, zanah, est libidinem exercere, Hos 4:10: For they shall eat and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, תזנו, libidinem exercebunt, and shall not increase.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The dignity of marriage is set forth by Paul (Eph 5:25-32), in the fact that it signifies the mystical union between Christ and the Church. The duty of cohabitation on the part of the married. due benevolence--The oldest manuscripts read simply, "her due"; that is, the conjugal cohabitation due by the marriage contract (compare 1Co 7:4).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Nevertheless - But (δὲ de). Though this is to be admitted as proper where it can be done, when a man has entire control of himself and his passions, and though in present circumstances it would be expedient, yet it may be proper also to enter into the marriage connection. To avoid fornication - Greek On account of διὰ dia fornication. The word fornication is used here in the large sense of licentiousness in general. For the sake of the purity of society, and to avoid the evils of sensual indulgence, and the corruptions and crimes which attend an illicit contact, it is proper that the married state should be entered. To this vice they were particularly exposed in Corinth. See the introduction. Paul would keep the church from scandal. How much evil, how much deep pollution, how many abominable crimes would have been avoided, which have since grown out of the monastic system, and the celibacy of the clergy among the papists, if Paul’s advice had been followed by all professed Christians! Paul says that marriage is honorable, and that the relations of domestic life should be formed to avoid the evils which would otherwise result. The world is the witness of the evils which flow from the neglect of his advice. Every community where the marriage tie has been lax and feeble, or where it has been disregarded or dishonored, has been full of pollution, and it will always be. Society is pure and virtuous, just as marriage is deemed honorable, and as its vows are adhered to and preserved. Let every man ... - Let the marriage vow be honored by all. Have his own wife - And one wife to whom he shall be faithful. Polygamy is unlawful under the gospel; and divorce is unlawful. Let every man and woman, therefore, honor the institution of God, and avoid the evils of illicit indulgence.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διὰ | dia | Because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὰς | tas | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πορνείας | porneias | sexual immorality | G4202 → | 25 times |
| ἕκαστος | hekastos | each man | G1538 → | 81 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑαυτοῦ | he'autou | his own | G1438 → | 322 times |
| γυναῖκα | gunaika | wife | G1135 → | 211 times |
| ἐχέτω, | echeto | should have, | G2192 → | 707 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἑκάστη | hekaste | each [woman] | G1538 → | 81 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἴδιον | idion | [her] own | G2398 → | 114 times |
| ἄνδρα | andra | husband | G435 → | 216 times |
| ἐχέτω. | echeto | should have. | G2192 → | 707 times |
διὰBecause of
diaG1223 →664 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τὰς<the>
tasG3588 →19766 times
πορνείαςsexual immorality
porneiasG4202 →25 times
ἕκαστοςeach man
hekastosG1538 →81 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἑαυτοῦhis own
he'autouG1438 →322 times
γυναῖκαwife
gunaikaG1135 →211 times
ἐχέτω,should have,
echetoG2192 →707 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἑκάστηeach [woman]
hekasteG1538 →81 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἴδιον[her] own
idionG2398 →114 times
ἄνδραhusband
andraG435 →216 times
ἐχέτω.should have.
echetoG2192 →707 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
Ephesians 5:28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 19:5
and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?
- Genesis 2:21–24
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh.
- Ephesians 5:25
Through
Proverbs 18:22He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:14
Houses and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
- Proverbs 31:10–31
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
- Proverbs 12:4
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.
- Ecclesiastes 9:9
Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your…
- Genesis 2:18
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
- Proverbs 19:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 14 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); Bonaventure, Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 3; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Book 5; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Methodius of Olympus, Methodius Discourse III. Thaleia; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 3.33.23-25; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.