1 Corinthians 7:2

Contextual Overview

¹Now in response to the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to use a woman for sex.” ¹ Now cocerning the things wherof ye wrote vnto me, It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ¹ Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ¹ Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." ¹ Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. ¹ Now I will discuss the things you wrote me about. It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. ¹Now as to the matters of which you wrote: It is good (beneficial, advantageous) for a man not to touch a woman [outside marriage]. ¹ Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. ¹Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. ¹Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

to avoid: 1 Corinthians 7:9, 1 Corinthians 6:18, Proverbs 5:18, Proverbs 5:19, 1 Timothy 4:3

let: Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 19:14, Malachi 2:14, Ephesians 5:28, Ephesians 5:33

Reciprocal: Genesis 2:24 - and they shall be one flesh Genesis 26:34 - the daughter Judges 21:14 - sufficed them not Judges 21:22 - each man Proverbs 5:15 - General Malachi 2:15 - did Matthew 19:5 - and they Matthew 19:10 - General Matthew 19:11 - General Luke 20:34 - marry Acts 15:20 - fornication 1 Corinthians 7:35 - not 1 Corinthians 7:38 - doeth well 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - that Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage Revelation 2:14 - to commit

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
The LORD said to Noach, "Come with all of your household into the teivah, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.

Genesis 7:1
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 7:1
Then Yahweh said to Noah, "Go—you and all your household—into the ark, for I have seen you are righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 7:1
Then the Lord said to Noah, "I have seen that you are the best person among the people of this time, so you and your family can go into the boat.

Genesis 7:1
The Lord said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation.

Genesis 7:1
Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you with all your household, for you [alone] I have seen as righteous (doing what is right) before Me in this generation.

Genesis 7:1
Then the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation.

Genesis 7:1
And the Lord said vnto Noah, Enter thou and all thine house into the Arke: for thee haue I seene righteous before me in this age.

Genesis 7:1
Then Yahweh said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation.

Genesis 7:1
The Lord told Noah: Take your whole family with you into the boat, because you are the only one on this earth who pleases me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication,.... Or "fornications"; meaning either the frequent commission of that sin; or all sorts of uncleanness and pollution, which may be avoided by wedlock, and the proper use of the marriage bed, where the gift of continency is not bestowed: wherefore to prevent unlawful copulations, as of single persons with one another, or of a married person with a single one, the apostle advises, as being what is right and proper,

let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband; that is, let every man that has a wife enjoy her, and make use of her, and let every woman that has an husband, receive him into her embraces; for these words are not to be understood of unmarried persons entering into a marriage state, for the words suppose them in such a state, but of the proper use of the marriage bed; and teach us that marriage, and the use of it, are proper remedies against fornication; and that carnal copulation of a man with a woman ought only to be of husband and wife, or of persons in a married state; and that all other copulations are sinful; and that polygamy is unlawful; and that one man is to have but one wife, and to keep to her; and that one woman is to have but one husband, and to keep to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless - But (δὲ de). Though this is to be admitted as proper where it can be done, when a man has entire control of himself and his passions, and though in present circumstances it would be expedient, yet it may be proper also to enter into the marriage connection.

To avoid fornication - Greek On account of διὰ dia fornication. The word fornication is used here in the large sense of licentiousness in general. For the sake of the purity of society, and to avoid the evils of sensual indulgence, and the corruptions and crimes which attend an illicit contact, it is proper that the married state should be entered. To this vice they were particularly exposed in Corinth. See the introduction. Paul would keep the church from scandal. How much evil, how much deep pollution, how many abominable crimes would have been avoided, which have since grown out of the monastic system, and the celibacy of the clergy among the papists, if Paul’s advice had been followed by all professed Christians! Paul says that marriage is honorable, and that the relations of domestic life should be formed to avoid the evils which would otherwise result. The world is the witness of the evils which flow from the neglect of his advice. Every community where the marriage tie has been lax and feeble, or where it has been disregarded or dishonored, has been full of pollution, and it will always be. Society is pure and virtuous, just as marriage is deemed honorable, and as its vows are adhered to and preserved.

Let every man ... - Let the marriage vow be honored by all.

Have his own wife - And one wife to whom he shall be faithful. Polygamy is unlawful under the gospel; and divorce is unlawful. Let every man and woman, therefore, honor the institution of God, and avoid the evils of illicit indulgence.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 7:2. To avoid fornication — Δια τας πορνειας· verto, propter exercendam libidinem, vel ut libidinem licite exercere liceat. Probo hanc notionem ex Hebraeo, ibi זנה, zanah, est libidinem exercere, Hosea 4:10: For they shall eat and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, תזנו, libidinem exercebunt, and shall not increase. Here the prophet certainly does not speak of whoredom in our sense of the word; for the persons he mentions expected to have children, which cannot be said of those who are addicted to improper connections: the prophet speaks concerning married persons, whom he threatens with a privation of children, notwithstanding libidinem exercebant in order to have numerous families. See Schoettgen. The following verse shows that this is the apostle's meaning.

Let every man have his own wife — Let every man have one woman, his own; and every woman one man, her own. Here, plurality of wives and husbands is most strictly forbidden; and they are commanded to marry for the purpose of procreating children.

In the Jewish constitutions there are some things not only curious, but useful, respecting marriage. "There are four causes which induce men to marry:

1. Impure desire;

2. To get riches;

3. To become honourable;

4. For the glory of God.

Those who marry through the first motive beget wicked and rebellious children. Those who marry for the sake of riches have the curse of leaving them to others. Those who marry for the sake of aggrandizing their family, their families shall be diminished. Those who marry to promote the glory of God, their children shall be holy, and by them shall the true Church be increased."