1 Corinthians 7:9

Contextual Overview

¹ Now I will discuss the things you wrote me about. You asked if it is better for a man not to have any sexual relations at all. ¹ Now concerning the matters about which you wrote. It is well for a man not to touch a woman. ¹ As concerninge the thinges wherof ye wrote vnto me: it is good for a ma not to touche a woman. ¹ Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman. ¹ Now concerning the things you wrote about: It's good for a man not to touch a woman.[fn]1 Corinthians 7:8,26;">[xr] 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. ¹ Now concerning the things whereof you wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ¹ Now concerning the things of which ye wrote to 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."

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
Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Genesis 2:19
And out of the ground Yahweh God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens; and brought them to the man to see what he would call them: and whatever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Genesis 2:19
From the ground God formed every wild animal and every bird in the sky, and he brought them to the man so the man could name them. Whatever the man called each living thing, that became its name.

Genesis 2:19
The Lord God formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

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 whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that [was] its name.

Genesis 2:19
Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Genesis 2:19
So the LORD God formed out of the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

Genesis 2:19
Therfor whanne alle lyuynge beestis of erthe, and alle the volatils of heuene weren formed of erthe, the Lord God brouyte tho to Adam, that he schulde se what he schulde clepe tho; for al thing that Adam clepide of lyuynge soule, thilke is the name therof.

Genesis 2:19
And Jehovah God formeth from the ground every beast of the field, and every fowl of the heavens, and bringeth in unto the man, to see what he doth call it; and whatever the man calleth a living creature, that [is] its name.

Genesis 2:19
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

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.