New International Version
1 Corinthians 7:16
16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
1 Corinthians 7:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
- English Standard Version (ESV)For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
- New King James Version (NKJV)For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?
Context of 1 Corinthians 7:16
14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? 17Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 71 Corinthians 7:16 word by word
τί γὰρ οἶδας, γύναι, εἰ τὸν ἄνδρα σώσεις; ἢ τί οἶδας, ἄνερ, εἰ τὴν γυναῖκα σώσεις;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 7:16
- 1 Corinthians 9:22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
- Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
- Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
- 1 Timothy 4:16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
- James 5:19My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back,
- 1 Peter 3:1Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16For what knowest thou, O wife - You that are Christians, and who have heathen partners, do not give them up because they are such, for you may become the means of saving them unto eternal life. Bear your cross, and look up to God, and he may give your unbelieving husband or wife to your prayers.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For what knowest thou - The apostle here assigns a reason why the believing party should not separate from the other needlessly, or why he should not desire to be separated. The reason is, the possibility, or the probability, that the unbelieving party might be converted by the example and entreaties of the other. Whether then - How do you know “but” this may be done? Is there not a possibility, nay a probability of it, and is not this a sufficient…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-16Verses 10-16 Man and wife must not separate for any other cause than what Christ allows. Divorce, at that time, was very common among both Jews and Gentiles, on very slight pretexts. Marriage is a Divine institution; and is an engagement for life, by God's appointment. We are bound, as much as in us lies, to live peaceably with all men, Ro 12:18, therefore to promote the peace and comfort of our nearest relatives, though unbelievers. It should be the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16There is always hope that the believing spouse will lead the unbelieving partner to faith in Christ. However, the Greek text is unclear and might also mean there is no guarantee the believing partner will ever convince the unbelieving spouse.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. What knowest thou but that by staying with thy unbelieving partner thou mayest save him or her? Enforcing the precept to stay with the unbelieving consort (1Co 7:12-14). So Ruth the Moabitess became a convert to her husband's faith: and Joseph and Moses probably gained over their wives. So conversely the unbelieving husband may be won by the believing wife (1Pe 3:1) [Calvin]. Or else (1Co 7:15), if thy unbelieving consort wishes to depart, let him go…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 7:16
In the dictionaries
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
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