1 Corinthians 7:27

27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

1 Corinthians 7:27 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 7:27

Art thou bound unto a wife?
&c.] Or to a woman; either by promise, or by espousal, or by consummate marriage; either of which is a tic, or obligation, a bond, and especially the latter; marriage is such a bond as cannot be dissolved, but by the death of one of the parties; see ( Romans 7:2 ) unless in case of adultery, or of wilful desertion: and it is a bond which mutually obliges; as the husband is bound by the law of marriage to live chastely and lovingly with his wife, and to take care of her, and provide for her; so the wife is bound by the same law to live in like manner with her husband, and to submit unto him, and obey him:

seek not to be loosed;
do not depart from her, nor seek to be divorced, nor even desire to be loosed by death:

art thou loosed from a wife?
being either never married, or else if having been married the wife is dead, or legally divorced for a just cause:

seek not a wife,
or woman; make no inquiry after one; be content to live without one; enter not into a marriage state, nor take any step towards it; it is best to continue loosed, for the reason above given, that is, provided the person has the gift of continence, otherwise not; see ( 1 Corinthians 7:5 ) .

1 Corinthians 7:27 In-Context

25 Now concerning virgins I do not have a command from the Lord, but I am giving an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

26 Therefore, I consider this to be good because of the impending distress, that [it is] good for a man to be thus.

27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 But if you marry, you have not sinned, and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have affliction in the flesh, and I would spare you.

29 But I say this, brothers: the time is shortened, that from now on even those who have wives should be as [if they] do not have [wives],