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Read the Bible

George Lamsa Translation

1 Corinthians 7:9

But if they cannot endure it, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Celibacy;   Chastity;   Continence;   Marriage;   Stoicism;   Widow;   Scofield Reference Index - Holy Spirit;   Test-Tempt;   The Topic Concordance - Marriage;   Sexual Activities;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Fornication;   Marriage;   Self-discipline;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Marriage;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Celibacy ;   Polygamy;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Adultery;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Marriage;   Passion;   Sex, Biblical Teaching on;   1 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Marriage;   Temperance;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Marriage;   Metaphor;   Temperance ;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Burn;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Corinthians;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Burn;   Continency;   Fire;   Self-Control;   Temperance;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, since it is better to marry than to burn with desire.
King James Version (1611)
But if they cannot conteine, let them marry: for it is better to marrie then to burne.
King James Version
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
English Standard Version
But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
New American Standard Bible
But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
New Century Version
But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire.
Amplified Bible
But if they do not have [sufficient] self-control, they should marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Legacy Standard Bible
But if they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Berean Standard Bible
But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Contemporary English Version
But if you don't have enough self-control, then go ahead and get married. After all, it is better to marry than to burn with desire.
Complete Jewish Bible
but if they can't exercise self-control, they should get married; because it is better to get married than to keep burning with sexual desire.
Darby Translation
But if they have not control over themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.
Easy-to-Read Version
But if you cannot control your body, then you should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But if they cannot abstaine, let them marrie: for it is better to marrie then to burne.
Good News Translation
But if you cannot restrain your desires, go ahead and marry—it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Lexham English Bible
But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire.
Literal Translation
But if they do not have self control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to be inflamed.
American Standard Version
But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
Bible in Basic English
But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire.
Hebrew Names Version
But if they don't have self-control, let them marry. For it's better to marry than to burn.
International Standard Version
However, if they cannot control themselves, they should get married, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.with passion
">[fn]1 Timothy 5:14;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Yet, if they persevere not, they should marry; for it is better to take a wife than to burn with concupiscence.
Murdock Translation
9 But if they cannot endure [fn] , let them marry: for it is more profitable to take a wife, than to burn with concupiscence.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But if they can not abstayne, let them marrie: For it is better to marrie then to burne.
English Revised Version
But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
World English Bible
But if they don't have self-control, let them marry. For it's better to marry than to burn.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But if they have not power over themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.
Weymouth's New Testament
If, however, they cannot maintain self-control, by all means let them marry; for marriage is better than the fever of passion.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
That if thei conteynen not hem silf, be thei weddid; for it is betere to be weddid, than to be brent.
Update Bible Version
But if they don't have self-control, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
Webster's Bible Translation
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
New English Translation
But if they do not have self-control, let them get married. For it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire.
New King James Version
but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
New Living Translation
But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It's better to marry than to burn with lust.
New Life Bible
But if you are not able to keep from doing that which you know is wrong, get married. It is better to get married than to have such strong sex desires.
New Revised Standard
But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, if they have not self-control, let them marry, for, better, is it, to marry than to burn.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.
Revised Standard Version
But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But and yf they canot abstayne let them mary. For it is better to mary then to burne.
Young's Literal Translation
and if they have not continence -- let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But yf they cannot absteyne, let them mary. For it is better to mary, then to burne.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but if they have not the gift, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to be in pain.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But if you run too hot in the loins, then go ahead and get married. It's better to be married than burn with passion that leads to sin.

Contextual Overview

1 NOW concerning the things which you wrote to me: It is proper for a husband not to have intimacy with his wife at times. 2 Nevertheless, because of the danger of immorality, let every man cling to his own wife, and let every woman cling to her own husband. 3 Let the husband give to his wife the love which he owes her; and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife has no authority over her own body, but her husband; and likewise also the husband has no authority over his own body, but his wife. 5 Therefore do not deprive one another except when both of you consent to do so, especially at the time when you devote yourselves to fasting and prayer; and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your physical passion. 6 But I say this only to weak persons, for it is not part of the law. 7 For I would that all men were like myself in purity. But every man has his proper gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that. 8 I say this to those who have no wives and to widows, It is better for them to be as I am; 9 But if they cannot endure it, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

let: 1 Corinthians 7:2, 1 Corinthians 7:28, 1 Corinthians 7:36, 1 Corinthians 7:39, 1 Timothy 5:11, 1 Timothy 5:14

