King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 8 notes
Read 1 Corinthians 7 in the app
1Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4The 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.
5Defraud 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.
6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
Interesting choice of words.
We are not commanded as Christians to marry but rather permitted to marry.
Indeed Paul argues that it is good for a man not to marry.
So then it is bad for a man to marry? No, not exactly.
Indeed marriage was ordained by God, so it is good.
Interestingly though, in the beginning, remember what God said about a man being alone.
He said it is not good, but now we see Paul commending being alone as a good thing.
I guess because a lot has changed over the millennia. Man has become corrupted.
So like Jesus said, from the beginning it was not so... But a lot of things have changed.
So then what is the conclusion? Marrying or not marrying is both good, but like Paul concluded, he wished all were as he is, so then being single is preferred.
However, being single and sleeping around is worse. It is better then to marry.
7For 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.
8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
10And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
11But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
12But 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.
Such depth of FELLOWSHIP. BROTHER Paul could tell a command and say this is what God says.
But in our day we say one thing and it turns out to be false 😔.
It seems the word of the Lord is misty and foggy 🌁 🌫... We just cannot tell.
Oh Lord, help 😣 us.
13And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14For 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.
15But 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.
16For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
17But 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.
18Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Oh, so there is such a thing as the commandments of God... Some say we are born free in Christ means we do as the flesh pleases 😌
20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
21Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
22For 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.
23Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
24Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25Now 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.
26I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.
27Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28But 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.
29But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
The time is short is in reference to the coming of the Lord, I believe, and the load of work to be covered.
I believe the apostles expected the Lord in their lifetime.
30And 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;
31And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
32But 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:
33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34There 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.
In the times of the early church they so loved the Lord. Ready to give over themselves to the service of the Lord.
Not just by way of service but by service of their body in true holiness and righteousness.
They indeed gave themselves over in spirit, soul and body.
35And 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.
36But 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.
There seem to be different interpretations of this verse, but I like the Wycliffe translation in modern English, as it attempts to give the different possible interpretations.
1 Corinthians 7:36 WBMS
And if any man guesseth himself to be seen foul on his virgin, that she is full waxen [or is well old], and so it behooveth to be done, do she that that she will [or what he will]; she sinneth not, if she be wedded, [+or s/he sinneth not, if s/he be wedded].
37Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast 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.
38So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
39The 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.
40But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
Indeed this is a well rounded topic on whether we should marry or not.
It seems the best option is not to marry and to focus on the Lord.
The above is best only if you do not have feelings 😝.
If you have feelings, as most humans do... Then marry simplicita.
It is preferred that one remains unmarried.
It is better actually. Marriage is also good.
But extrapolating Paul's reasoning to our world today? In the face of sexual exploitation, porn and the like, it is better to marry, more so in our world today.