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

19It is not important whether someone has circumcised you or not. The important thing is this: Obey what God says. 20Each of you should continue as you were when God called you to come to him. You may have been a slave when God called you. That does not matter. But if you have the chance to become a free person, accept it. 22The Lord may call a slave to come to him. Then, that slave has become free, because he belongs to the Lord. In the same way, when God calls a free person to belong to Christ, he becomes Christ's slave. 23God bought you for himself. He paid the price for you. So do not let anyone else make you their slave.

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 12:13When they baptized us, we all became parts of one body. It was the one Spirit who brought us together. It made no difference whether we were Jews or Gentiles. It made no difference whether we were slaves or free people. God poured his one Spirit into all of us.
• Galatians 3:28It does not matter whether you are a Jew or a Gentile. It does not matter whether you are a slave or a free person. It does not matter whether you are a man or a woman. You all belong together because you all belong to Christ Jesus.
• Colossians 3:11People have this new nature only because they belong to Christ. That is the important thing. Jews are not different from Gentiles. It does not matter whether someone has circumcised you or not. It does not matter which country you come from or how clever you are. It does not matter whether you are a slave or a free person. Christ is all that matters. He lives in every believer.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All slaves should know that it is right to respect their masters. Then other people will not insult God's name or the message that we teach.
• 1 Peter 2:18You who are slaves must obey your masters. Always respect them. Do that to every kind of master. Obey those who are good and kind. But also obey masters who are not fair to you.
• Luke 10:40But Martha was thinking to herself, ‘I cannot do all this work alone.’ So she went to Jesus. She said, ‘Master, my sister is not helping me with the work. She has left me to do it alone. You surely do not think that this is right! Tell her that she should help me!’
• Luke 12:29Do not always be thinking about the food and drink that you need. Do not worry about things like that.
• Luke 21:34But be careful, and watch how you live. Do not eat or drink too much. Do not waste your time like that. Do not waste time by having troubles in your mind about your life. If you do, that day will surprise you. It will come when you are not looking.
• Philippians 4:6Do not worry about anything. Instead, pray to God about everything. Ask him to help you with the things that you need. And thank him for his help.
• Hebrews 13:5In the way that you live, do not want lots of money. Be happy with the things that you have. Be happy, because God has said this: ‘I will never leave you; I will always be there with you.’
• 1 Peter 5:7If you have any kind of trouble in your mind, give it to God. God has promised to take care of 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