1 Corinthians 7:8

1 Corinthians 7:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
• New International Version (NIV)Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.
• English Standard Version (ESV)To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

Context of 1 Corinthians 7:8

6I am saying these things to help you. I am not telling you what you must do. 7It would be good if all of you could live in the way that I do. But each person has his own gift from God. God helps one person to live in a certain way. God helps another person with a different gift. I will say this to those of you who have not married yet, and to those who are widows. It is better for you to remain alone. That is how I myself live. 9But if you want to have sex too strongly, then you should marry. It is better to do that than to want to have sex all the time. 10I will say this to people who have married. (This is not my rule. It is a rule that comes from the Lord himself.) A wife must not leave her husband.

1 Corinthians 7:8 word by word

Λέγω δὲ τοῖς ἀγάμοις καὶ ταῖς χήραις, καλὸν αὐτοῖς ἐὰν μείνωσιν ὡς κἀγώ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• thereforeδέde · thenG1161
• to the unmarriedὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to the unmarriedἄγαμοςagamos · unmarriedG22
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• widowsχήραchēra · widowG5503
• It isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• for themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• they abideμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• evenὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• as Iκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 7:8

• 1 Corinthians 7:26This is what I think: There are many troubles in the world today. So it is better for everybody to continue as they are.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The unmarried and widows - It is supposed that the apostle speaks here of men who had been married, in the word , but were now widowers; as he does of women who had been married, in the word , but were now widows. And when he says ̔ , even as I, he means that he himself was a widower; for several of the ancients rank Paul among the married apostles.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8It is good for them - It may be advisable, in the present circumstances of persecution and distress, not to be encumbered with the cares and anxieties of a family; see 1 Corinthians 7:26, 1 Corinthians 7:32-34. The word unmarried ( ̓́ agamois) may refer either to those who had never been married, or to widowers. It here means simply those who were at that time unmarried, and his reasoning applies to both classes. And to widows - The apostle specifies…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9Paul advises that staying unmarried is better because it allows more opportunities to serve Christ without distraction (1 Corinthians 7:32–35). However, even with its distractions, an honorable marriage is much better than living with unsatisfied sexual desire.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. to the unmarried--in general, of both sexes (1Co 7:10, 11). and widows--in particular. even as I--unmarried (1Co 9:5).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 7:8

• Celibacy
• Chastity
• Continence
• Example
• Marriage
• Stoicism
• Widow

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