1 COR 7:27 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) If you’re married, then don’t try to get out of it. If you’re not committed, don’t look for a spouse.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
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 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

UST Some people have gotten engaged. They should not separate. Other people have never gotten engaged. They should not try to become engaged.

BLB Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

AICNT Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

OEB Are you married to a wife? Then do not seek to be separated. Are you separated from a wife? Then do not seek for a wife.

WEBBE Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The one bound to a wife should not seek divorce. The one released from a wife should not seek marriage.

LSV Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed; have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

FBV Are you already married? Don't try to get divorced. Are you unmarried? Don't look to get married.

TCNT Are yoʋ pledged to marry a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are yoʋ free from such a commitment? Do not seek a wife.

T4T If any of you men are married [RHQ], do not try to divorce your wife. If any of you are unmarried [RHQ], do not seek a wife.

LEB Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

BBE If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife.

Moff Are you tied to a wife? Never try to untie the knot.
⇔ Are you free? Never try to get married.

Wymth Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to get free. Are you free from the marriage bond? Do not seek for a wife.

ASV Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

DRA Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

YLT Hast thou been bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; hast thou been loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

Drby Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; art thou free from a wife? do not seek a wife.

RV Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
(Art thou/you bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed/released. Art thou/you loosed/released from a wife? seek not a wife. )

SLT Hast thou been bound to a wife? seek not a release. Hast thou been loosed from a wife seek thou not a wife.

Wbstr Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

KJB-1769 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
(Art thou/you bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed/released. Art thou/you loosed/released from a wife? seek not a wife. )

KJB-1611 Art thou bound vnto a wife? seeke not to bee loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seeke not a wife.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Art thou bounde vnto a wife? seke not to be loosed: Art thou loosed from a wyfe? seke not a wyfe.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Gnva Art thou bounde vnto a wife? seeke not to be loosed: art thou loosed from a wife? seeke not a wife.
(Art thou/you bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed/released: art thou/you loosed/released from a wife? seek not a wife. )

Cvdl Art thou bounde vnto a wife, seke not to be lowsed: Art thou lowsed fro a wife, seke not a wife.
(Art thou/you bound unto a wife, seek not to be lowsed: Art thou/you lowsed from a wife, seek not a wife.)

TNT Arte thou bounde vnto a wyfe? seke not to be lowsed. Arte thou lowsed from a wyfe? seke not a wyfe.
(Arte thou/you bound unto a wife? seek not to be lowsed. Arte thou/you lowsed from a wife? seek not a wife. )

Wycl Thou art boundun to a wijf, nyle thou seke vnbyndyng; thou art vnboundun fro a wijf, nyle thou seke a wijf.
(Thou/You art bound to a wife, won’t thou/you seek unbynding; thou/you art unboundun from a wife, won’t thou/you seek a wife.)

Luth Bist du an ein Weib gebunden, so suche nicht los zu werden; bist du aber los vom Weibe, so suche kein Weib.
(Bist you(sg) at/to a woman bound/tied, so search not go/loose/off to/for become; are you(sg) but go/loose/off from_the woman, so search no/not woman.)

ClVg Alligatus es uxori? noli quærere solutionem. Solutus es ab uxore? noli quærere uxorem.
(Alligatus you_are uxori? don't to_seek/search_for solutionem. Solutus you_are away wife? don't to_seek/search_for wife. )

UGNT δέδεσαι γυναικί? μὴ ζήτει λύσιν. λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός? μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα.
(dedesai gunaiki? maʸ zaʸtei lusin. lelusai apo gunaikos? maʸ zaʸtei gunaika.)

SBL-GNT δέδεσαι γυναικί; μὴ ζήτει λύσιν· λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα·
(dedesai gunaiki? maʸ zaʸtei lusin; lelusai apo gunaikos? maʸ zaʸtei gunaika;)

RP-GNT Δέδεσαι γυναικί; Μὴ ζήτει λύσιν. Λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; Μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα.
(Dedesai gunaiki; Maʸ zaʸtei lusin. Lelusai apo gunaikos; Maʸ zaʸtei gunaika.)

TC-GNT Δέδεσαι γυναικί; Μὴ ζήτει λύσιν. Λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; Μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα.
(Dedesai gunaiki; Maʸ zaʸtei lusin. Lelusai apo gunaikos; Maʸ zaʸtei gunaika. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 7:1–40: Paul answered questions about marriage

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

Paragraph 7:25–28

Paul now began to talk to the believers about those people in their group who were not married. Perhaps some of the Corinthian believers were thinking: “A person will be more holy and please God more if he remains unmarried.” Paul agreed that there are good reasons to remain unmarried. But he did not believe that it was a sin to get married. Paul allowed each person to choose for himself.

7:27a-d

Are you committed to a wife?…Are you free of commitment?: There is a problem with the punctuation of the Greek text here. The oldest Greek manuscripts do not have punctuation at all. The two options are:

These are questions. For example:
Do you have a wife?…are you divorced from your wife? (GW) (BSB, REB, NIV, GNT, GW, KJV, NASB, RSV, ESV)
These are statements. For example:
The one bound to a wife should not seek divorce. (NET) (NET, NJB, NLT, CEV, NCV)

It is recommended that you follow option 1. However, in some languages it may not be natural to use rhetorical questions in this way. If this is the case in your language, it may be natural to use conditional statements. For example:

If you are joined to a wife, do not seek to be released; if you are freed of a wife, do not look for a wife. (NJB)

You should use whatever form is more natural in your language for emphasizing something.

7:27a

Are you committed to a wife?

However, if you are a man who already has a wife,
But if you are a man who is already married,
Suppose you are a man who is already married.

Are you committed to a wife?: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as Are you committed to a wife? is literally “Have you become tied to a woman?” This is a figure of speech. A man is “tied to a woman” in the sense that he is legally her husband and permanently responsible for her. There are two ways to translate this figure of speech:

Use this or a similar metaphor. For example:
Are you bound in marriage? (REB)
Translate it without a metaphor. For example:
If you have a wife (NLT)

Translate in the way that is most natural in your language.

you: The Greek pronoun that the BSB translates as you is singular. Paul addressed the men in the Corinthian church. He was not talking to just one person. In some languages it is more natural to translate this using a plural pronoun.

7:27b

Do not seek to be released.

do not try to find a way to divorce her.
Do not divorce your wife.

Do not seek to be released: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as Do not seek to be released is more literally “Do not seek release.” This is a command. Paul commanded married men to remain married. They should not try to free themselves from the marriage bond. Consider whether it is natural in your language to use this figure of speech here. The RSV translates it using the figure of speech:

Do not seek to be free. (RSV)

7:27c

Are you free of commitment?

If you do not have a wife,
If you are an unmarried man,

7:27d

Do not look for a wife.

do not try to find/obtain a wife.
do not search for a woman to marry.
then do not get married.

7:27c-d

Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as free of commitment probably refers to any men who were not at present married, included the widowed, the never-married, and the divorced. Paul advised such men to remain content in their present situation.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

δέδεσαι & λέλυσαι