But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
Parallel translations
- WEB But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.
- BSB I say this as a concession, not as a command.
- NKJV But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.
- NASB But this I say by way of concession, not of command.
- NLT I say this as a concession, not as a command.
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 clarifies that this is a concession, not a command. It matters because it shows his careful distinction between general counsel and binding requirement.
Overview
Paul notes that some of his counsel here (likely regarding marriage and abstinence) is permitted advice, not absolute command. This pastoral precision reflects his honesty in distinguishing his applied wisdom from direct divine mandate. It models humility and care in teaching, neither over-binding nor loosening God's standards.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 2 Cor 8:8I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
- 1 Cor 7:25Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
- 1 Cor 7:12But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
- 2 Cor 11:17That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
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 7:6 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
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