1 Corinthians 7:16

7:16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will bring your husband to salvation? ¹  Or how do you know, husband, whether you will bring your wife to salvation? ² 

1 Corinthians 7:1

Celibacy and Marriage

7:1 Now with regard to the issues you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” ³ 

1 Corinthians 4:16

4:16 I encourage you, then, be imitators of me.

James 5:20

5:20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path ⁴  will save that person’s ⁵  soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

¹ tn Grk “will save your husband?” The meaning is obviously that the wife would be the human agent in leading her husband to salvation.

² tn Grk “will save your wife?” The meaning is obviously that the husband would be the human agent in leading his wife to salvation.

³ tn Grk “It is good for a man not to touch a woman,” a euphemism for sexual relations. This idiom occurs ten times in Greek literature, and all of the references except one appear to refer to sexual relations (cf., e.g., Josephus, Ant. 1.8.1 [1.163]; Gen 20:6 [LXX]; Prov 6:29 [LXX]). For discussion see G. D. Fee, First Corinthians (NICNT), 275. Many recent interpreters believe that here again (as in 6:12-13) Paul cites a slogan the Corinthians apparently used to justify their actions. If this is so, Paul agrees with the slogan in part, but corrects it in the following verses to show how the Corinthians misused the idea to justify abstinence within marriage (cf. 8:1, 4; 10:23). See also G. D. Fee, “1 Corinthians 7:1 in the NIV,” JETS 23 (1980): 307-14.

⁴ tn Grk “from the error of his way” (using the same root as the verb “to wander, to err” in the first part of the verse).

⁵ tn Grk “his soul”; the referent (the sinner mentioned at the beginning of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.