1 Corinthians 7:37 kjv
Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
1 Corinthians 7:37 nkjv
Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.
1 Corinthians 7:37 niv
But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin?this man also does the right thing.
1 Corinthians 7:37 esv
But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.
1 Corinthians 7:37 nlt
But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry.
1 Corinthians 7 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 7:2 | But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. | To avoid fornication |
| Genesis 2:18 | The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” | Basis for marriage |
| Matthew 19:4-6 | He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” | God's design for union |
| 1 Thessalonians 4:3 | For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from sexual immorality; | Will of God, purity |
| Hebrews 13:4 | Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. | Honor of marriage bed |
| 1 Corinthians 6:18 | Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. | Flee sexual sin |
| Romans 13:14 | But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to grat a s to gratify its desires. | Not provide for fleshly lusts |
| 1 Corinthians 7:9 | But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. | Better to marry than burn |
| Leviticus 19:29 | Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land descend into prostitution and the land become filled with wickedness. | Protecting from prostitution |
| Song of Solomon 8:7 | Many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly still. | Love's powerful expression |
| Proverbs 5:15-20 | Drink water from your own cistern, from the spring of your own well. Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for you alone, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, letting her alone be your desire and embrace. Let her breast satisfy you always; be intoxicated always with her love. Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an outsider? | Marital faithfulness |
| Acts 15:20 | but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. | Early church prohibition |
| Romans 1:24-27 | Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. | Natural desires misdirected |
| 1 Corinthians 7:36 | If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his youthful passion is hard to control and if this is how it must be, let him marry her whom he desires. It is no sin. | Previous verse context |
| 1 Corinthians 7:37 | But he who is steadfast in his heart, not having a be pressed, to marry her is permitted. | Steadfast heart allowance |
| Ephesians 5:22-23 | Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. | Marital roles |
| Ephesians 5:25-31 | Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” | Husband's love for wife |
| 1 Corinthians 6:13 | “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. | Body for the Lord |
| 1 Corinthians 7:28 | But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if she is a betrothed virgin, she has not sinned; but such shall have tribulation in this life; and I am eager to spare you this. | Tribulations of marriage |
| 1 Peter 4:11 | Whoever speaks, as one speaks the oracles of God! Whoever serves, as one’s strength provides! in all things may God be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. | Glorifying God in service |
1 Corinthians 7 verses
1 Corinthians 7 37 Meaning
This verse clarifies a nuanced situation regarding a man's responsibility towards his betrothed virgin. If a man's sexual drive or urges are uncontrollable during the engagement period, and he feels he cannot maintain his purity or his betrothed's purity, it is permissible for him to proceed with the marriage. The verse emphasizes that this is not a sin; rather, it is a practical provision to prevent immorality and maintain sexual purity within the confines of marriage. It allows for marriage to fulfill natural desires in a God-honoring way.
1 Corinthians 7 37 Context
This verse is situated within Paul's extensive discussion on marriage and singleness in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. The immediate context (verses 36-38) addresses the specific situation of a man and his betrothed virgin. Paul has been advising the Corinthian church on various matters, including marriage. He is addressing potential issues that arose from misunderstandings or perhaps influences from the Corinthian culture, which might have had varying views on marriage and celibacy, possibly including some who advocated extreme asceticism or undue liberation. Paul's overarching concern is for holiness, avoiding sexual sin, and maintaining order within the church. He differentiates between the unmarried, the married, and those engaged. This particular verse offers a solution for those who are engaged but struggle with self-control regarding sexual purity before marriage.
1 Corinthians 7 37 Word Analysis
ος (hos): "He who" or "whoever." Introduces the subject of the clause.
εν (en): "in" or "within." Refers to the state of the heart.
ι stehen (isten): "stands" or "is steadfast." Indicates stability and firm resolution.
εαυτω (eautō): "to himself." The person remains firm in his own inner resolve.
