I say this as a concession, not as a command.
Parallel translations
- WEB But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.
- KJV But I speak this by permission, and 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.
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 way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
- 1 Cor 7:25Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.
- 1 Cor 7:12But to the rest I — not the Lord — say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.
- 2 Cor 11:17That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, 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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