New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 7:8
8So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am.
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 say this as a concession, not as a command. 7But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another. So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust. 10But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 71 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
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
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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