1 Corinthians 7:35

1 Corinthians 7:35 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
• New International Version (NIV)I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

Context of 1 Corinthians 7:35

33But a man who has married thinks a lot about this world's things. He wants to live in a way that makes his wife happy. 34As a result, he thinks in two opposite ways. It is the same for a woman who has no husband, or a young girl who has not married. She wants to serve the Lord very well. She wants to be completely pure, both in her body and in her spirit. But a woman who has a husband has to think about this world's things. She wants to live in a way that makes her husband happy. I am saying this because I want to help you. I am not making rules that you have to obey. Instead, I want you to live in a right way. I do not want you to worry about troubles. Then you will be able to serve the Lord very well. 36Perhaps a man has agreed to marry a young woman. They may have decided to wait before they marry. But, as they grow older, the man may think differently. He may think that he needs to marry her. Then, he should do what he wants to do. It is good for them to marry. It is not wrong. 37But another man may not change his thoughts. He may be sure that he does not need to marry his young woman. If he decides not to marry her, he is doing the right thing.

1 Corinthians 7:35 word by word

τοῦτο δὲ πρὸς τὸ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν σύμφορον λέγω, οὐχ ἵνα βρόχον ὑμῖν ἐπιβάλω ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ εὐπάρεδρον τῷ κυρίῳ ἀπερισπάστως.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• I speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• forπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• ownαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• profitσυμφέρωsumpherō · be profitableG4851
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• I may castἐπιβάλλωepiballō · to put on/seizeG1911
• a snareβρόχοςbrochos · restraintG1029
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• that which is comelyεὐσχήμωνeuschēmōn · properG2158
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• that ye may attend uponεὐπρόσεδρος, εὐπάρεδροςeuprosedros · devotedG2145
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• without distractionἀπερισπάστωςaperispastōs · undistractedG563

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 7:35

• 1 Corinthians 7:2That 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.
• Matthew 19:12There are several different reasons why a person may not marry. Some men cannot have sex. They were born like that. Some other people cannot have sex because people did something to them. Some people choose not to have sex. They do not marry because then they can work better for God and his kingdom. Anyone who can agree with this idea should do it.’
• 1 Corinthians 7:36Perhaps a man has agreed to marry a young woman. They may have decided to wait before they marry. But, as they grow older, the man may think differently. He may think that he needs to marry her. Then, he should do what he wants to do. It is good for them to marry. It is not wrong.
• Ephesians 5:3So, as God's people, you must never have sex with anyone that you are not married to. Do not do any kind of disgusting thing like that. Do not want many things for yourselves, just to make you happy. That is not how God's people should live.
• Philippians 4:8Now my friends, I want to say this to you. Fill your minds with thoughts about good things. Think about things that are true, clean, right and lovely. Always think about things which people know are very good.
• 1 Timothy 1:10people who have sex in a wrong way; men who have sex with other men; people who catch other people to sell them; people who tell lies; people who do not speak the truth in court; people who do any wrong things that are against God's true message.
• 1 Corinthians 7:33But a man who has married thinks a lot about this world's things. He wants to live in a way that makes his wife happy.
• Luke 8:14Some seeds fell among thorn bushes. This is like some other people who hear the message from God. But they start to have many troubles in their minds about how they will live. They want to get more money and more things. They think that this will make them happy. So they do not let God's message change them. They are like plants that do not grow into strong plants.
• 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 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.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7:35

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 35This I speak for your own profit - The advices belong to yourselves alone, because of the peculiar circumstances in which you are placed. Nothing spoken here was ever designed to be of general application; it concerned the Church at Corinth alone, or Churches in similar circumstances. Not that I may cast a snare upon you - ̔ ̔ - Here is a manifest allusion to the Retiarius among the Romans, who carried a small casting net, which he endeavored to throw…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 35For your own profit - That you may avail yourselves of all your advantages and privileges, and pursue such a course as shall tend most to advance your personal piety and salvation. Not that I may cast a snare upon you - The word rendered “snare” ( ́ brochon) means a cord, a rope, a bond; and the sense is, that Paul would not BinD them by any rule which God had not made; or that he would not restrain them from that which is lawful, and which the welfare of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-35Verses 25-35 Considering the distress of those times, the unmarried state was best. Notwithstanding, the apostle does not condemn marriage. How opposite are those to the apostle Paul who forbid many to marry, and entangle them with vows to remain single, whether they ought to do so or not! He exhorts all Christians to holy indifference toward the world. As to relations; they must not set their hearts on the comforts of the state. As to afflictions; they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25-35Paul provides three reasons why it is often better for single people to stay unmarried. First, single people face fewer daily problems than married people. Second, since the end is near, Christians should not let marriage and worldly matters be their main focus. Their main focus should be Christ and eternity. Third, marriage involves earthly responsibilities and divided interests, so those who stay single can dedicate their lives more fully to serving…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3535. for your own profit--not to display my apostolic authority. not ... cast a snare upon you--image from throwing a noose over an animal in hunting. Not that by hard injunctions I may entangle you with the fear of committing sin where there is no sin. comely--befitting under present circumstances. attend upon--literally, "assiduously wait on"; sitting down to the duty. Compare Lu 10:39, Mary; Lu 2:37, "Anna ... a widow, who departed not from the temple…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 7:35

• Celibacy
• Marriage

In the dictionaries

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

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