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.” ¹ 

1 Corinthians 11:8

11:8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man.

1 Corinthians 11:11

11:11 In any case, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

1 Corinthians 7:27

7:27 The one bound to a wife should not seek divorce. The one released from a wife should not seek marriage. ² 

1 Corinthians 11:12

11:12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But all things come from God.

1 Corinthians 11:3

11:3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, ³  and God is the head of Christ.

[7:1]  ¹ 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.

[7:27]  ² tn Grk “should not seek a wife.”

[11:3]  ³ tn Or “the husband is the head of his wife.” The same Greek words translated “man” and “woman” can mean, as determined by context, “husband” and “wife” respectively. Such an approach is followed by NAB, TEV, NRSV, and NLT (with some variations).