1 Corinthians 7:18

7:18 Was anyone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision. ¹  Was anyone called who is uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised.

1 Corinthians 7:20-21

7:20 Let each one remain in that situation in life ²  in which he was called. 7:21 Were you called as a slave? ³  Do not worry about it. But if indeed you are able to be free, make the most of the opportunity.

1 Corinthians 7:24

7:24 In whatever situation someone was called, brothers and sisters, ⁴  let him remain in it with God.

¹ tn Grk “Let him not pull over the foreskin,” that is, attempt to reverse the appearance of circumcision by a surgical procedure. This was sometimes done by Hellenistic Jews to hide the embarrassment of circumcision (1 Macc 1:15; Josephus, Ant. 12.5.1 [12.241]). Cf. BDAG 380 s.v. ἐπισπάω 3.

² tn Grk “in the calling.” “Calling” in Paul is God’s work of drawing people to faith in Christ. As in 1:26, calling here stands by metonymy for a person’s circumstances when he becomes a Christian.

³ tn Traditionally, “servant” (KJV), though almost all modern translations render the word as “slave” here.

⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.