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Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) However, because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.![]()
OET-LV But because_of the sexual_immorality, each man the of_himself wife let_be_having, and each woman her own husband let_be_having.
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SR-GNT Διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας, ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω. ‡
(Dia de tas porneias, hekastos taʸn heautou gunaika eⱪetō, kai hekastaʸ ton idion andra eⱪetō.)
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT But because of immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
UST On the other hand, people often desire to have sex, even improper sex. Because of that, a husband should stay married to his own wife, and a wife should stay married to her own husband.
BSB But because [there is so much] sexual immorality, each man should have his [own] wife, and each woman [her] own husband.
MSB (Same as BSB above)
BLB But because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have the own husband.
AICNT But because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
OEB But, owing to the prevalence of immorality, I advise every man to have his own wife, and every woman her husband.
WEBBE But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
WMBB (Same as above)
NET But because of immoralities, each man should have relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband.
LSV and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;
FBV However, because of the temptation to sexual immorality, it is better that each man have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
TCNT But because of the cases of fornication, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
T4T But because many people are committing sexual immorality, which God detests, every man should have his own wife with whom he can have sexual relations, and every woman should have her own husband with whom she can have sexual relations.
LEB But because of sexual immorality, let each man have[fn] his own wife and let each woman have her own husband.
7:2 I.e., in the sense of “have sexual relations with”
BBE But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband.
Moff but there is so much immorality that every man had better have a wife of his own and every woman a husband of her own.
Wymth But because there is so much fornication every man should have a wife of his own, and every woman should have a husband.
ASV But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
DRA But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
YLT and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;
Drby but on account of fornications, let each have his own wife, and each [woman] have her own husband.
RV But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
SLT And, on account of fornication, let each have his own wife, and let each have her own husband.
Wbstr Nevertheless, to avoid lewdness, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
KJB-1769 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
KJB-1611 Neuerthelesse, to auoid fornication, let euery man haue his owne wife, and let euery woman haue her owne husband.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)
Bshps Neuerthelesse, to auoyde fornication, let euery man haue his owne wyfe, and let euery woman haue her owne husband.
(Nevertheless, to avoide fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.)
Gnva Neuertheles, to auoide fornication, let euery man haue his wife, and let euery woman haue her owne husband.
(Nevertheless, to avoide fornication, let every man have his wife, and let every woman have her own husband. )
Cvdl Neuertheles to avoyde whordome, let euery man haue his awne wife, and let euery woman haue hir awne hussbande.
(Nevertheless to avoyde whoredom/prostitution, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own hussbande.)
TNT Neverthelesse to avoyde fornicacion let every man have his wyfe: and let every woman have her husbande.
(Nevertheless to avoyde fornication let every man have his wife: and let every woman have her husband. )
Wycl But for fornycacioun eche man haue his owne wijf, and ech womman haue hir owne hosebonde.
(But for fornication each man have his own wife, and each woman have her own husband.)
Luth Aber um der Hurerei willen habe ein jeglicher sein eigen Weib, und eine jegliche habe ihren eigenen Mann.
(But around/by/for the/of_the fornication will have a any/each be own woman, and a/one any have your(pl) own man.)
ClVg propter fornicationem autem unusquisque suam uxorem habeat, et unaquæque suum virum habeat.
(because fornication however each_one/everybody his_own wife have, and unaeach his_own husband have. )
UGNT διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας, ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω.
(dia de tas porneias, hekastos taʸn heautou gunaika eⱪetō, kai hekastaʸ ton idion andra eⱪetō.)
SBL-GNT διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω.
(dia de tas porneias hekastos taʸn heautou gunaika eⱪetō, kai hekastaʸ ton idion andra eⱪetō.)
RP-GNT Διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω.
(Dia de tas porneias hekastos taʸn heautou gunaika eⱪetō, kai hekastaʸ ton idion andra eⱪetō.)
TC-GNT Διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω.
(Dia de tas porneias hekastos taʸn heautou gunaika eⱪetō, kai hekastaʸ ton idion andra eⱪetō. )
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).
7:2 Because of widespread sexual immorality, Paul encourages most Christians to get married (7:9). He tempers the ideal of the celibate life with awareness of physical realities.
In an earlier letter to Paul, the Corinthians had mentioned some problems and asked him some questions. There are no longer any copies of this letter, so we can only guess what they wrote by reading Paul’s answers. Apparently some of the questions the Corinthians had asked were about marriage and sex. In this section Paul discussed these topics. He wrote about sexual intercourse, divorce, marrying again after a person’s husband or wife dies, and never marrying.
From the way Paul talked, it appears that the Corinthians were thinking that if believers want to be holy, they should abstain from sexual relations. The Corinthians were wondering if married people should sleep together, if Christians who were married to non-Christians should divorce them, and if Christians should get married. Paul gave them some wise teaching on each of these topics. In 7:1–16 he addressed Christians who were married. In 7:17–24 he wrote about his general rule for Christians: Remain as you are. In 7:25–38 he taught Christians who were not married. In 7:39–40 he addressed women whose husbands had died.
