1 Corinthians 7:2

1 Corinthians 7:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
• New International Version (NIV)But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

Context of 1 Corinthians 7:2

1Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. 4The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

1 Corinthians 7:2 word by word

διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Neverthelessδέde · thenG1161
• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• fornicationπορνείαporneia · sexual sinG4202
• let every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• his ownἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• her ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• husbandἀνήρanēr · man: husbandG435

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 7:2

• 1 Corinthians 7:9But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.
• 1 Corinthians 6:18Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.
• Proverbs 5:18Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
• 1 Timothy 4:3They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.
• Proverbs 18:22The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.
• Proverbs 19:14Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
• Malachi 2:14You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.
• Ephesians 5:28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2To avoid fornication - · verto, propter exercendam libidinem, vel ut libidinem licite exercere liceat. Probo hanc notionem ex Hebraeo, ibi זנה , zanah, est libidinem exercere, Hosea 4:10; : For they shall eat and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, תזנו , libidinem exercebunt, and shall not increase. Here the prophet certainly does not speak of whoredom in our sense of the word; for the persons he mentions expected to have children, which cannot…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Nevertheless - But ( ̀ de). Though this is to be admitted as proper where it can be done, when a man has entire control of himself and his passions, and though in present circumstances it would be expedient, yet it may be proper also to enter into the marriage connection. To avoid fornication - Greek On account of ̀ diafornication. The word fornication is used here in the large sense of licentiousness in general. For the sake of the purity of society, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Due to widespread sexual immorality, Paul advises most Christians to marry (1 Corinthians 7:9). He balances the ideal of celibacy with an understanding of physical needs.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Here the general rule is given to avoid fornication--More literally, "on account of fornications," to which as being very prevalent at Corinth, and not even counted sins among the heathen, unmarried persons might be tempted. The plural, "fornications," marks irregular lusts, as contrasted with the unity of the marriage relation [Bengel]. let every man have--a positive command to all who have not the gift of continency, in fact to the great majority of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 7:2

• Celibacy
• Chastity
• Continence
• Marriage
• Stoicism
• Wife

In the dictionaries

• Abuse
• Attend
• Concubine
• Consent
• Contain
• Distraction
• Loose
• 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