1 Corinthians 7:2

7:2 But because of immoralities, each man should have relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7:7

7:7 I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that.

1 Corinthians 7:9

7:9 But if they do not have self-control, let them get married. For it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire.

1 Corinthians 7:17

The Circumstances of Your Calling

7:17 Nevertheless, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each person, so must he live. I give this sort of direction in all the churches.

1 Corinthians 7:35

7:35 I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord.


tn Grk “each man should have his own wife.” “Have” in this context means “have marital relations with” (see the following verse). The verb ἐχέτω (ecetw, “have”) occurs twice in the Greek text, but has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons. This verb occurs 8 times in the LXX (Exod 2:1; Deut 28:30; 2 Chr 11:21; 1 Esd 9:12, 18; Tob 3:8; Isa 13:16; 54:1) with the meaning “have sexual relations with,” and 9 times elsewhere in the NT with the same meaning (Matt 20:23; 22:28; Mark 6:18; 12:33; Luke 20:28; John 4:18 [twice]; 1 Cor 5:1; 7:29).

tn Grk “should have.” For explanation of the translation, see the note on “have relations with” earlier in this verse.

tn Grk “than to burn,” a figure of speech referring to unfulfilled sexual passion.

tn Or “only”; Grk “if not.”