1 Corinthians 7:30

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
It should not be important whether you are sad or whether you are happy. If you buy something, it should not matter to you that you own it.

Revised Standard Version
and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and they that wepe be as though thy wept not: and they that reioyce be as though they reioysed not: and they that bye be as though they possessed not:

Hebrew Names Version
and those who weep, as though they didn't weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn't rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn't possess;

International Standard Version
and those who mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing,

New American Standard Bible
and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

New Century Version
Those who are crying should live as if they were not crying. Those who are happy should live as if they were not happy. Those who buy things should live as if they own nothing.

Update Bible Version
and those that weep, as though they did not weep; and those that rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those that buy, as though they did not possess;

Webster's Bible Translation
And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

English Standard Version
and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

World English Bible
and those who weep, as though they didn't weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn't rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn't possess;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not;

Weymouth's New Testament
those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and thei that wepen, as thei wepten not; and thei that ioien, as thei ioieden not; and thei that bien, as thei hadden not;

English Revised Version
and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not;

Berean Standard Bible
those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;

Contemporary English Version
It will be all the same if you are crying or laughing, or if you are buying or are completely broke.

Amplified Bible
and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess [anything];

American Standard Version
and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not;

Bible in Basic English
And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing;

Complete Jewish Bible
and those who are sad should live as if they weren't, those who are happy as if they weren't,

Darby Translation
and they that weep, as not weeping; and they that rejoice, as not rejoicing; and they that buy, as not possessing;

Etheridge Translation
and they who weep, as not weeping; and they who rejoice, as not rejoicing; and they who buy, as not possessing;

Murdock Translation
and they who weep, as if they wept not; and they who rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they who buy, as if they acquired not;

King James Version (1611)
And they that weepe, as though they wept not: and they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: and they that buy, as though they possessed not:

New Living Translation
Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions.

New Life Bible
Those who have sorrow should keep on working as if they had no sorrow. Those who have joy should keep on working as if there was no time for joy. Those who buy should have no time to get joy from what they have.

New Revised Standard
and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions,

Geneva Bible (1587)
And they that weepe, as though they wept not: and they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: and they that bye, as though they possessed not:

George Lamsa Translation
And those who weep, as though they had not wept; and those who rejoice, as though they had not rejoiced; and those who buy, as though they did not possess anything;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, they who weep, as though they wept not, and, they who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not, and, they who buy, as though they possessed not,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they that weep, as though they wept not: and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not: and they that buy as if they possessed not:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they that wepe, as though they wept not: & they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: and they that bye, as though they possessed not:

Good News Translation
those who weep, as though they were not sad; those who laugh, as though they were not happy; those who buy, as though they did not own what they bought;

Christian Standard Bible®
those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they didn’t own anything,

King James Version
And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

Lexham English Bible
and those who weep as if they do not weep, and those who rejoice as if they do not rejoice, and those who buy as if they do not possess,

Literal Translation
and those weeping as not weeping, and those rejoicing as not rejoicing, and those buying as not possessing,

Young's Literal Translation
and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and they that wepe, be as though they wepte not: and they that reioyse, be as though they reioysed not: & they that bye, be as though they possessed not:

Mace New Testament (1729)
and they that weep, as those that are unconcern'd; and they that rejoice, as those that do not; and they that buy, as those that have no possessions;

New English Translation
those with tears like those not weeping, those who rejoice like those not rejoicing, those who buy like those without possessions,

New King James Version
those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,

Simplified Cowboy Version
sadness, happiness, shopping, etc.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

Legacy Standard Bible
and those who cry, as though they did not cry; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

Contextual Overview

²⁵The Master did not give explicit direction regarding virgins, but as one much experienced in the mercy of the Master and loyal to him all the way, you can trust my counsel. Because of the current pressures on us from all sides, I think it would probably be best to stay just as you are. Are you married? Stay married. Are you unmarried? Don't get married. But there's certainly no sin in getting married, whether you're a virgin or not. All I am saying is that when you marry, you take on additional stress in an already stressful time, and I want to spare you if possible. ²⁹I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple—in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out. ³²I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you're unmarried, you're free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master. Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God. I'm trying to be helpful and make it as easy as possible for you, not make things harder. All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time together with the Master without a lot of distractions.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that weep: Psalms 30:5, Psalms 126:5, Psalms 126:6, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Isaiah 25:8, Isaiah 30:19, Luke 6:21, Luke 6:25, Luke 16:25, John 16:22, Revelation 7:17, Revelation 18:7

