KJV: But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
YLT: And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;
Darby: But I wish you to be without care. The unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;
ASV: But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
| Θέλω | I desire |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: θέλω Sense: to will, have in mind, intend. |
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| δὲ | now |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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| ἀμερίμνους | without concern |
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Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: ἀμέριμνος Sense: free from anxiety, free from care. |
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| εἶναι | to be |
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Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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| ἄγαμος | unmarried man |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἄγαμος Sense: unmarried, unwedded, single. |
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| μεριμνᾷ | cares for |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: μεριμνάω Sense: to be anxious. |
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| τὰ | the things |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| τοῦ | of the |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Κυρίου | Lord |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: κύριος Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. |
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| πῶς | how |
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Parse: Adverb Root: πῶς Sense: how, in what way. |
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| ἀρέσῃ | he should please |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἀρέσκω Sense: to please. |
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| Κυρίῳ | Lord |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: κύριος Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. |
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Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 7:32
Old compound adjective In N.T. only here and Matthew 28:14 which see. [source]
The ideal state (so as to the widow and the virgin in 1 Corinthians 7:33), but even the unmarried do let the cares of the world choke the word (Mark 4:19). How he may please the Lord (πως αρεσηι τωι Κυριωι pōs aresēi tōi Kuriōi). Deliberative subjunctive with πως pōs retained in an indirect question. Dative case of Κυριωι Kuriōi Same construction in 1 Corinthians 7:33 with πως αρεσηι τηι γυναικι pōs aresēi tēi gunaiki (his wife) and in 1 Corinthians 7:34 πως αρεσηι τωι ανδρι pōs aresēi tōi andri (her husband). [source]
Deliberative subjunctive with πως pōs retained in an indirect question. Dative case of Κυριωι Kuriōi Same construction in 1 Corinthians 7:33 with πως αρεσηι τηι γυναικι pōs aresēi tēi gunaiki (his wife) and in 1 Corinthians 7:34 πως αρεσηι τωι ανδρι pōs aresēi tōi andri (her husband). [source]
Not a good translation, because carefulness has lost its earlier sense of anxiety. So Latimer: “This wicked carefulness of men, when they seek how to live - like as if there were no God at all.” See on take no thought, Matthew 6:25. Rev., free from cares. Ignatius uses the phrase ἐν ἀμεριμνίᾳ Θεοῦ ingodly carelessness (Polycarp, 7). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 7:32
The cognate noun is μέριμνα , care, which was formerly derived from μερίς , a part; μερίζω , to divide; and was explained accordingly as a dividing care, distracting the heart from the true object of life, This has been abandoned, however, and the word is placed in a group which carries the common notion of earnest thoughtfulness. It may include the ideas of worry and anxiety, and may emphasize these, but not necessarily. See, for example, “careth for the things of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:32). “That the members should have the same care one for another” (1 Corinthians 12:25). “Who will care for your state?” (Philemon 2:20). In all these the sense of worry would be entirely out of place. In other cases that idea is prominent, as, “the care of this world,” which chokes the good seed (Matthew 13:22; compare Luke 8:14). Of Martha; “Thou art careful ” (Luke 10:41). Take thought, in this passage, was a truthful rendering when the A. V. was made, since thought was then used as equivalent to anxiety or solicitude. So Shakspeare (“Hamlet”):“The native hue of resolutionIs sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought. ” And Bacon (Henry VII.): “Hawis, an alderman of London, was put in trouble, and died with thought and anguish.” Somers' “Tracts” (in Queen Elizabeth's reign): “Queen Catherine Parr died rather of thought. ” The word has entirely lost this meaning. Bishop Lightfoot (“On a Fresh Revision of the New Testament”) says: “I have heard of a political economist alleging this passage as an objection to the moral teaching of the sermon on the mount, on the ground that it encouraged, nay, commanded, a reckless neglect of the future.” It is uneasiness and worry about the future which our Lord condemns here, and therefore Rev. rightly translates be not anxious. This phase of the word is forcibly brought out in 1 Peter 5:7, where the A. V. ignores the distinction between the two kinds of care. “Casting all your care ( μέριμναν , Rev., anxiety )-DIVIDER- upon Him, for He careth ( αὐτῷ μέλει )-DIVIDER- for you,” with a fatherly, tender, and provident care.”-DIVIDER- [source]
Lit., make you without care. The word secure, however, is, etymologically, a correct rendering. It is from the Latin se = sine, without, and cura, care. It has passed into the popular meaning to make safe. Compare 1 Corinthians 7:32. “I would have you to be free from cares ” (Rev.). [source]
