1 Corinthians 7:39
New International Version
A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.

New Living Translation
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the Lord.

English Standard Version
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

Berean Standard Bible
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

Berean Literal Bible
A wife is bound for as long a time as her husband may live; but if the husband shall have died, she is free to be married to whom she wills, only in the Lord.

King James Bible
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

New King James Version
A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

New American Standard Bible
A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

NASB 1995
A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

NASB 1977
A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband has fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

Amplified Bible
A wife is bound [to her husband by law] as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, only [provided that he too is] in the Lord.

Christian Standard Bible
A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord.

American Standard Version
A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A wife is bound by The Written Law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband should fall asleep, she is free to be whosever she will, only in Our Lord.

Contemporary English Version
A wife should stay married to her husband until he dies. Then she is free to marry again, but only to a man who is a follower of the Lord.

Douay-Rheims Bible
A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die, she is at liberty: let her marry to whom she will; only in the Lord.

English Revised Version
A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A married woman must remain with her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if the man is a Christian.

Good News Translation
A married woman is not free as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, then she is free to be married to any man she wishes, but only if he is a Christian.

International Standard Version
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

Literal Standard Version
A wife has been bound by law [for] as long [a] time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will—only in the LORD;

Majority Standard Bible
A wife is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

New American Bible
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whomever she wishes, provided that it be in the Lord.

NET Bible
A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes (only someone in the Lord).

New Revised Standard Version
A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

New Heart English Bible
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

Webster's Bible Translation
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband is dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Weymouth New Testament
A woman is bound to her husband during the whole period that he lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to marry whom she will, provided that he is a Christian.

World English Bible
A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

Young's Literal Translation
A wife hath been bound by law as long time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will -- only in the Lord;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Unmarried and Widowed
38So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better. 39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord. 40In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.…

Cross References
Romans 7:2
For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.

1 Corinthians 7:38
So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?


Treasury of Scripture

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

wife.

1 Corinthians 7:10,15
And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: …

Romans 7:2,3
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband…

only.

Genesis 6:2
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Deuteronomy 7:3,4
Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son…

Malachi 2:11
Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

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1 Corinthians 7
1. He discusses marriage;
4. showing it to be a remedy against sinful desires,
10. and that the bond thereof ought not lightly to be dissolved.
20. Every man must be content with his vocation.
25. Virginity wherefore to be embraced;
35. and for what respects we may either marry, or abstain from marrying.














(39, 40) The wife.--The question of the re-marriage of widows is here considered. It was probably a matter in which his opinion had been asked, and, in any case, naturally completes the subject of marriage. The widow may be married again if she desire, but "only in the Lord"--i.e., not to a heathen. She, being a Christian, should marry a Christian.

The words "by the law" are not in the best MSS. The opening sentence, asserting the marriage union to be dissoluble only by death, is to guard against any married woman applying these words to herself, they having reference only to widows.

St. Paul explains that she is happier to continue a widow (her case coming under the same considerations as referred to the unmarried in the previous verses).

I think also that I have the Spirit of God.--This is no expression of doubt as to whether he had the Spirit of God, but an assurance of his confidence that he, as well as other teachers (who, perhaps, boast more about it), had the Spirit of God to guide him in cases where no direct command has been given by Christ.

Verse 39. - Only in the Lord. The second marriage of the Christian widow must be a holy and a Christian marriage (2 Corinthians 6:14).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
A wife
Γυνὴ (Gynē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1135: A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

is bound
δέδεται (dedetai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1210: To bind, tie, fasten; I impel, compel; I declare to be prohibited and unlawful. A primary verb; to bind.

to her
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

husband
ἀνὴρ (anēr)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

as long as
ὅσον (hoson)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3745: How much, how great, how many, as great as, as much. By reduplication from hos; as As.

he lives.
ζῇ (zē)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

[her]
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

husband
ἀνήρ (anēr)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

dies,
κοιμηθῇ (koimēthē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2837: From keimai; to put to sleep, i.e. to slumber; figuratively, to decease.

she is
ἐστὶν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

free
ἐλευθέρα (eleuthera)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1658: Free, delivered from obligation. Probably from the alternate of erchomai; unrestrained, i.e. not a slave, or exempt.

to marry
γαμηθῆναι (gamēthēnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Strong's 1060: To marry, used of either sex. From gamos; to wed.

anyone
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

she wishes,
θέλει (thelei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

as long as
μόνον (monon)
Adverb
Strong's 3440: Alone, but, only. Neuter of monos as adverb; merely.

[he] belongs to
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[the] Lord.
Κυρίῳ (Kyriō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 7:39 A wife is bound by law (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 7:38
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