1 Corinthians 7:21
in 1 Corinthians 7Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wast thou called being a bondservant? care not for it: nay, even if thou canst become free, use it rather.
KJV
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseI am a slave of that affair and care to which I am bound. For I know that it is written that whatever one is conquered by, to that he is delivered as a slave.… Who will free me from this most unseemly slavery except him who said, "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed".?
This site's exposition
Were you a slave when you were called?
on 1 Corinthians 7:21-22
The rule reaches slavery, the weightiest earthly condition in the Roman world. The slave is the Lord’s freedman and the free man is Christ’s slave, so neither condition ranks above the other in the church.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 207 · Written before 458.
proposed
Paul is saying that no slave should run away, using religion as his excuse.
Astonishing! where has he put slavery? As circumcision profits not: and uncircumcision does no harm; so neither doth slavery, nor yet liberty. And that he might point out this with surpassing clearness, he says, "But even if thou canst become free, use it rather:" that is, rather continue a slave. Now upon what possible ground does he tell the person who might be set free to remain a slave? He means to point out that slavery is no harm but rather an advantage. Now we are not ignorant that some say, the words, "use it rather," are spoken with regard to liberty: interpreting it, "if thou canst become free, become free." But the expression would be very contrary to Paul's manner if he intended this. For he would not, when consoling the slave and signifying that he was in no respect injured, have told him to get free. Since perhaps some one might say, "What then, if I am not able? I am an injured and degraded person." This then is not what he says: but as I said, meaning to point out that a man gets nothing by being made free, he says, "Though thou hast it in thy power to be made free, remain rather in slavery."
Paul encourages slaves to serve their earthy masters well, so that they may appear to them to deserve their freedom. A slave who did not do his work properly would blaspheme the name of Christ and do nothing to further God's cause.
The virgins of men go about, in opposition to the virgins of God, with front quite bare, excited to a rash audacity; and the semblance of virgins is exhibited by women who have the power of asking somewhat from husbands, not to say such a request as that (forsooth) their rivals-all the more "free" in that they are the "hand-maids" of Christ alone -may be surrendered to them.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"In the calling in which he was called," that is, in whatever manner of life, and in whatever rank and condition you believed, in that remain; for by calling he means the bringing to faith. Were you a slave when you accepted the faith? Do …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Art thou called being a servant?.... That is, called by grace whilst in the condition of a servant, care not for it; do not be troubled at it, and uneasy with it; be not anxiously solicitous to be otherwise; bear the yoke patiently, go through thy servitude cheerfully, and serve thy master faithfully; do not look upon it as any objection to thy calling, any contradiction to thy Christian liberty, or as unworthy of, and a reproach upon thy profession of Christ: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
Note, Our comfort and happiness depend on what we are to Christ, not what we are in the world. The goodness of our outward condition does not discharge us from the duties of Christianity, nor the badness of it debar us from Christian privileges. He who is a slave may yet be a Christian freeman; he who is a freeman may yet be Christ's servant.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Being a servant - (δοῦλος doulos). A slave. Slaves abounded in Greece and in every part of the pagan world. Athens, e. g., had, in her best days, 20,000 freemen, and 400,000 slaves. See the condition of the pagan world on this subject illustrated at length, and in a very learned manner, by B. B. Edwards, in the Bib. Repository for October, 1835, pp. 411-436. It was a very important subject to inquire what ought to be done in such instances.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This advice (if this translation be right) is not absolute, as the spirit of the Gospel is against slavery. What is advised here is, contentment under one's existing condition (1Co 7:24), though an undesirable one, since in our union with Christ all outward disparities of condition are compensated (1Co 7:22).
Art thou called being a servant? - Δουλος εκληθης, Art thou converted to Christ while thou art a slave - the property of another person, and bought with his money? care not for it - this will not injure thy Christian condition, but if thou canst obtain thy liberty - use it rather - prefer this state for the sake of freedom, and the temporal advantages connected with it.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| δοῦλος | doulos | Slave [being] | G1401 → | 129 times |
| ἐκλήθης; | eklethes | were you called? | G2564 → | 147 times |
| μή | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| σοι | soi | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μελέτω· | meleto | should it concern; | G3199 → | |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| εἰ | ei | if | G1487 → | 508 times |
| καὶ | kai | even | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| δύνασαι | dunasai | you are able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| ἐλεύθερος | eleutheros | free | G1658 → | 23 times |
| γενέσθαι, | genesthai | to become, | G1096 → | 667 times |
| μᾶλλον | mallon | rather | G3123 → | 81 times |
| χρῆσαι. | chresai | do take advantage. | G5530 → | 11 times |
δοῦλοςSlave [being]
doulosG1401 →129 times
ἐκλήθης;were you called?
eklethesG2564 →147 times
μήnot
meG3361 →1066 times
σοιyou
soiG4771 →2973 times
μελέτω·should it concern;
meletoG3199 →
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
εἰif
eiG1487 →508 times
καὶeven
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δύνασαιyou are able
dunasaiG1410 →207 times
ἐλεύθεροςfree
eleutherosG1658 →23 times
γενέσθαι,to become,
genesthaiG1096 →667 times
μᾶλλονrather
mallonG3123 →81 times
χρῆσαι.do take advantage.
chresaiG5530 →11 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
Colossians 3:11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:28–29
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 12:13
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
- Romans 10:12
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,
- Ephesians 3:6
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 1:23
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
- Galatians 3:28–29
Through
1 Corinthians 12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:5
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
- Colossians 3:11
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 4:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Frederic Godet, Commentary on First Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 19; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES 13; Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 207 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.