The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 7:13 Explained

1 Corinthians 7:13

KJV: And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

YLT: and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;

Darby: And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.

ASV: And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the woman  which  hath  an husband  that believeth not,  and  if he  be pleased  to dwell  with  her,  let her  not  leave  him. 

What does 1 Corinthians 7:13 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 7:1-14 - Marriage Bonds
The Apostle first addresses the unmarried, 1 Corinthians 7:1, etc. He speaks elsewhere reverently of marriage, Ephesians 5:23. Forbidding to marry is in his judgment a symptom of apostasy, 1 Timothy 4:1-3. His recommendations here were evidently due to the special circumstances of that difficult and perilous time. The loftiest conception of marriage is the wedding of two souls, each of which, has found its affinity; the Apostle is treating here the only conception of marriage entertained by these recent converts from paganism. He deals with them on their own level, with the determination of ultimately leading them to view marriage from Christ's standpoint. It is often well to fast from lawful things, that we may surrender ourselves more absolutely to the Spirit of God.
In addressing the married, 1 Corinthians 7:10, etc., Paul is not dealing with the formation of marriage ties; they are settled by 2 Corinthians 6:14. He is deciding what course shall be followed, when either a husband or a wife has become a Christian, the other remaining unchanged. He decides that the Christian should not separate, so long as the unbelieving partner is willing to continue their life together. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 7:13

Which hath an unbelieving husband [ητις εχει ανδρα απιστον]
Relative clause here, while a conditional one in 1 Corinthians 7:12 Paul is perfectly fair in stating both sides of the problem of mixed marriages. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 7:13

1 Corinthians 7:12 An unbelieving wife [απιστον]
This is a new problem, the result of work among the Gentiles, that did not arise in the time of Jesus. The form οι λοιποι — apiston is the same as the masculine because a compound adjective. Paul has to deal with mixed marriages as missionaries do today in heathen lands. The rest She is content (μη απιετω αυτην — suneudokei). Late compound verb to be pleased together with, agree together. In the papyri. Let him not leave her Perhaps here and in 1 Corinthians 7:11, 1 Corinthians 7:13 απολυω — aphiēmi should be translated “put away” like απιημι — apoluō in Mark 10:1. Some understand aphiēmi as separation from bed and board, not divorce. [source]
1 Corinthians 7:12 Let him not leave her [απιημι]
Perhaps here and in 1 Corinthians 7:11, 1 Corinthians 7:13 απολυω — aphiēmi should be translated “put away” like απιημι — apoluō in Mark 10:1. Some understand aphiēmi as separation from bed and board, not divorce. [source]
1 Timothy 5:8 Infidel [ἀπίστου]
Better, unbeliever. One who is not a Christian, as 1 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:13, etc. Even an unbeliever will perform these duties from natural promptings. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 7:13 mean?

And a woman if any has a husband unbelieving he consents to dwell with her not let her divorce the husband
καὶ γυνὴ ‹εἴ τις› ἔχει ἄνδρα ἄπιστον οὗτος συνευδοκεῖ οἰκεῖν μετ’ αὐτῆς μὴ ἀφιέτω τὸν ἄνδρα

γυνὴ  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
τις›  any 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ἄνδρα  a  husband 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀνήρ  
Sense: with reference to sex.
ἄπιστον  unbelieving 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄπιστος  
Sense: unfaithful, faithless, (not to be trusted, perfidious).
συνευδοκεῖ  consents 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: συνευδοκέω  
Sense: to be pleased together with, to approve together (with others).
οἰκεῖν  to  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: οἰκέω  
Sense: to dwell in.
αὐτῆς  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἀφιέτω  let  her  divorce 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
ἄνδρα  husband 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀνήρ  
Sense: with reference to sex.

What are the major concepts related to 1 Corinthians 7:13?

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