1 Corinthians 7:13

13 And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave [her] husband.

1 Corinthians 7:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 7:13

And the woman which hath an husband that believeth
The apostle puts the case both ways, there being the same reason for one as for another; that if she that was a sister, who was partaker of the grace of God, and a member of the church, had a husband to whom she was married before her conversion; who was an unbeliever, had no faith in Christ, nor any notion of the Gospel, but an infidel to both:

and if he be pleased to dwell with her;
loves her, and is willing to continue with her; neither puts her away from him, nor departs from her on account of her Christianity:

let her not leave him;
but continue, and cohabit with him as man and wife; this is the advice the apostle gives, as agreeably to the light of nature and reason; as becoming the Gospel of Christ, and as what might serve to recommend it, and spread the knowledge of it.

1 Corinthians 7:13 In-Context

11 (but if also she shall have been separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband;) and let not husband leave wife.

12 But as to the rest, *I* say, not the Lord, If any brother have an unbelieving wife, and *she* consent to dwell with him, let him not leave her.

13 And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave [her] husband.

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother; since [otherwise] indeed your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

15 But if the unbeliever go away, let them go away; a brother or a sister is not bound in such [cases], but God has called us in peace.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit. 'the husband.'