1
Περὶ δὲ ὧν ⸀ἐγράψατε, καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι·
Now concerning the things you wrote: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2
διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω.
But because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
3
τῇ γυναικὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τὴν ⸀ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδότω, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τῷ ἀνδρί.
Let the husband repay the debt to the wife, and likewise also the wife to the husband.
Why this rendering
1Cor.7.3 Observation
Syntactic observation
τῇ γυναικὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδότω … ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει ἀλλὰ ὁ ἀνήρ· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ … μὴ ἀποστερεῖτε ἀλλήλους — let the husband repay the debt to the wife … the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; likewise the husband also … do not defraud one another. The text writes the marriage bed in the vocabulary of money and power — ὀφειλή (debt; Matt 18:32, Rom 13:7), ἀποδίδωμι (repay; Rom 13:7), ἐξουσιάζω (have authority; the kings’ verb of Luke 22:25), ἀποστερέω (defraud; Mark 10:19 ‘do not defraud’). This edition keeps all four as fixed so that the text’s choice of words stays visible. Verses 3-4 write the same sentence twice, for husband and for wife (ὁμοίως δὲ καί). The base text marks ⸀ὀφειλήν as a variant (some manuscripts read ‘the kindness owed’). σχολάζω in v.5 is the verb of the ‘empty’ house in Matt 12:44 — one is ‘emptied’ for prayer.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “repay the debt · have authority · defraud” — the money-and-power words kept
Basis All four are fixed; the text’s hard words are not softened.
“fulfil the duty · have rights · deprive”
Basis The familiar renderings.
Rejected ‘Duty’ cuts the link to Matt 18:32 and Rom 13:7; ‘deprive’ loses the commandment’s word in Mark 10:19.
Lost in translation
σχολάζω — the ‘empty’ house of Matt 12:44 and ‘be free for prayer’ here are one verb.
Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (not this language)
4
ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει ἀλλὰ ὁ ἀνήρ· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει ἀλλὰ ἡ γυνή.
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.
5
μὴ ἀποστερεῖτε ἀλλήλους, εἰ μήτι ἂν ἐκ συμφώνου πρὸς καιρὸν ἵνα ⸀σχολάσητε ⸀τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ⸀ἦτε, ἵνα μὴ πειράζῃ ὑμᾶς ὁ Σατανᾶς διὰ τὴν ἀκρασίαν ὑμῶν.
Do not defraud one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may be free for prayer and be together again — so that Satan may not test you because of your self-indulgence.
first here Satan Σατανᾶς Satanas
6
τοῦτο δὲ λέγω κατὰ συγγνώμην, οὐ κατ’ ἐπιταγήν.
But I say this by concession, not by command.
7
θέλω ⸀δὲ πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἶναι ὡς καὶ ἐμαυτόν· ἀλλὰ ἕκαστος ἴδιον ⸂ἔχει χάρισμα⸃ ἐκ θεοῦ, ⸀ὁ μὲν οὕτως, ⸁ὁ δὲ οὕτως.
I want all men to be as I myself am; but each has his own gift of grace from God, one in this way and another in that.
8
Λέγω δὲ τοῖς ἀγάμοις καὶ ταῖς χήραις, καλὸν ⸀αὐτοῖς ἐὰν μείνωσιν ὡς κἀγώ·
Now to the unmarried and to the widows I say: it is good for them if they remain as I also am.
9
εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐγκρατεύονται, γαμησάτωσαν, κρεῖττον γάρ ἐστιν ⸀γαμῆσαι ἢ πυροῦσθαι.
But if they do not exercise self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.
10
Τοῖς δὲ γεγαμηκόσιν παραγγέλλω, οὐκ ἐγὼ ἀλλὰ ὁ κύριος, γυναῖκα ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς μὴ χωρισθῆναι—
To those who are married I charge — not I but the Lord — that a wife is not to be separated from her husband;
Why this rendering
1Cor.7.10 Observation
Syntactic observation
γυναῖκα ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς μὴ χωρισθῆναι — ἐὰν δὲ καὶ χωρισθῇ, μενέτω ἄγαμος ἢ τῷ ἀνδρὶ καταλλαγήτω — καὶ ἄνδρα γυναῖκα μὴ ἀφιέναι — a wife is not to be separated from her husband — but if she is separated, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled — and a husband is not to leave his wife. For the wife χωρίζω (separate; the verb of Matt 19:6, ‘what God has joined let no one separate’), for the husband ἀφίημι (leave; Rom 1:27) — the Gospels’ divorce verb ἀπολύω (Matt 5:32) does not occur in this chapter. English leave / divorce shows that Paul chose a different verb from the Gospels; Korean has 버리다 for both and cannot. ‘Not I but the Lord’ (v.10) stands against ‘I, not the Lord’ (v.12) — Paul himself marks where a word of the Lord (Mark 10:9-12) exists and where it does not. The parenthesis of v.11 (ἐὰν δὲ καὶ χωρισθῇ …) is kept with the base text’s dashes.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “be separated / leave” — χωρίζω and ἀφίημι as fixed
Basis As fixed in Matt 19:6 and Rom 1:27; two verbs, two renderings.
