In this, chapter, various cases concerning marriage being proposed to the apostle, are answered by him; and he discourses of the nature, use, and end of marriage, and of the duties of married persons to one another; and gives advice to such as were unmarried, and points at the advantages of a…

Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me Though the false apostles had greatly influenced the members of this church, yet there were many among them that had a very great respect for the apostle, and kept up a correspondence with him, though at a distance from him, by writing; in which…

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication Or “fornications”; meaning either the frequent commission of that sin; or all sorts of uncleanness and pollution, which may be avoided by wedlock, and the proper use of the marriage bed, where the gift of continency is not bestowed: wherefore to prevent unlawful…

Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, &c.] The Syriac version renders it, (חובא דמתתחיב) , “due love”; and so the Arabic; and may include all the offices of love, tenderness, humanity, care, provision, and protection, which are to be performed by the husband to his wife; though it…

The wife hath not power of her own body To refrain the use of it from her husband; or to prostitute it to another man: but the husband; he has the sole power over it, and may require when he pleases the use of it: and likewise also the husband has not power over his own body: to withhold due…

Defraud ye not one the other By withholding due benevolence, denying the use of the marriage bed, refusing to pay the conjugal debt, and which is called a “diminishing of her marriage duty”, where the Septuagint use the same word “defraud”, as the apostle does here; it is what both have a right to,…

But I speak this by permission Referring either to what he had said before, though not to all; not to that for the avoiding of fornication, every man should make use of his own wife, and every woman of her own husband; since this is not by permission, but by command, that carnal copulation should…

For I would that all men were even as I myself The apostle speaks not of his state and condition, as married or unmarried, for it is not certain which he was; some think he had a wife, others not: it looks, however, as if he had not at this time, as appears from but be it which it will, it can…

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows Not by way of command, but advice: by the “unmarried” he means, either such men who never were in a married state, or else such who had been married, but their wives were dead; which latter sense seems more agreeable, since they are joined with “widows”,…

But if they cannot contain Or “if they do not contain”, as the words may be rendered, and as almost all versions do render them; if they have not the gift of continency; if they are not willing, and do not think fit to contain, for none are to be compelled; if either therefore they want a will or…

And unto the married I command To the unmarried and widows he spoke by permission, or only gave advice and counsel to remain unmarried, provided they could contain; but if not, it was advisable to marry; but to persons already in a married state, what he has to say to them is by commandment,…

But and if she depart This is said, not as allowing of such a departure, which only in case of fornication is lawful; but supposing it a fact, that a woman cannot be prevailed upon to stay with her husband, but actually forsakes him upon some difference arising between them, let her remain…

But to the rest speak I, not the Lord He had spoken before to married persons in general, and had delivered not his own sentiments barely, but the commandment of the Lord, that such should never separate from, or put away each other; in which he has respect to such as were upon equal foot in…

And the woman which hath an husband that believeth The apostle puts the case both ways, there being the same reason for one as for another; that if she that was a sister, who was partaker of the grace of God, and a member of the church, had a husband to whom she was married before her conversion;…

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife That is, “by the believing wife”; as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, and so it is read in some copies; and likewise in the next clause the same is read, by the believing husband; this is a reason given by the apostle why they should…

But if the unbelieving depart If the unbelieving party, man or woman, separate themselves from the believing party on account of religion, and in hatred to it, and will not live with the believer unless Christ is denied, his Gospel abjured, and his ordinances and worship relinquished: let him…

For what knowest thou, O wife These words may be understood, as containing a reason either why the believing party should be easy at the departure of the unbeliever, after all proper methods have been used in vain to retain him or her; taken from the uncertainty and improbability of being of any…

But as God hath distributed to every man This text is so placed, and the words of it so expressed, as that it may have regard both to what goes before, and follows after; it may have respect to every man’s proper gift, whether of continence, or of disposition to marriage, which every man has of…

Is any man called being circumcised? &c.] That is, if any man that is a Jew, who has been circumcised in his infancy, is called by the grace of God, as there were many in those days, and many of them in the church at Corinth: let him not become uncircumcised; or “draw on” the foreskin; as some did…

Circumcision is nothing In the affair of justification before God, and acceptance with him; it cannot make any man righteous in the sight of God, nor recommend him to the divine favour; it is no evidence of a man’s calling, or of his having the truth or grace of God in him; nor is it of any avail…

Let every man abide in the same calling Civil calling, station, and business of life, wherein he was called; that is, in which he was when he was called by the grace of God; and is to be understood of such a calling, station, and business of life, as is lawful, honest, and of good report; otherwise…

