New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 7:4
4The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
- New International Version (NIV)The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Context of 1 Corinthians 7:4
2But 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. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 71 Corinthians 7:4 word by word
ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἀνήρ· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει ἀλλ᾽ ἡ γυνή.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- The wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
- hathἐξουσιάζωexousiazō · to have authorityG1850
- notοὐou · noG3756
- of her ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
- bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- the husbandἀνήρanēr · man: husbandG435
- andδέde · thenG1161
- likewiseὁμοίωςhomoiōs · similarlyG3668
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 7:4
- Hosea 3:3Then I said to her, “You must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time, you will not have sexual relations with anyone, not even with me.”
- Matthew 19:9And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
- Mark 10:11He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The wife hath not power, etc. - Her person belongs to her husband; her husband's person belongs to her: neither of them has any authority to refuse what the other has a matrimonial right to demand. The woman that would act so is either a knave or a fool. It would be trifling to attribute her conduct to any other cause than weakness or folly. She does not love her husband; or she loves some one else better than her husband; or she makes pretensions to a…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The wife hath not power - By the marriage covenant that power, in this respect, is transferred to the husband, And likewise, also, the husband - The equal rights of husband and wife, in the Scriptures, are everywhere maintained. They are to regard themselves as united in most intimate union, and in most tender ties.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 7:4
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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