“divorce” for both
Basis The familiar paraphrase.
Rejected ‘Divorce’ is none of the text’s words, and the difference from ἀπολύω in Matt 5:32 disappears.
Lost in translation
ἀφίημι (leave) ↔ ἀπολύω of Matt 5:32 (divorce) — English keeps the two verbs apart.
Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (this language among them)
11
ἐὰν δὲ καὶ χωρισθῇ, μενέτω ἄγαμος ἢ τῷ ἀνδρὶ καταλλαγήτω— καὶ ἄνδρα γυναῖκα μὴ ἀφιέναι.
but if she is separated, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband — and that a husband is not to leave his wife.
12
Τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς ⸂λέγω ἐγώ⸃, οὐχ ὁ κύριος· εἴ τις ἀδελφὸς γυναῖκα ἔχει ἄπιστον, καὶ αὕτη συνευδοκεῖ οἰκεῖν μετ’ αὐτοῦ, μὴ ἀφιέτω αὐτήν·
To the rest I say — I, not the Lord — if any brother has an unbelieving wife and she consents to dwell with him, let him not leave her.
13
καὶ γυνὴ ⸂εἴ τις⸃ ἔχει ἄνδρα ἄπιστον, καὶ ⸀οὗτος συνευδοκεῖ οἰκεῖν μετ’ αὐτῆς, μὴ ἀφιέτω ⸂τὸν ἄνδρα⸃.
And if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.
14
ἡγίασται γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ἄπιστος ἐν τῇ γυναικί, καὶ ἡγίασται ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἄπιστος ἐν τῷ ⸀ἀδελφῷ· ἐπεὶ ἄρα τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν ἀκάθαρτά ἐστιν, νῦν δὲ ἅγιά ἐστιν.
For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the brother; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
15
εἰ δὲ ὁ ἄπιστος χωρίζεται, χωριζέσθω· οὐ δεδούλωται ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἡ ἀδελφὴ ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις, ἐν δὲ εἰρήνῃ κέκληκεν ⸀ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός.
But if the unbeliever separates, let him separate; the brother or the sister is not enslaved in such things; but God has called us in peace.
16
τί γὰρ οἶδας, γύναι, εἰ τὸν ἄνδρα σώσεις; ἢ τί οἶδας, ἄνερ, εἰ τὴν γυναῖκα σώσεις;
For what do you know, woman, whether you will save your husband? Or what do you know, man, whether you will save your wife?
17
Εἰ μὴ ἑκάστῳ ὡς ⸀ἐμέρισεν ὁ ⸀κύριος, ἕκαστον ὡς κέκληκεν ὁ ⸀θεός, οὕτως περιπατείτω· καὶ οὕτως ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις πάσαις διατάσσομαι.
Only, as the Lord has apportioned to each, as God has called each, so let him walk. And so I direct in all the assemblies.
18
περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ ⸂κέκληταί τις⸃; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.
Was anyone called circumcised? Let him not draw it over. Was anyone called with his foreskin? Let him not be circumcised.
19
ἡ περιτομὴ οὐδέν ἐστιν, καὶ ἡ ἀκροβυστία οὐδέν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ τήρησις ἐντολῶν θεοῦ.
Circumcision is nothing, and the foreskin is nothing, but the keeping of God’s commandments.
20
ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ κλήσει ᾗ ἐκλήθη ἐν ταύτῃ μενέτω.
Let each remain in the calling in which he was called.
21
Δοῦλος ἐκλήθης; μή σοι μελέτω· ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι, μᾶλλον χρῆσαι.
Were you called a slave? Let it be no care to you. But if you can also become free, rather make use of it.