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 24:18 - and at Jonah 4:6 - So Luke 7:13 - Weep not James 4:13 - and buy

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they that weep, as though they wept not,.... They that weep for troubles and crosses, things adverse and afflicting in a marriage state, for the loss of wives or children, should express their sorrow in such a manner and degree, as if they wept not; not that the apostle here introduces and establishes a stoical apathy, and would have persons show no manner of concern for these things; but he directs to a moderate use of sorrow, to such a degree as not to hinder and divert from the exercises of piety and religion:

and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; such who are blessed with great prosperity, and with whom everything goes well; they have married wives, and have children, and thrive in the world; let them rejoice on the account of these things, in such a still, silent way, as if they rejoiced not, their hearts not being set upon their outward felicity, nor elated with it; but rejoicing rather that their names were written in heaven, that they had an interest in Christ and his grace, and a right and title to the glories of another world, and at the same time be thankful to God for what they enjoy in this:

and they that buy as though they possessed not; meaning, not any sort of buyers, everyone is a buyer in some sense; but such as purchase estates, buy houses and lands, and become proprietors of large tracts. These the apostle would not have hold their substance for themselves, but hold it as if they did not hold it, parting with it for the use of others; and as persons that are only stewards, and not properly owners, and in a little time must quit it all, and be accountable for their use and disposition of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And they that weep - They who are afflicted.

As though they wept not - Restraining and moderating their grief by the hope of the life to come. “The general idea in all these expressions is, that in whatever situation Christians are, they should be dead to the world, and not improperly affected by passing events.” It is impossible for human nature not to feel when persecuted, maligned, slandered, or when near earthly friends are taken away. But religion will calm the troubled spirit; pour oil on the agitated waves; light up a smile in the midst of tears; cause the beams of a calm and lovely morning to rise on the anxious heart; silence the commotions of the agitated soul, and produce joy even in the midst of sorrow. Religion will keep us from immoderate grief, and sustain the soul even when in distress nature forces us to shed the tear of mourning. Christ sweat great drops of blood, and Christians often weep; but the heart may be calm, peaceful, elevated, confident in God in the darkest night and the severest tempest of calamity.

And they that rejoice - They that are happy; they that are prospered; that have beloved families around them; that are blessed with success, with honor, with esteem, with health. They that have occasion of rejoicing and gratitude.

As though they rejoiced not - Not rejoicing with excessive or immoderate joy. Not with riot or unholy mirth. Not satisfied with these things; though they may rejoice in them. Not forgetting that they must soon be left; but keeping the mind in a calm, serious, settled, thoughtful state, in view of the fact that all these things must soon come to an end. O how would this thought silence the voice of unseemly mirth; How would it produce calmness, serenity, heavenly joy, where is now often unhallowed riot; and true peace, where now there is only forced and boisterous revelry!

As though they possessed not - It is right to buy and to obtain property. But it should be held with the conviction that it; is by an uncertain tenure, and must soon be left. People may give a deed that shall secure from their fellow man; but no man can give a title that shall not be taken away by death. Our lands and houses, our stocks and bonds and mortgages, our goods and chattels, shall soon pass into other hands. Other people will plow our fields, reap our harvests, work in our shops, stand at our counters, sit down at our firesides, eat on our tables, lie upon our beds. Others will occupy our places in society, have our offices, sit in our seats in the sanctuary. Others will take possession of our gold, and appropriate it to their own use; and we shall have no more interest in it, and no more control over it, than our neighbor has now, and no power to eject the man that has taken possession of our houses and our lands. Secure therefore as our titles are safe as are our investments, yet how soon shall we lose all interest in them by death; and how ought this consideration to induce us to live above the world, and to secure a treasure in that world where no thief approaches, and no moth corrupts.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 30. They that weep, c.] There will shortly be such a complete system of distress and confusion that private sorrows and private joys will be absorbed in the weightier and more oppressive public evils: yet, let every man still continue in his calling, let him buy, and sell, and traffic, as usual though in a short time, either by the coming persecution or the levelling hand of death, he that had earthly property will be brought into the same circumstances with him who had none.