Passage

1 Corinthians 7.10-16

Book: 1 Corinthians · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"8. But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9. But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn."

"10. But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband 11. (but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife. 12. But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. 13. And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15. Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us in peace. 16. For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife?"

"17. Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches. 18. Was any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised." (1 Corinthians 7:8-18, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"8. But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am. 9. But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn."

"10. But to the married I command, not I, but the Lord, that the wife not leave her husband 11. (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife. 12. But to the rest I, not the Lord, say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her. 13. The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15. Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace. 16. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?"

"17. Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies. 18. Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised." (1 Corinthians 7:8-18, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"8. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn."

"10. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 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. 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. 13. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 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. 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. ^{to peace: Gr. in peace} 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? ^{how: Gr. what}"

"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 churches. 18. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised." (1 Corinthians 7:8-18, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"8. And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I [am]; 9. and if they have not continence, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;"

"10. and to the married I announce, not I, but the Lord, let not a wife separate from a husband: 11. but and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or to the husband let her be reconciled, and let not a husband send away a wife. 12. And to the rest I speak, not the Lord, if any brother hath a wife unbelieving, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not send her away; 13. and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away; 14. for the unbelieving husband hath been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 15. And, if the unbelieving doth separate himself, let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace hath God called us; 16. for what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?"

"17. if not, as God did distribute to each, as the Lord hath called each, so let him walk; and thus in all the assemblies do I direct: 18. being circumcised, was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;" (1 Corinthians 7:8-18, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

TBD
TBD
TBD
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Quoted in

Divorce

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.