Why this rendering
1Cor.7.21 Observation
Syntactic observation
Δοῦλος ἐκλήθης; μή σοι μελέτω· ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι, μᾶλλον χρῆσαι. ὁ γὰρ ἐν κυρίῳ κληθεὶς δοῦλος ἀπελεύθερος κυρίου ἐστίν — were you called a slave? Let it be no care to you. But if you can also become free, rather make use of it. For the slave called in the Lord is a freed man of the Lord. μᾶλλον χρῆσαι has no object — ‘make use of freedom’ (take it) or ‘make use of your slavery’ (stay) are both readable, and the two readings divide the history of interpretation. This edition adds no object; ‘make use of it’ is as open as English grammar allows. χράομαι is the verb of Acts 27:17 (‘use’). ἀπελεύθερος occurs only here in the New Testament — ‘freed man’, from ἐλεύθερος (free; John 8:36), a different word from the Λιβερτῖνος (Freedmen, a Latin name) of Acts 6:9. Verse 22 exchanges slave and free — the slave is the Lord’s freed man, the free man is Christ’s slave. Verse 23, ‘bought with a price’, echoes 6:20.
Rendering options · 3
Adopted “rather make use of it” — no object supplied
Basis The text has no object; both readings stay.
“rather take your freedom”
Basis Attaching it to ‘if you can become free’ just before.
Rejected It closes one reading and erases ‘make use of your slavery’.
“rather make use of your slavery”
Basis Attaching it to ‘remain’ in vv.20, 24.
Rejected It closes the other reading for the same reason.
Lost in translation
The missing object of μᾶλλον χρῆσαι — ‘make use of it’ must write ‘it’; the bare imperative cannot stand without an object.
Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (not this language)
22
ὁ γὰρ ἐν κυρίῳ κληθεὶς δοῦλος ἀπελεύθερος κυρίου ἐστίν· ⸀ὁμοίως ὁ ἐλεύθερος κληθεὶς δοῦλός ἐστιν Χριστοῦ.
For the slave called in the Lord is a freed man of the Lord; likewise the free man called is a slave of Christ.
first here Christ Χριστός Christos
23
τιμῆς ἠγοράσθητε· μὴ γίνεσθε δοῦλοι ἀνθρώπων.
You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
24
ἕκαστος ἐν ᾧ ἐκλήθη, ἀδελφοί, ἐν τούτῳ μενέτω παρὰ θεῷ.
Brothers, let each remain before God in that in which he was called.
25
Περὶ δὲ τῶν παρθένων ἐπιταγὴν κυρίου οὐκ ἔχω, γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι.
Now concerning the virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be faithful.
26
νομίζω οὖν τοῦτο καλὸν ὑπάρχειν διὰ τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην, ὅτι καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ οὕτως εἶναι.
I suppose, then, that this is good because of the present distress — that it is good for a man to be as he is.
27
δέδεσαι γυναικί; μὴ ζήτει λύσιν· λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα·
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a loosing. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
28
ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ⸀γαμήσῃς, οὐχ ἥμαρτες. καὶ ἐὰν γήμῃ ἡ παρθένος, οὐχ ἥμαρτεν. θλῖψιν δὲ τῇ σαρκὶ ἕξουσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι, ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῶν φείδομαι.
But even if you marry, you have not sinned; and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people will have affliction in the flesh, and I am sparing you.
29
τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος ⸂ἐστίν· τὸ λοιπὸν⸃ ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν,
Now this I say, brothers: the time has been shortened. From now on, let even those who have wives be as those who have none,
30
καὶ οἱ κλαίοντες ὡς μὴ κλαίοντες, καὶ οἱ χαίροντες ὡς μὴ χαίροντες, καὶ οἱ ἀγοράζοντες ὡς μὴ κατέχοντες,
and those who weep as not weeping, and those who rejoice as not rejoicing, and those who buy as not holding,
31
καὶ οἱ χρώμενοι ⸂τὸν κόσμον⸃ ὡς μὴ καταχρώμενοι· παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου.
and those who use the world as not using it up; for the shape of this world is passing away.
