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1 Corinthians 7:9

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

KJV

εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐγκρατεύονται γαμησάτωσαν· κρεῖττον γάρ ἐστιν γαμεῖν ἢ πυροῦσθαι.

Greek NT

Quod si non se continent, nubant. Melius est enim nubere, quam uri.

Vulgate

But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

ASV

But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

10 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

γάρ
gar
conjunction · 1036×
γαμέω
gameo
verb · 28×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
εἰ
ei
conditional · 491×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
κρείττων
kreitton
adjective · 13×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
πυρόω
puroo
verb · 6×
ἐγκρατεύομαι
egkrateuomai
verb · 2×
e
particle · 346×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

minor
SBLGNT: γαμῆσαι | Treg/NIV/RP: γαμῆσαι | WH: γαμεῖν
  • γαμῆσαιSBLGNT
  • γαμῆσαιTregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27), Robinson-Pierpont
  • γαμεῖνWestcott-Hort
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Historic Christian voices

6 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

2. Let the husband pay the wife the honor due to her: in like manner the wife the husband. Now what is the meaning of the due honor? The wife has not power over her own body; but is both the slave and the mistress of the husband. And if you decline the service which is due, you have offended God. But if you wish to withdraw yourself, it must be with the husband's permission, th…
Q. What does the seventh commandment teach us? A. That God condemns all unchastity. We should therefore thoroughly detest it and, married or single, live decent and chaste lives.
Those who have the gift of celibacy from heaven, so that from the heart or with their whole soul they are pure and continent and are not aflame with desire, let them serve the Lord in that calling, as long as they shall feel endued with that divine gift; and let them not lift up themselves above others, but let them serve the Lord continuously in simplicity and humility. But th…

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 7:2 — Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
  • 1Cor 7:2 — Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
  • 1Cor 7:28 — But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
  • 1Cor 7:36 — But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
  • 1Thess 4:4 — That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
  • 1Tim 5:11 — But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
  • 1Tim 5:14 — I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
  • 2Tim 3:3 — Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,