κρεμασθε (kremasthe): "hangs" or "is dependent." The Lord intended a different context, but in this specific usage within older texts that might be influencing translations or interpretations: This might be a transcription error or a word from a very specific context. Based on reliable Greek lexicons and standard textual analysis for 1 Corinthians 7:37, the common Greek word here is κράτημα (kratēma) which means "firm hold," "strength," or "support." Or another possibility is ἑστήκεν (hestēken) which means "has stood firm." Let's proceed with the most likely and commonly accepted Greek text for this verse.
The critical phrase here relates to being steadfast or having a firm purpose. In standard critical texts of 1 Corinthians 7:37, the phrasing often involves mesthen eautōi (standing by himself) and thelon (θέλων) meaning "willing" or "wishing." A very likely Greek phrasing that conveys this idea of internal steadfastness without yielding to unlawful desire is related to καθίστημι (kathistēmi) in its perfect tense form, suggesting having been appointed or established. However, focusing on the widely accepted understanding of the verse:
- εν (en): "in."
- της καρδιας (tēs kardias): "the heart." The seat of will, intention, and inner disposition.
- αυτου (autou): "his." Possessive pronoun referring to the man.
- εαν (ean): "if." Conditional particle.
- ειστηκεν (eistēken): "has stood" or "stands firm." Perfect tense, signifying a settled state of steadfastness. This is the most critical word, indicating an unmoved resolve.
- εαν (ean): "if." Another conditional particle.
- εχειν (echein): "to have."
- εαυτην (eautēn): "her" (referring to the virgin).
- ωη (ōi): "to whom" or "which." Dative relative pronoun.
- η (ē): "or."
- θελει (thelei): "he wills" or "he wishes." This is a key word regarding personal volition and desire.
- γαμειν (gamein): "to marry." Infinitive of purpose or result.
- αυτη (autē): "her." Direct object of "marry."
- καλον (kalon): "good" or "right."
- εστιν (estin): "it is." Verb of being.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "εαν εστηκεν εν τη καρδια αυτου" (ean eistēken en tēs kardias autou): "if he stands firm in his heart." This highlights inner strength and self-mastery. The heart here symbolizes one's inner resolve and decision-making faculty. It's about a deep-seated commitment not to act illicitly.
- "μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην, θέλει δὲ αὐτὴν γαμεῖν" (mē echōn anankēn, thelei de autēn gamein): "but not having need, and wills to marry her." The structure suggests a concession. If one doesn't have an unavoidable internal pressure that would lead to sin (i.e., he can maintain purity), but chooses to marry her anyway for other valid reasons or simply because he wills it and finds it proper, then that is also permitted. The key here is the absence of compelling necessity driven by uncontrollable passion.
1 Corinthians 7 37 Bonus Section
The concept of "betrothal" in ancient Jewish culture was a formal covenant, more binding than modern engagement. It typically involved a legal commitment, and breaking it was akin to divorce. This context heightens the seriousness of the situation Paul is addressing. The man's potential "inability to behave properly" could have had significant social and spiritual ramifications for both himself and the woman, hence Paul's careful guidance. The verse reflects a concern for preventing shame or the need for a woman to face social disgrace due to her fiancé's lack of self-control, aligning with broader Old Testament concerns for protecting women and upholding community standards.
1 Corinthians 7 37 Commentary
This verse serves as a vital clarification concerning pre-marital relations and responsibilities. Paul states that if a man's inner resolve (his heart) is strong enough, and he can maintain purity with his betrothed without succumbing to uncontainable urges that would lead to sin, he has a choice. The option remains open for him to marry her if he wishes. It's not a compulsion if he has the self-control. The underlying principle is about honoring God and preventing sexual sin. If he has the inner fortitude to abstain without sinning, he can choose to wait or marry. Conversely, as stated in verse 36, if he cannot control his passions, marriage is the permitted and proper solution. This duality emphasizes responsible decision-making based on one's inner state and God's allowance for marriage to channel sexual desires appropriately. It is not merely about managing physical urges but about maintaining a clear conscience and acting within God's ordained structures.