Why this rendering
1Cor.7.31 Observation
Syntactic observation
οἱ χρώμενοι τὸν κόσμον ὡς μὴ καταχρώμενοι· παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου … ὁ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου … πρὸς τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ εὐπάρεδρον τῷ κυρίῳ ἀπερισπάστως — those who use the world as not using it up; for the shape of this world is passing away … the unmarried man worries about the things of the Lord … sitting well beside the Lord without being pulled about. Verses 29-31 turn five times on ὡς μή — those who have as not having, those who weep as not weeping … those who use as not using up (χράομαι ↔ καταχράομαι, one prefix apart). σχῆμα (shape) is the noun of Rom 12:2 ‘be conformed’. μεριμνάω in vv.32-34 is the verb of Matt 6:25, ‘do not worry’ — here one ‘worries’ about the things of the Lord; the verb serves the good side too. ἀμέριμνος (free from worry) is the word of the promise to the guards in Matt 28:14. ἀπερισπάστως in v.35 (only here in the New Testament) negates the verb by which Martha was ‘pulled about’ in Luke 10:40 — sitting well beside the Lord (εὐπάρεδρον, only here) calls up Mary’s place. The base text marks ⸀σύμφορον and ⸀εὐπάρεδρον as variants.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “worry” — Matt 6:25’s word kept even for the things of the Lord
Basis One verb, one word; the play with ἀμέριμνος (free from worry) in v.32 survives.
“care for / be concerned about”
Basis Giving the good worry another word.
Rejected It cuts from Matt 6:25 and loses the play ‘I want you free from worry — yet he worries’.
Lost in translation
χράομαι ↔ καταχράομαι — one prefix; use / use up keeps it.
Survives in · this edition — 2 of the nine carry it (this language among them)
ἀπερισπάστως ↔ Luke 10:40 (Martha ‘pulled about’) — ‘without being pulled about’ keeps Martha’s verb.
Survives in · this edition — 2 of the nine carry it (this language among them)
32
Θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀμερίμνους εἶναι. ὁ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, πῶς ⸀ἀρέσῃ τῷ κυρίῳ·
Now I want you to be free from worry. The unmarried man worries about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;
33
ὁ δὲ γαμήσας μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ⸀ἀρέσῃ τῇ γυναικί,
but the married man worries about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,
34
⸀καὶ μεμέρισται. καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ⸂ἡ ἄγαμος⸃ καὶ ἡ ⸀παρθένος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ ⸀τῷ σώματι καὶ ⸁τῷ πνεύματι· ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ⸀ἀρέσῃ τῷ ἀνδρί.
and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin worries about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but the married woman worries about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35
τοῦτο δὲ πρὸς τὸ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ⸀σύμφορον λέγω, οὐχ ἵνα βρόχον ὑμῖν ἐπιβάλω, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ ⸀εὐπάρεδρον τῷ κυρίῳ ἀπερισπάστως.
Now I say this for your own benefit, not to throw a noose over you, but for what is seemly, and for sitting well beside the Lord without being pulled about.
36
Εἰ δέ τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ νομίζει ἐὰν ᾖ ὑπέρακμος, καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει γίνεσθαι, ὃ θέλει ποιείτω· οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει· γαμείτωσαν.
But if anyone supposes he is behaving shamefully toward his virgin — if past the bloom, and so it ought to be — let him do what he wants; he does not sin; let them marry.
37
ὃς δὲ ἕστηκεν ⸂ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἑδραῖος⸃ μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην, ἐξουσίαν δὲ ἔχει περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος, καὶ τοῦτο κέκρικεν ἐν τῇ ⸂ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ⸃, ⸀τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον, καλῶς ⸀ποιήσει·
But the one who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has authority over his own will, and has judged this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin — he will do well.
38
ὥστε καὶ ὁ ⸀γαμίζων ⸂τὴν παρθένον ἑαυτοῦ⸃ καλῶς ποιεῖ, ⸂καὶ ὁ⸃ μὴ ⸁γαμίζων κρεῖσσον ⸀ποιήσει.
So then, the one who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and the one who does not give her in marriage will do better.
39
Γυνὴ ⸀δέδεται ἐφ’ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς· ἐὰν ⸀δὲ κοιμηθῇ ὁ ἀνήρ, ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ᾧ θέλει γαμηθῆναι, μόνον ἐν κυρίῳ·
A wife is bound for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband falls asleep, she is free to be married to whom she wants — only in the Lord.
40
μακαριωτέρα δέ ἐστιν ἐὰν οὕτως μείνῃ, κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν γνώμην, δοκῶ ⸀δὲ κἀγὼ πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἔχειν.
But she is more blessed if she remains as she is, according to my opinion; and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.