1 Corinthians 7:8

Amplified Bible

But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, [that as a practical matter] it is good if they remain [single and entirely devoted to the Lord] as I am.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Now for those who are not married and for the widows I say this: It is good for you to stay single like me.

Revised Standard Version
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I saye vnto the vnmaried men and widdowes: it is good for them yf they abyde eve as I do.

Hebrew Names Version
But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

International Standard Version
I say to those who are unmarried, especially to widows: It is good for them to remain like me.1 Corinthians 7:1,26;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

New Century Version
Now for those who are not married and for the widows I say this: It is good for them to stay unmarried as I am.

Update Bible Version
But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

Webster's Bible Translation
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I.

English Standard Version
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.

World English Bible
But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But to the unmarried and the widows I say, It is good for them, if they remain even as I.

Weymouth's New Testament
But I tell the unmarried, and women who are widows, that it is well for them to remain as I am.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Y seie to hem, that ben not weddid, and to widewis, it is good to hem, if thei dwellen so as Y.

English Revised Version
But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

Berean Standard Bible
Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

Contemporary English Version
Here is my advice for people who have never been married and for widows. You should stay single, just as I am.

American Standard Version
But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

Bible in Basic English
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am.

Complete Jewish Bible
Now to the single people and the widows I say that it is fine if they remain unmarried like me;

Darby Translation
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them that they remain even as I.

Etheridge Translation
But I say to those who have no wives, and to the widows, that it is expedient for them to remain as I do.

Murdock Translation
And I say to them who have no wives, and to widows, that it is advantageous to them to remain as I am.

King James Version (1611)
I say therefore to the vnmaried and widowes, It is good for them if they abide euen as I.

New Living Translation
So I say to those who aren't married and to widows—it's better to stay unmarried, just as I am.

New Life Bible
This is what I say to those who are not married and to women whose husbands have died. It is good if you do not get married. I am not married.

New Revised Standard
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore I say vnto the vnmaried, and vnto the widowes, It is good for them if they abide euen as I doe.

George Lamsa Translation
I say this to those who have no wives and to widows, It is better for them to be as I am;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But I say, to the unmarried, and to the widows, good, were it for them, that they should abide, even as I;

Douay-Rheims Bible
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I say therefore vnto them that be vnmaryed and wyddowes, it is good for them if they abyde euen as I.

Good News Translation
Now, to the unmarried and to the widows I say that it would be better for you to continue to live alone as I do.

Christian Standard Bible®
I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am.

King James Version
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.

Lexham English Bible
Now I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am.

Literal Translation
But I say to the unmarried men, and to the widows, it is good for them if they also remain as I am .

Young's Literal Translation
And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I [am];

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
To them verely yt are vnmaried and to wedowes I saye: It is good for the that they abyde also as I do.

Mace New Testament (1729)
As to the unmarried and widows, I say, it is best for them to continue so, as I do.

THE MESSAGE
I do, though, tell the unmarried and widows that singleness might well be the best thing for them, as it has been for me. But if they can't manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single.

New English Translation
To the unmarried and widows I say that it is best for them to remain as I am.

New King James Version
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

Simplified Cowboy Version
That's why I tell people who aren't married, and to widows, that it'd be better to stay unmarried like me.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

Legacy Standard Bible
But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

Contextual Overview

¹Now as to the matters of which you wrote: It is good (beneficial, advantageous) for a man not to touch a woman [outside marriage]. ²But because of [the temptation to participate in] sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ³The husband must fulfill his [marital] duty to his wife [with good will and kindness], and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴The wife does not have [exclusive] authority over her own body, but the husband shares with her; and likewise the husband does not have [exclusive] authority over his body, but the wife shares with him. ⁵Do not deprive each other [of marital rights], except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves [unhindered] to prayer, but come together again so that Satan will not tempt you [to sin] because of your lack of self-control. ⁶But I am saying this as a concession, not as a command. ⁷I wish that all the people were as I am; but each person has his own gift from God, one of this kind and one of that. ⁸But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, [that as a practical matter] it is good if they remain [single and entirely devoted to the Lord] as I am.⁹But if they do not have [sufficient] self-control, they should marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Corinthians 7:26, 1 Corinthians 7:27, 1 Corinthians 7:32, 1 Corinthians 7:34, 1 Corinthians 7:35

Reciprocal: Matthew 19:10 - General 1 Corinthians 7:1 - good 1 Corinthians 7:38 - doeth better 1 Corinthians 7:40 - she 1 Timothy 5:14 - the younger

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows,.... Not by way of command, but advice: by the "unmarried" he means, either such men who never were in a married state, or else such who had been married, but their wives were dead; which latter sense seems more agreeable, since they are joined with "widows", who had lost their husbands:

it is good for them if they abide; unmarried, and do not change their condition any more; not that it was sinful to marry again, for he allows of it in the next verse, in case they have not the gift of continence; and therefore "good" here, is not opposed to evil, only signifies that it would be better for them, more expedient and profitable for them; they would be more free from the cares of life, have less trouble, and be more at leisure to serve the Lord; and which he knew by experience, and therefore, proposes himself as an example:

even as I; that is, as he was then; for at that time it seems certain that he had no wife; though whether he had had one, and she was now dead, or whether he had never been married, may be matter of dispute; the former seems most agreeable, since he proposes himself as an example to widowers and widows; and having known what a married and single state both were, was better able to give his judgment of both, and proper advice to such persons which must come with more force and strength, and a better grace, from such an one.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is good for them - It may be advisable, in the present circumstances of persecution and distress, not to be encumbered with the cares and anxieties of a family; see 1 Corinthians 7:26, 1 Corinthians 7:32-34. The word unmarried (ἀγάμοις agamois) may refer either to those who had never been married, or to widowers. It here means simply those who were at that time unmarried, and his reasoning applies to both classes.

And to widows - The apostle specifies these, though he had not specified “widowers” particularly. The reason of this distinction seems to be, that he considers more particularly the case of those females who had never been married, in the close of the chapter, 1 Corinthians 7:25.

That they abide - That they remain, in the present circumstances, unmarried; see 1 Corinthians 7:26.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 7:8. The unmarried and widows — It is supposed that the apostle speaks here of men who had been married, in the word αγαμοι, but were now widowers; as he does of women who had been married, in the word χηραι, but were now widows. And when he says ωςκαγω, even as I, he means that he himself was a widower; for several of the ancients rank Paul among the married apostles.