1 Corinthians 7 12

1 Corinthians 7:12 kjv

But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

1 Corinthians 7:12 nkjv

But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

1 Corinthians 7:12 niv

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

1 Corinthians 7:12 esv

To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.

1 Corinthians 7:12 nlt

Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her.

1 Corinthians 7 verses

1 Corinthians 7 12 Meaning

1 Corinthians 7:12 states a specific directive from the Apostle Paul concerning married believers whose spouses are not believers. If a Christian convert is married to an unbeliever, and that unbelieving spouse is willing to continue living with them, the Christian is forbidden to divorce them. This instruction emphasizes the preservation of the marriage covenant and anticipates God's potential working through the believing spouse.

1 Corinthians 7 12 Context

1 Corinthians chapter 7 directly addresses various questions Paul received from the Corinthian church regarding marriage and singleness, introduced in 1 Cor 7:1. The Corinthian culture was notably sexually immoral, and various philosophical or ascetic tendencies also existed, leading to confusion among new converts about their marital status. Some believers, perhaps due to zeal or misunderstanding, may have felt compelled to separate from unbelieving spouses or embrace celibacy, considering marriage (especially with an unbeliever) as less spiritual or even defiling. In verses 10-11, Paul first gives instructions to believers married to believers, directly citing Jesus' command (Matt 5:32; 19:6). Then, in verse 12, Paul shifts his attention to a specific dilemma for which Jesus did not provide an explicit direct command during His earthly ministry: what to do when one partner in an existing marriage becomes a Christian, and the other remains an unbeliever. The verse is part of Paul's larger guidance aimed at fostering holiness, maintaining order, and providing practical wisdom for new Christians navigating their faith in a complex societal landscape.

1 Corinthians 7 12 Word analysis

• To the rest (λοιποῖς - loipois): This phrase transitions the recipients of Paul's instruction from those who are already married to other believers (addressed in 1 Cor 7:10-11) to believers who find themselves in mixed marriages, i.e., with an unbelieving spouse. It denotes a different category of persons or situation.
• I say (λέγω - legō): Paul is indicating he is speaking, distinguishing his present counsel.
• I, not the Lord (ἐγὼ οὐχ ὁ Κύριος - egō ouch ho Kyrios): This critical phrase signifies that Paul is providing inspired apostolic guidance for a scenario not directly addressed by Jesus during His earthly ministry (e.g., Jesus' explicit teachings on divorce generally pertained to divorce between Jews or between believers without distinction of their previous faith state). It does not imply Paul's opinion is uninspired or less authoritative. Paul's letters are recognized as Scripture (2 Tim 3:16; 1 Cor 14:37), breathed out by God and authoritative for Christian life. He is applying Christian principles through divine wisdom to a new context.
• that if any brother (εἴ τις ἀδελφὸς - ei tis adelphos): Refers to a male believer. The instruction immediately follows for the female believer in the next verse, ensuring gender parallelism. "Brother" here implies a member of the Christian community.
• has a wife (γυναῖκα ἔχει - gynaika echei): Implies an existing marriage. Paul is not advocating for new marriages between believers and unbelievers (contrast 2 Cor 6:14).
• who is an unbeliever (ἄπιστον - apiston): This denotes someone who does not possess faith in Christ. It defines the core problem or scenario being addressed—a spiritual disparity within a marital union.
• and she consents to live with him (καὶ αὐτὴ συνευδοκεῖ οἰκεῖν μετ' αὐτοῦ - kai autē syneudokei oikein met' autou): "Consents" (συνευδοκεῖ - syneudokei) is crucial; it means to agree with, to be content with, or to be pleased to dwell with. This implies an active willingness on the part of the unbelieving spouse to maintain the marriage, despite the spiritual differences that have emerged or always existed. "To live with" (οἰκεῖν μετ' αὐτοῦ - oikein met' autou) means to reside with and continue the marital cohabitation.
• he must not divorce her (μὴ ἀφιέτω αὐτήν - mē aphiletō autēn): This is a strong prohibition (an imperative in the negative). "Divorce" (ἀφιέτω - aphietō, from ἀφίημι - aphiēmi) means to send away, release, or put away, indicating the dissolution of the marriage. The Christian spouse is commanded not to initiate divorce simply because the other spouse is an unbeliever, provided the unbeliever is willing to remain. This counteracts any potential idea that a Christian should separate due to "uncleanliness" from association with an unbeliever, especially given the purity laws prevalent in other religious contexts or emerging asceticism.

1 Corinthians 7 12 Bonus section

• Divine Approval for Mixed Marriages (Pre-Conversion): This verse affirms the validity of marriages contracted before one spouse became a believer. Unlike regulations found in parts of the Old Testament concerning marriage outside the covenant community (e.g., Ezra 10, though in different contexts), Paul confirms that a pre-existing marriage to an unbeliever is not rendered null or void by conversion, so long as the unbeliever desires to remain married.
• Evangelistic Opportunity: Implicit in the instruction to maintain the marriage is the immense opportunity for evangelism and spiritual influence within the home. The believing spouse's character, patience, and witness (as also highlighted in 1 Pet 3:1-2) can be instrumental in the unbelieving spouse's eventual conversion, illustrating the transformative power of the Gospel.
• Pastoral Sensitivity: Paul demonstrates profound pastoral sensitivity and wisdom. Instead of demanding a break-up of these marriages, which would have caused great social and familial disruption, he provides a solution that upholds the sanctity of marriage while still honoring the call to Christ. This approach minimizes societal friction for new converts and prioritizes relationship where possible.
• Contrast with Unequally Yoked: This directive for existing marriages must be clearly distinguished from the prohibition in 2 Corinthians 6:14 against Christians initiating new "unequally yoked" partnerships with unbelievers. The former is about preserving existing covenants for God's purposes, while the latter is about wise and holy formation of future covenants.

1 Corinthians 7 12 Commentary

In 1 Corinthians 7:12, Paul navigates the complexities of marriage for new converts in Corinth. He addresses the situation of a Christian married to an unbeliever, providing divine counsel tailored for this scenario, which was not explicitly covered by Jesus' direct commands on divorce. Paul's declaration, "I, not the Lord," indicates that he is offering an inspired apostolic interpretation and application of broader Christian principles to a novel pastoral problem, rather than reiterating a specific teaching Jesus gave during His earthly ministry. It does not diminish the authority or inspiration of the instruction.

The core message is to preserve such mixed marriages, provided the unbelieving spouse is willing to remain in the union. This principle guards against hasty separations driven by religious zeal or societal pressures. Paul's reasoning, further elucidated in 1 Corinthians 7:14, suggests that the believing spouse's presence imparts a form of "holiness" or consecrated status to the unbelieving spouse and their children, potentially fostering an environment for the unbeliever's conversion and ensuring the children are raised within the sphere of God's people. This also provides an opportunity for the believing spouse to serve as a witness for Christ through their consistent godly living, without needing to separate due to differing faiths. God values the sanctity of the marital bond and His overarching call is for peace, which is disrupted by unnecessary divorce.