1 Corinthians 7:27

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

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 the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.

26 I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is.

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

28 But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.

29 I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,