Other possible section headings include:
Paul gave/wrote instructions about Christian marriage
Paul’s teaching on marriage
Paul began to discuss the subjects the Corinthians had written to him about. It seems that some believers were thinking that sexual intercourse was not good. Those people even said that married Christians should not have sexual intercourse with each other. Paul said that it was good for married believers to live together normally as man and wife. This would help them avoid being tempted to commit sex sins.
But because there is so much sexual immorality,
But because many people have relations/sex with people they are not married to,
Yes/Granted, but it is very common for people to commit sexual sin. So I say that
My answer is: Many people behave immorally.
But: The Greek word that the BSB translates as But here introduces a limit or qualification to the previous verse part. Paul implied that he only partly agreed with the Corinthians that celibacy was good. He did not believe that everyone should live that way, and certainly he did not believe that married people should live that way. Other ways to translate this include:
Rather (REB)
Yes, but (see the NLT, and the NJB)
because there is so much sexual immorality: In Greek the word that the BSB translates as sexual immorality is in the plural. So this clause can be translated as:
since there are so many cases of sexual immorality (see 7:2 in the NRSV)
In some languages it may be natural to translate sexual immorality as a verb phrase. For example:
since so many people commit sex sins
Paul meant that sexual immorality was common in the city of Corinth.
each man should have his own wife,
each man should keep/hold to his own wife,
you married men should all have relations with your own wife,
For that reason, each of you married men are to live in a normal/intimate way with your own wife,
and each woman her own husband.
and each woman should keep/hold to her husband.
and all you women should have relations with your husband.
and each woman must do the same with her husband.
each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband: These are commands. This is what Paul wanted the believers to do. He wanted each of them to have their own spouse. This would help them avoid the temptation to immorality.
The Greek phrases that the BSB translates literally as have his own wife and “have her own husband” are idioms. There are two ways to understand the meaning of these idioms:
They mean to have sexual relations with one’s spouse. For example, the NET footnote says that the word have means “have marital relations with.”
They mean to get married. For example:
every one, both men and women, should be married
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is the view of several commentaries, and it fits the context well. Paul quoted the Corinthian saying that it was good to avoid sex, but then said that he wanted married people to have sexual relations with their spouses. Paul used a euphemism here in order to avoid talking directly about sex. There is no reason he would have avoided talking directly about getting married.
In your translation, use a euphemism if that is natural and appropriate in your language. An example of an English euphemism is:
you married men should sleep with your wives, and you wives with your husbands
each man…each woman: In some languages there may be different words for married and unmarried men and women (as in older English the word woman referred to a married woman, in contrast to a “maid”). If this is the case in your language, you should use words that refer specifically to married adults. In some languages it may be natural to say:
all men…all women
every man…every woman
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
δὲ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: διά Δέ τάς πορνείας ἕκαστος τήν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω καί ἑκάστη τόν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω)
Here, But introduces the qualifications Paul wishes to give for the statement in the previous verse: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” Paul wishes to give qualifications about whether that statement is from the Corinthians or is Paul’s own statement. Use a word or phrase in your culture that introduces qualifications to a claim. Alternate translation: [However,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
διὰ & τὰς πορνείας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: διά Δέ τάς πορνείας ἕκαστος τήν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω καί ἑκάστη τόν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind immorality, you can express the idea by using an adjective such as “immoral.” Alternate translation: [because people are immoral] or [because of immoral behavior]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
διὰ & τὰς πορνείας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: διά Δέ τάς πορνείας ἕκαστος τήν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω καί ἑκάστη τόν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω)
Here, because of immorality refers to how people desire to commit immorality and do commit immorality. Paul does not refer to immorality in the abstract. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate immorality with a word or phrase that refers to “temptation” or “behavior.” Alternate translation: [because of the temptation of immorality] or [because people act immorally]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p
ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω
each_‹man› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: διά Δέ τάς πορνείας ἕκαστος τήν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω καί ἑκάστη τόν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω)
Here Paul uses two third-person imperatives. If you have third-person imperatives in your language, you could use them here. If you do not have third-person imperatives, you could express the idea by using a word such as “should” or “allow.” Alternate translation: [each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω, καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω
each_‹man› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: διά Δέ τάς πορνείας ἕκαστος τήν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω καί ἑκάστη τόν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω)
The phrases have his own wife and have her own husband refer primarily to the ongoing state of being married, which includes continuing to have sex. However, the idiom primarily emphasizes remaining in a state of marriage with one’s current spouse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate have his own wife and have her own husband with a comparable idiom or refer directly to staying married. Alternate translation: [let each man continue in marriage with his own wife, and let each woman continue in marriage with her own husband]