1 Corinthians 7:29

But this I say (touto de phmi. Note phmi here rather than legw (verses Galatians 8 12 ). A new turn is here given to the argument about the present necessity. The time is shortened (o kairo sunestalmeno estin). Perfect periphrastic passive indicative of sustellw, old verb to place together, to draw together. Only twice in the N.T., here and Acts 5:6 which see. Found in the papyri for curtailing expenses. Calvin takes it for the shortness of human life, but apparently Paul pictures the foreshortening of time (opportunity) because of the possible nearness of and hope for the second coming. But in Philippians Paul faces death as his fate ( Philippians 1:21-26 ), though still looking for the coming of Christ ( 1 Corinthians 3:20 ). That henceforth (to loipon ina). Proleptic position of to loipon before ina and in the accusative of general reference and ina has the notion of result rather than purpose (Robertson, Grammar, p. 997). As though they had none (w mh econte). This use of w with the participle for an assumed condition is regular and mh in the Koin is the normal negative of the participle. So the idiom runs on through verse 1 Corinthians 31 .