1 Corinthians 7:3

1 Corinthians 7:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
• New International Version (NIV)The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

Context of 1 Corinthians 7:3

1You wrote to ask me about certain things. You say, ‘It is a good thing when a man does not marry.’ 2That may be true, but then people may have sex in wrong ways. So every man should have his own wife and every woman should have her own husband. Then they may have sex with each other in the right way. A husband should agree to have sex with his wife. And the wife should do the same thing for her husband. 4The wife does not rule over her own body to decide when to have sex. She belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not rule over his own body. He belongs to his wife. 5Do not refuse to have sex with each other, unless both of you agree to stop for a short time. Then you can use more time to pray. But you should come together again soon, as husband and wife. If not, Satan may try to make you do something wrong. You may want too strongly to have sex with someone else.

1 Corinthians 7:3 word by word

τῇ γυναικὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδότω· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τῷ ἀνδρί.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Let the husbandἀνήρanēr · man: husbandG435
• renderἀποδίδωμιapodidōmi · to payG591
• unto the wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• dueὀφείλωopheilō opheileō · to oweG3784
• benevolenceεὔνοιαeunoia · enthusiasmG2133
• andδέde · thenG1161
• likewiseὁμοίωςhomoiōs · similarlyG3668
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 7:3

• Exodus 21:10If the master marries another woman as well, he must still take care of the first woman. He must continue to give her food and clothes. He must not refuse to sleep with her.
• 1 Peter 3:7You husbands must also respect your wives. Be kind to your wife and help her. Remember that she is not as strong as you are. Because God is very kind, she has received his gift of true life, as you have. So you should respect her. Then God will answer you when you pray to him.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence - · Though our version is no translation of the original, yet few persons are at a loss for the meaning, and the context is sufficiently plain. Some have rendered the words, not unaptly, the matrimonial debt, or conjugal duty - that which a wife owes to her husband, and the husband to his wife; and which they must take care mutually to render, else alienation of affection will be the infallible…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Let the husband … - “Let them not imagine that there is any virtue in bring separate from each other, as if they were in a state of celibacy” - “Doddridge.” They are bound to each other; in every way they are to evince kindness, and to seek to promote the happiness and purity of each other. There is a great deal of delicacy used here by Paul, and his expression is removed as far as possible from the grossness of pagan writers. His meaning is plain; but…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4To avoid the temptation of sexual immorality, married Christians should consider their spouse's sexual needs. Both partners have the right to sexual intimacy in marriage, and they should not withhold it. In marriage, each person gives their spouse authority over their body, but this authority should never be abused.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. The duty of cohabitation on the part of the married. due benevolence--The oldest manuscripts read simply, "her due"; that is, the conjugal cohabitation due by the marriage contract (compare 1Co 7:4).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 7:3

• Continence
• Husband
• Marriage
• Stoicism
• Wife

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