Reciprocal: Matthew 19:11 - General 2 Timothy 3:3 - incontinent

Cross-References

Genesis 2:19
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 7:6
And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth.
Genesis 7:9
There went in two and two with Noah into the ark, the males and the females, as God had commanded Noah.
Genesis 7:11
In the six hundredth year of Noahs life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that very day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth and the windows of heaven were opened.
Genesis 7:12
And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:16
And they that entered, males and females of every living thing went in, as God had commanded him. Then the LORD shut him in.
Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpents food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, says the LORD.
Jeremiah 8:7
Yea, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Syrian, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Jesus Christ.
Colossians 3:11
Where there is neither Jew nor Syrian, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Greek nor barbarian, slave nor freeman; but Christ is all and in all men.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But if they cannot contain, c. Or "if they do not contain", as the words may be rendered, and as almost all versions do render them if they have not the gift of continency; if they are not willing, and do not think fit to contain, for none are to be compelled; if either therefore they want a will or power to contain, let them marry; it is not only lawful for them to marry, but it is right and best for them; hence it appears that second marriages are lawful, which were condemned by some of the ancients: for it is better to marry than to burn; or be burnt; not with material fire, as Judah ordered Tamar to be brought forth and burnt with, for whoredom; nor with hell fire, the just demerit of uncleanness; but with the fire of lust itself; and so the Syriac version reads it, "it is better to marry than to be burnt" ברגתא, "with lust"; when persons not only find in them some lustful motions and desires, and a glowing heat of concupiscence; but are as it were all on fire with the lusts of the flesh, and in great danger of being drawn into the commission of fornication, adultery, or other pollutions, and even unnatural lusts; it is much better to enter into a marriage state, though it may have its cares, inconveniences, and difficulties, than to be under temptations and inclinations to such defilements: so the Jews often express the lust of concupiscence by fire; they tell g us a

"story of R. Amram, that he redeemed all the captives, men and women; and the women and the virgins dwelt in a chamber in his house alone; one time, Satan kindled in him, אש התאוה, "the fire of lust", and he set a ladder to go up to them, and when he came upon the steps of the ladder, he began to cry with a loud voice, נורא בי עמרם נורא בי עמרם, "fire in the house of Amram, fire in the house of Amram": and the men came to quench the fire, and found nothing burning; for it was only his intention to cause to cease from him the fire of lust; and his thought ceased and his mind grew cool; and they asked him, why he mocked them? he replied, for this is a greater "fire" than all the fires in the world, for it is the fire of hell:''

This story is also told in the Talmud h, with some little variation: so we read of one that is אתלהיט ביצר רע, "inflamed" i, or all on fire "with the corruption of nature", who does not direct his heart to God: and such a man that finds his corruptions prevail over him, he ought to marry, they say k, as a proper remedy against it:

"he whose mind is intent upon the law continually, and learns it as Ben Azzai, and cleaves to it all his days, and does not marry a wife, there is no iniquity in his hands, and that because his corruption does not prevail over him; but if his corruption prevails over him,

חייב לישא אשה, "he ought to marry a wife":''

and that for the very reason the apostle here gives. The Ethiopic version reads, "it is better to marry than to commit fornication"; that and adultery both are expressed by fire and burning, with the Jews, as they prove from Hosea 7:4 l

g Caphtor, fol. 62. 1. h T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 81. 1. i Zohar in Lev. fol. 21. 1. k Maimon. Hilch. Ishot, c. 15. sect. 3. l Vet. Nizzachon, p. 43, 44.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But if they cannot contain - If they have not the gift of continence; if they cannot be secure against temptation; if they have not strength of virtue enough to preserve them from the danger of sin, and of bringing reproach and scandal on the church.

It is better - It is to be preferred.

Than to burn - The passion here referred to is often compared to a fire; see Virgil, Aeneas 4:68. It is better to marry, even with all the inconveniences attending the marriage life in a time of distress and persecution in the church 1 Corinthians 7:26, than to be the prey of raging, consuming, and exciting passions.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 7:9. But if they cannot contain — If they find it inconvenient and uncomfortable to continue as widowers and widows, let them remarry.

It is better to marry than to burn. — Bishop Pearce translates the original thus: For it is better to marry than to be made uneasy. πυρουσθαι, says he, "signifies primarily to burn; but in a metaphorical sense, to be troubled, vexed, or made uneasy. So in 2 Corinthians 11:29: Who is offended and I burn not, και ουκ εγω πυρουμαι, and I am not troubled. So in Terence, Uro hominem, is I vex him." It would be well to soften the sense of this word in reference to the subject of which the apostle speaks. He cannot mean burning with lust, no more than Virgil means so when he says, AEn. iv. ver. 68: Uritur infelix Dido, the unfortunate Dido is tormented; and in Eccl. ii. 68: Me tamen urit amor, love torments me. All this may be said with the strictest truth in such cases where the impure fire referred to above has no existence.

A curious story, which certainly casts light on the phraseology of this place, is related by Dr. Lightfoot, from the tract Kiddushin, fol. 81. "Some captive women were brought to Nehardea, and disposed in the house and the upper room of Rabbi Amram. They took away the ladder [that the women might not get down, but stay there till they were ransomed.] As one of these captives passed by the window, the light of her great beauty shined into the house. Amram [captivated] set up the ladder; and when he was got to the middle of the steps [checked by his conscience] he stopped short, and with a loud voice cried out FIRE! FIRE! in the house of Amram! [This he did that, the neighbours flocking in, he might be obliged to desist from the evil affection which now prevailed in him.] The rabbins ran to him, and [seeing no fire] they said, Thou hast disgraced us. To which he replied: It is better that ye be disgraced in the house of Amram in this world, then that ye be disgraced by me in the world to come. He then adjured that evil affection to go out of him, and it went out as a pillar of FIRE. Amram said: Thou art FIRE, and I am FLESH; yet for all that I have prevailed against thee." From this story much instruction may be derived.


 
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