This is as good a translation as the Authorized Version was poor; “Take no thought for your life.” The old English word “thought” meant anxiety or worry as Shakespeare says:“The native hue of resolution Is sicklied o‘er with the pale cast of thought.”Vincent quotes Bacon (Henry VII): “Harris, an alderman of London, was put in trouble and died with thought and anguish.” But words change with time and now this passage is actually quoted (Lightfoot) “as an objection to the moral teaching of the Sermon on the Mount, on the ground that it encouraged, nay, commanded, a reckless neglect of the future.” We have narrowed the word to mere planning without any notion of anxiety which is in the Greek word. The verb μεριμναω merimnaō is from μερισ μεριζω meris class="normal greek">παγωμεν πιωμεν περιβαλωμετα merizō because care or anxiety distracts and divides. It occurs in Christ‘s rebuke to Martha for her excessive solicitude about something to eat (Luke 10:41). The notion of proper care and forethought appears in 1 Corinthians 7:32; 1 Corinthians 12:25; Philemon 2:20. It is here the present imperative with the negative, a command not to have the habit of petulant worry about food and clothing, a source of anxiety to many housewives, a word for women especially as the command not to worship mammon may be called a word for men. The command can mean that they must stop such worry if already indulging in it. In Matthew 6:31 Jesus repeats the prohibition with the ingressive aorist subjunctive: “Do not become anxious,” “Do not grow anxious.” Here the direct question with the deliberative subjunctive occurs with each verb (περιβαλωμετα phagōmen class="normal greek">ενδυσηστε piōmen class="normal greek">τηι πσυχηι peribalōmetha). This deliberative subjunctive of the direct question is retained in the indirect question employed in Matthew 6:25. A different verb for clothing occurs, both in the indirect middle (πσυχηι peribalōmetha fling round ourselves in Matthew 6:31, σωμα endusēsthe put on yourselves in Matthew 6:25).For your life (Πσυχη tēi psuchēi). “Here καρδια psuchēi stands for the life principle common to man and beast, which is embodied in the διανοια sōma the former needs food, the latter clothing” (McNeile). πνευμα Psuchē in the Synoptic Gospels occurs in three senses (McNeile): either the life principle in the body as here and which man may kill (Mark 3:4) or the seat of the thoughts and emotions on a par with πσυχη kardia and dianoia (Matthew 22:37) and pneuma (Luke 1:46; cf. John 12:27; John 13:21) or something higher that makes up the real self (Matthew 10:28; Matthew 16:26). In Matthew 16:25 (Luke 9:25) psuchē appears in two senses paradoxical use, saving life and losing it. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
Last word in the sentence in Luke. Otherwise like Matthew 6:21. See notes on 1 Corinthians 7:32-34 for similar principle. [source]
It is possible that by “the unmarried” (masculine plural) the apostle means only men since widows are added and since virgins receive special treatment later (1 Corinthians 7:25) and in 1 Corinthians 7:32 ο αγαμος ho agamos is the unmarried man. It is hardly likely that Paul means only widowers and widows and means to call himself a widower by ως καγω hōs kagō (even as I). After discussing marital relations in 1 Corinthians 7:2-7 he returns to the original question in 1 Corinthians 7:1 and repeats his own personal preference as in 1 Corinthians 7:7. He does not say that it is better to be unmarried, but only that it is good (καλον kalon as in 1 Corinthians 7:1) for them to remain unmarried. Αγαμος Agamos is an old word and in N.T. occurs only in this passage. In 1 Corinthians 7:11, 1 Corinthians 7:34 it is used of women where the old Greeks would have used ανανδρος anandros without a husband. [source]
But the text here is very uncertain, almost hopelessly so. Westcott and Hort put και μεμερισται kai memeristai in 1 Corinthians 7:33 and begin a new sentence with και η γυνη kai hē gunē and add η αγαμος hē agamos after η γυνη hē gunē meaning “the widow and the virgin each is anxious for the things of the Lord” like the unmarried man (ο αγαμος ho agamos bachelor or widow) in 1 Corinthians 7:32. Possibly so, but the MSS. vary greatly at every point. At any rate Paul‘s point is that the married woman is more disposed to care for the things of the world. But, alas, how many unmarried women (virgins and widows) are after the things of the world today and lead a fast and giddy life. [source]
Better, I desire. See on Matthew 1:19, and comp. Philemon 1:12. Paul's word is θέλω Iwill. See Romans 16:19; 1 Corinthians 7:32; 1 Corinthians 10:20; 1 Corinthians 14:5, 1 Corinthians 14:19, etc. [source]
Παρτενος Parthenos can be applied to men as well as women. Swete takes this language “metaphorically, as the symbolical character of the Book suggests.” Charles considers it an interpolation in the interest of celibacy for both men and women. If taken literally, the words can refer only to adultery or fornication (Beckwith). Jesus recognised abstinence only for those able to receive it (Matthew 19:12), as did Paul (1 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Corinthians 7:8, 1 Corinthians 7:32, 1 Corinthians 7:36). Marriage is approved by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:3 and by Hebrews 13:4. The New Testament exalts marriage and this passage should not be construed as degrading it.Whithersoever he goeth (οπου αν υπαγει hopou an hupagei). Indefinite local clause with modal αν an and the present active indicative of υπαγω hupagō The Christian life is following the Lamb of God as Jesus taught (Mark 2:14; Mark 10:21; Luke 9:59; John 1:43; John 21:19, etc.) and as Peter taught (1 Peter 2:21) and John (1 John 2:6).Were purchased from among men First aorist passive indicative of αγοραζω agorazō repeating the close of Revelation 14:3.First fruits (απαρχη aparchē). See for this word 1 Corinthians 16:15; Romans 11:16; Romans 16:5. This seems to mean that the 144,000 represent not the whole, but only a portion of the great harvest to come (Matthew 9:37), not only the first installment, but those marked by high spiritual service to God and the Lamb (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5). [source]