1 I Corinthians 7
1.1 A00 - Subject Fornication
1.1.1 A0 - Touch Cohabitate, Carnal Intercourse
1Co 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. .
1.1.2 A3 - Marry - Don't Fornicate Sex Before Marriage
1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. .
1.2 A03 - Paul's Opinion, No Claim To Being Inspired For This Fe Verses - Rules For Sexual Relations Within The Marriage, Between A Man And His Own Wife
1Co 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. .
1Co 7:4 The wife hath not power, of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power, of his own body, but the wife. .
1Co 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except, it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. .
1Co 7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. .
Paul is giving good advice here no doubt, but note that he carefully distinguish between what Kurios says and what he, Paul, says.
1.3 A06 - Paul's Case For Celebacy
1Co 7:7 For I would that all men were even as, I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one, after this manner, and another after that. .
1Co 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I., .
1.4 A09 - Ok Some Have More Lust Than Control - Let Them Marry
1Co 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. .
This cannot be used as the ONLY reason for people to marry, If lust is nurtured in a context that is explicitly forbidden elsewhere in the Bible, this needs to be addressed immediately and severly. YESHUA even demanded that bodily harm needs to be done so that one goes into eternal life maimed rather than with a sound body into hell. Should be enough to frighten each and every lustful individuals or pairs in a relationship that is elsewhere explicity prohibited.
1.5 A12 - Aha - Here Paul Claim Being Inspired, And He Says Nothing Different From His Master, Kurios YESHUA
1Co 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: .
1Co 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. .
Note that this portion is about DIVORCE ONLY
1.6 A15 - Careful Here - Paul Explicitly Says He Is Not Inspiried, He Uses His Insight And Human Wisdom - Nothing Wong With That
1Co 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away., .
1Co 7:13 And the woman which hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. .
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else, were your children unclean; but now are they holy. .
1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. .
1Co 7:16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? .
Careful here:
1. Note that Paul addresses a topic here that is nowhere else addressed, the marriage union between a BELIEVER and an UNBELIEVER.
2. Paul does NOT claim to be inspired here, and it is the only place that I know of, yet he gives good and reasonable advice.
3. This is about an UNBELIEVING spouse leaving the BELIEVING partner.
4. This is about the union between two people with widely different worldviews and standards, which may result in an unbearable situation.
5. The UNBELIEVER may leave, the BELIEVER is not a slave. To WHAT? Not to remarry? WHERE is remarriage even MENTIONED in this chapter - except the portion on a widow that may legally remarry.
6. Allowing REMARRIAGE of the BELIEVER would have Paul diametrically opposed to YESHUA. Would like to see him at judgement day witnessing against those in favor of this practice. I am sure he will consider this a serious insult to his integrity even remotely suggesting that he, Paul, would go in oppositioin to his Saviour, Master and King.
1.7 A18 - Intermission
1Co 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all ekklesiaes. .
1Co 7:18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. .
1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. .
1Co 7:20 Let every man, (, ) abide in the same calling wherein he was called. .
1Co 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. .
1Co 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. .
1Co 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. .
1Co 7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein, he is called, therein, abide with God. .
1.8 A21 - Virgins - Again No Commandment Of Kurios - Only His Insight And Wisdom
1Co 7:25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. .
1Co 7:26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. .
1.9 A24 - Remain The Way That You Are
1Co 7:27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. .
1.10 A27 - Marrying Is Not Sin But Brings Trouble
1Co 7:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. .
This is perfect but it CANNOT rather SHOULD not be used to override some other rules set for the relationship between man and woman. Any "burning" MAY NOT exist between a person and another committed person (engaged, married). So they are not SUPPOSED to marry. Thus this rule is clearly for people that has/had no other formal ties.
1.11 A30 - Paul's View Of The Time And The Trobules When Married
1Co 7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; .
1Co 7:30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; .
1Co 7:31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. .
1.12 A33 - Unmarried Cares About The Kurios
1Co 7:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: .
1.13 A36 - Married Cares For The Spouse
1Co 7:33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. .
1Co 7:34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. .
1.14 A39 - Paul Wants Them To Be Dvouted To The Kurios
1Co 7:35 And this I speak for your own, profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. .
1.15 A42 - Let A Virgin Marry
1Co 7:36 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. .
This is interesting. Different translations assings very different meanings to this portion. Considering :38, the one where "any man" is translated as a woman's father seems the more logical, as the relationship between two unmarried were addressed in :9.
Personally, I would NEVER suggest that a infinately serious junction be made based in these 3 verses, as it is not clear what it actually means, and there is a wide gap of opinion of even the most learned men about its meaning.
1.16 A45 - Fixed In His Heart Does Not Need To Marry
1Co 7:37 Nevertheless he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. .
1.17 A48 - Given Into Marriage Good, Not Marrying Better
1Co 7:38 So then, he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage, doeth better. .
1.18 A51 - A Widow Is Free To Marry Again
1Co 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as, her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. .
1.19 A54 - Happier If She Does Not Marry - Note I Think I Have The Spirit Of Kurios
1Co 7:40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. .
Note that in the Old Covenant it was a shame if a woman was not married and disaster if she did not have any children. However, here in the New Covenant, the possibility of celebacy is mentioned and even promoted - IF the person has the will and power to remain pure in that condition.
And this in accodance to what YESHUA said as well.
However, to marry is NOT sin as long ALL the rules and laws regarding marriage, divorce and remarriage are adhered to.