Art thou called being a servant? &c.] That is, called by grace whilst in the condition of a servant, care not for it; do not be troubled at it, and uneasy with it; be not anxiously solicitous to be otherwise; bear the yoke patiently, go through thy servitude cheerfully, and serve thy master…

For he that is called in the Lord Which is to be understood, not of any civil calling, or of calling to an office; or of the outward call by the ministry of the word only; but of an internal, special, powerful, evangelical, and saving call by the grace of God; which is of persons out of darkness…

Ye are bought with a price Some read these words interrogatively, as (1 Cor. 7:18, 1 Cor. 7:21) , “are ye bought with a price?” and suppose them directed to such who had bought out their time of servitude with a sum of money, and ought not to return to their former condition; but they are rather to…

Brethren, let every man wherein he is called, The apostle repeats the advice given in and prefaces it with that tender and affectionate appellation, “brethren”, the more to engage them to attend to it; showing also that whatever difference there was in their civil state and condition, there was…

Now concerning virgins Whether they should continue in the same state or not, whether they should marry or not, was one of the cases put to the apostle, and which the Corinthians wrote to him about, and to which he returns this answer: I have no commandment of the Lord: neither in the Old…

I suppose, therefore, that this is good The opinion of the apostle, the sentiment of his mind, his judgment in this case were, that it was better, more advisable and eligible, for persons that were single to continue so; his reason for it follows, for the present necessity; by which is meant not…

Art thou bound unto a wife? &c.] Or to a woman; either by promise, or by espousal, or by consummate marriage; either of which is a tic, or obligation, a bond, and especially the latter; marriage is such a bond as cannot be dissolved, but by the death of one of the parties; see unless in case of…

But and if thou marry, thou sinnest not If a man that has never been married, or one that has, if legally loosed from his wife, thinks fit to marry, he commits no sin, he breaks no law of God, far from it; marriage is honourable in all.

But this I say, brethren, the time is short This is another reason, with which the apostle supports his advice to virgins, and unmarried persons, to remain so; since the time of life is so very short, and it is even but a little while to the end of the world, and second coming of Christ; and…

And they that weep, as though they wept not They that weep for troubles and crosses, things adverse and afflicting in a marriage state, for the loss of wives or children, should express their sorrow in such a manner and degree, as if they wept not; not that the apostle here introduces and…

And they that use this world, as not abusing it Such as have a large affluence of the things of this world, should use them in a moderate and temperate manner; should not squander them away extravagantly, or spend them on their lusts, and use them intemperately, which is to abuse them: for the…

But I would have you without carefulness This is another reason, by which the apostle confirms the advice he gives to virgins to remain such, because the married state is full of cares, whereas the single life is no more free from them; and therefore he wishes them to continue in such a state, that…

But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world Attending diligently to the business and calling of life, he is engaged in, that he may provide food and clothing, and other necessaries for the support and sustenance of his family: how he may please his wife: and make her and his…

There is difference also between a wife and a virgin The word (μεμερισται) , translated “there is difference”, stands in some copies at the end of the last verse, and in the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, by which it is rendered, “and is divided”; referring to the married man, whose thoughts…

And this I speak for your own profit The apostle suggests, that in giving the advice he did to unmarried persons to abide single, he had nothing else in view than their temporal and spiritual advantage; that they might be better able to meet and grapple with persecution for the sake of the Gospel;…

But if any man think This some understand of a man that is engaged, or betrothed to a virgin, and protracts marriage, who may use his prudence in consummating it, if he pleases, for any thing the apostle has said to the contrary: but it is better to understand it of a parent, or one that has the…

Nevertheless, he that standeth steadfast in his heart The apostle returns to confirm his former advice, where it can be attended to with safety; and observes, that notwithstanding what he had allowed might lawfully be done, and was proper to be done; yet a man that had deliberated upon, and had…

So then he that giveth her in marriage doth well Does that which is in its own nature good; that which is agreeable to the will of God, is of his institution and appointment, and therefore must be good, and answer many good ends and purposes.

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth, &c.] That is, she is bound to her husband, by the law of marriage, during his life; nor can the bond of marriage between them be dissolved but by the death of one of them, except in the cases of adultery, and wilful desertion, see (Rom.

But she is happier if she so abide That is, a widow, in an unmarried state; which is to be understood not of the happiness of another world, but of this: the apostle’s meaning is, that she would be more free from cares, and less liable to trouble, would live with more peace and quietness, and be…