1 Corinthians 7:21

1 Corinthians 7:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
• New International Version (NIV)Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)
• New King James Version (NKJV)Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.

Context of 1 Corinthians 7:21

19Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God’s commands is what matters. 20Let each of you remain in the situation in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity. 22For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of people.

1 Corinthians 7:21 word by word

δοῦλος ἐκλήθης; μή σοι μελέτω· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι, μᾶλλον χρῆσαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Art thou calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• a servantδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• careμέλωmelō · to concernG3199
• notμήmē · notG3361
• for itσύsu · youG4771
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ifεἰei · if: even thoughG1487
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• thou mayestδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• be madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• freeἐλεύθεροςeleutheros · free/freedomG1658
• useχράωchraomai · to useG5530
• ratherμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 7:21

• 1 Corinthians 12:13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
• Galatians 3:28There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• Colossians 3:11In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All who are under the yoke as slaves should regard their own masters as worthy of all respect, so that God’s name and his teaching will not be blasphemed.
• 1 Peter 2:18Household slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel.
• Luke 10:40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
• Luke 12:29Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious.
• Luke 21:34“Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly
• Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
• Hebrews 13:5Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.
• 1 Peter 5:7casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Art thou called being a servant? - , Art thou converted to Christ while thou art a slave - the property of another person, and bought with his money? care not for it - this will not injure thy Christian condition, but if thou canst obtain thy liberty - use it rather - prefer this state for the sake of freedom, and the temporal advantages connected with it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Being a servant - ( ͂ doulos). A slave. Slaves abounded in Greece and in every part of the pagan world. Athens, e. g., had, in her best days, 20,000 freemen, and 400,000 slaves. See the condition of the pagan world on this subject illustrated at length, and in a very learned manner, by B. B. Edwards, in the Bib. Repository for October, 1835, pp. 411-436. It was a very important subject to inquire what ought to be done in such instances. Many slaves who…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-24Verses 17-24 The rules of Christianity reach every condition; and in every state a man may live so as to be a credit to it. It is the duty of every Christian to be content with his lot, and to conduct himself in his rank and place as becomes a Christian. Our comfort and happiness depend on what we are to Christ, not what we are in the world. No man should think to make his faith or religion, an argument to break through any natural or civil obligations…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-23Slavery shows the general idea mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:17, 20, 24. Slavery was common in the Greco-Roman world, and many Christian converts were slaves serving wealthy families. According to Paul, like circumcision, being a slave is not very important for a Christian. Even as a slave, a Christian is spiritually free from sin, death, and the law (see Romans 6:14; 7:4–6; 8:2). As a free person, the believer is still a servant of Christ (see Ephesians…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. care not for it--Let it not be a trouble to thee that thou art a servant or slave. use it rather--Continue rather in thy state as a servant (1Co 7:20; Ga 3:28; 1Ti 6:2). The Greek, "But if even thou mayest be made free, use it," and the context (1Co 7:20, 22) favors this view [Chrysostom, Bengel, and Alford]. This advice (if this translation be right) is not absolute, as the spirit of the Gospel is against slavery. What is advised here is, contentment…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 7:21

• Contentment
• Marriage
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Abuse
• Attend
• Consent
• Contain
• Distraction
• Loose
• Mercy
• Revelation of Christ
• Snare
• Sorrow

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings