1 Corinthians 7 2

1 Corinthians 7:2 kjv

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7:2 nkjv

Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7:2 niv

But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7:2 esv

But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7:2 nlt

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7 verses

1 Corinthians 7 2 meaning

The verse instructs that because of the pervasive temptation and prevalence of sexual immorality (all forms of illicit sexual activity), each married individual should engage in regular, exclusive sexual relations with their own spouse. It is a divine provision and practical safeguard within the covenant of marriage against widespread sexual sin, emphasizing mutual sexual faithfulness and commitment.

1 Corinthians 7 2 Context

1 Corinthians chapter 7 specifically addresses questions regarding marriage, celibacy, and sexual conduct, which the Corinthian church likely posed to Paul (implied by "Now concerning the things about which you wrote" in 7:1). The immediate context of verse 2 follows the statement in verse 1, "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman," which may have been a popular, ascetic slogan or viewpoint within the Corinthian church. Paul, while acknowledging that celibacy can be good, immediately qualifies it, not as a universal rule but as an ideal for those with the specific gift. Verse 2 acts as a crucial qualification for the majority who do not possess such a gift.

Historically and culturally, Corinth was a major Roman port city known for its rampant sexual immorality. The temple of Aphrodite housed numerous sacred prostitutes, and promiscuity was widely accepted. Paul's audience was constantly exposed to and often drawn into these pagan norms. The church itself was struggling with various issues, including sexual sin (e.g., the case of incest in 1 Cor 5). Paul's instructions provide boundaries and a framework for godly living amidst a sexually licentious culture, asserting marriage as the proper and God-ordained context for sexual expression, in direct contrast to pagan sexual license and potentially misguided ascetic tendencies.

1 Corinthians 7 2 Word analysis

• Ἀλλὰ (Alla): "But," "however." This serves as a strong adversative conjunction, indicating a counterpoint or a qualification to the statement in 1 Cor 7:1 regarding celibacy. Paul moves from the ideal to the practical necessity.
• διὰ (dia): "On account of," "because of." Introduces the reason or cause for the subsequent command. It highlights the driving force behind the marital injunction.
• τὰς πορνείας (tas porneias): "Sexual immoralities," "fornications" (plural).
  • πορνεία (porneia): This is a comprehensive Greek term for any and all forms of illicit sexual activity outside the bounds of biblical marriage. It includes premarital sex, extramarital affairs, incest, prostitution, and homosexuality. The plural emphasizes the widespread nature and various manifestations of sexual sin. Its use here indicates the severity and pervasiveness of such sin in Corinth.
• ἕκαστος (hekastos): "Each," "every one." This emphasizes individual responsibility and applies the instruction universally within the married congregation, rather than to a select few.
• ἔχειν (echein): "To have," "to hold." Here used idiomatically for sexual relations. In the context of "wife" or "husband," it denotes an ongoing, intimate marital relationship, fulfilling mutual conjugal rights.
• τὴν ἑαυτοῦ (tēn heautou): "His own" (feminine singular, modifying "wife"). Stresses personal possession and exclusivity, countering the societal fluidity regarding sexual partners.
• γυναῖκα (gynaika): "Wife." Specifies the legitimate marital partner for sexual relations.
• καὶ (kai): "And." A simple conjunction, connecting the two parts of the reciprocal command.
• ἑκάστη (hekastē): "Each" (feminine singular). Reciprocates the individual responsibility to women.
• τὸν ἴδιον (ton idion): "Her own" (masculine singular, modifying "husband"). Again, emphasizes exclusive ownership and personal covenant.
• ἄνδρα (andra): "Husband." The legitimate marital partner for a woman.

Words-group analysis:

• διὰ τὰς πορνείας (dia tas porneias): "Because of sexual immoralities." This phrase reveals the immediate motivation for Paul's command. It's a pragmatic recognition of human weakness, temptation, and the widespread reality of sin in the Corinthian environment. Marriage is presented as a divinely appointed hedge or safeguard against such temptations and failures.
• ἕκαστος ἄνδρα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω (hekastos andra tēn heautou gynaika ekhetō): "Each man should have sexual relations with his own wife." This is an imperative command. The inclusion of "his own" (ἑαυτοῦ) is crucial, demanding marital exclusivity. It is a protective measure both for the individual and the sanctity of the marital bond.
• καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα (kai hekastē ton idion andra): "and each woman with her own husband." This is a reciprocal command, mirroring the man's obligation. The term "her own" (ἴδιον) reinforces exclusivity and mutual obligation within the marriage. It rejects any patriarchal bias that might only command male fidelity, emphasizing that both spouses have an exclusive duty and right to each other.

1 Corinthians 7 2 Bonus section

The imperative nature of "ἐχέτω" (ekhetō, "should have") carries the force of a command rather than a mere suggestion, emphasizing the obligatory aspect of conjugal rights and duties for both spouses within a Christian marriage. This contrasts sharply with certain philosophical schools of thought in the ancient world, like some Gnostic tendencies, which either elevated asceticism to an absolute virtue (thus devaluing physical intimacy in marriage) or swung to the extreme of licentiousness, seeing the body as irrelevant. Paul provides a balanced, biblical perspective: celibacy is good if gifted, but marriage with its conjugal duties is essential for the majority, serving as a powerful safeguard against widespread temptation. This highlights marriage's practical, spiritual, and protective dimensions against a fallen world.

1 Corinthians 7 2 Commentary

Verse 1 Corinthians 7:2 serves as a foundational command for sexual ethics within marriage, driven by a profound understanding of human nature and societal reality. Paul's teaching is both prescriptive and preventive. He moves swiftly from the ideal of celibacy (for those gifted for it, as hinted in v. 1 and explicit later) to the practical necessity of marital relations for the vast majority. The pervasive nature of "porneia"—all forms of illicit sex—in the Greco-Roman world, particularly Corinth, underscored the urgent need for a legitimate and God-honoring outlet for sexual drives.

Marriage is thus presented as God's antidote and protective barrier against widespread sexual sin. It is not merely a social contract but a divine institution where sexual expression is both legitimate and exclusive. The use of "each" (hekastos) emphasizes individual responsibility for both men and women to fulfill their sexual obligations exclusively within their marriage. This reciprocation (man to wife, wife to husband) highlights the mutual nature of the marital covenant and equal claims to each other's bodies, challenging prevailing patriarchal norms where men might have sought sexual gratification outside of marriage. By commanding conjugal relations within marriage, Paul sanctifies human sexuality, aligning it with God's design while protecting individuals from succumbing to the temptations of a sexually depraved culture. This directive underlines the holiness of the marital bed and the duty of spouses to honor their vows through physical intimacy, fostering marital unity and safeguarding personal purity.