Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
Parallel translations
- WEB Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.
- BSB Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.
- NKJV Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.
- NASB Brothers and sisters, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.
- NLT Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul closes the section by repeating the rule once more: remain in whatever condition you were called, now lived out "with God." Faithful presence with God transforms any station.
Overview
The threefold repetition (vv. 17, 20, 24) drives home contentment in one's calling. The added phrase "with God" is key: it is not bare circumstance but communion with God within that circumstance that gives life meaning and dignity. The gospel does not so much change a believer's address as it changes the One who now walks with them there.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Cor 7:20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
- Col 3:23–24And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
- 1 Cor 7:17But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
- 1 Cor 10:31Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
- Gen 17:1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
- Gen 5:22–24And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
- 1 Sam 14:45And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 7:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.