I Corinthians 7:13 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 7:13 Commentary: Marriage and Witness
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Paul command a believing wife not to leave her unbelieving husband? Grounded in commentary, Greek, and context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A believing wife should not leave her unbelieving husband if he is willing to stay with her.
- Key words: “unbelieving” (apistos, without trust in God), “consents to dwell” (suneudokeō oikein, agrees to live with), “let her not leave” (mē aphietō, do not divorce/send away).
- Main debate: Whether the command is absolute or permits separation in cases of abuse, desertion, or opposition to faith (cf. v.15).
- Theological theme: The sanctifying power of the believing spouse (v.14) and the hope of the unbeliever’s salvation (v.16).
- Best use: Pastoral guidance for mixed marriages; encouragement to remain and witness through the relationship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave [her] husband.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And if any woman hath a husband that believeth not and he consent to dwell with her: let her not put away her husband.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y la mujer que tiene marido infiel, y él consiente en habitar con ella, no lo deje.
E se alguma mulher tem marido descrente, e ele consente em habitar com ela, não o deixe.
et si une femme a un mari non-croyant, et qu’ il consente à habiter avec elle, qu’ elle ne répudie point son mari.
Und so ein Weib einen ungläubigen Mann hat, und er läßt es sich gefallen, bei ihr zu wohnen, die scheide sich nicht von ihm.
En een vrouw, die een ongelovige man heeft, en hij tevreden is bij haar te wonen, dat zij hem niet verlate.
e la donna che ha un marito non credente, s’egli consente ad abitar con lei, non lasci il marito;
A jeźli która żona męża niewiernego ma, a on przyzwala z nią mieszkać, niechże go nie opuszcza.
и жена, которая имеет мужа неверующего, и он согласен жить с нею, не должна оставлять его.
妻子 有 不信 的丈夫，丈夫 也 情願 和她 同 住，她就不 要離棄 丈夫。
And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 7:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across the Protestant tradition agree on the core directive of this verse. Paul addresses a specific situation: a woman who became a Christian after her marriage, whose husband remains an unbeliever. The apostle's command is clear, if the husband is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. Adam Clarke notes that the wife's conversion is no grounds for separation; the marriage is to continue. Matthew Henry situates this within the larger principle that marriage, by Christ's command, is for life. Barnes adds a practical dimension: she should bear much and long, yet acknowledges that if her life is made miserable or endangered, no precept forbids her to seek safety. The unity of the commentators lies in affirming that a difference in religious conviction does not dissolve the marriage bond, and that the believing wife has a calling to remain, serve, and potentially win her husband through her conduct (1 Corinthians 7:14, 16).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Absolute command view: The plain text says 'let her not leave him' without exceptions; any departure would violate the apostle's instruction and the principle of marriage permanence.
- Permissible separation view: Verse 15 allows departure if the unbeliever 'departs'; Barnes infers that if the husband is abusive or makes life miserable, the wife may separate for safety, consistent with the call to peace.
What is clear: The believing wife is not to leave her husband solely because of his unbelief, provided he is willing to continue living with her.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'sanctified' in v.14 | Both Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions see it as a holy influence flowing from the believer to the spouse and children, not that the unbeliever is saved automatically. | Catholic teaching emphasizes the marriage as a sacrament that sanctifies; many Protestants see it as a covenantal set-apartness that keeps the children eligible for baptism / church community. |
| The condition for the wife remaining: 'content to dwell' | All traditions agree that the husband's willingness to stay is a necessary condition; if he is unwilling, the principle of v.15 applies. | Some read 'willingness' narrowly (no active abuse or opposition to faith), while others argue that any ongoing cohabitation shows consent, even if the husband is unhappy. |
| Divorce and remarriage implications | Christians agree that the marriage bond is not broken solely by religious difference. | Catholic and Eastern Orthodox hold that the marriage is indissoluble; remarriage is possible only with annulment (Catholic) or oikonomia (Orthodox). Many Protestants allow remarriage after divorce in cases of desertion by an unbeliever (v.15). |
Historical & Cultural Context
First Corinthians 7:13 belongs to a larger discussion Paul had with the Corinthian church about marriage in light of the new faith. The city of Corinth was religiously diverse, with Jewish and pagan populations. Many believers had come to Christ from non-Christian households, creating 'mixed marriages' where one spouse converted and the other did not. This situation raised difficult questions for the early church. Jewish converts would recall that under the Mosaic law, divorce was permitted (Deuteronomy 24:1) and that in the time of Ezra, Israelites were compelled to separate from their foreign wives (Ezra 10:2, 3). Should Christian converts now do the same with their unbelieving spouses? Some may have thought that continued cohabitation would defile them or their children.
Paul answers with a careful distinction. In verse 10 he cites the Lord's command, likely Jesus' teaching in Mark 10:2, 12, prohibiting divorce between two believers. But in verse 12 he speaks 'not the Lord,' indicating he is extending the principle to a case Jesus did not explicitly address. The apostle builds on the permanence of marriage while applying it to new circumstances. Roman and Greek law allowed women to divorce their husbands, so the believing wife had a legal option to leave. Paul forbids her to exercise that option if her husband is willing to stay. The rationale unfolds in the next verses: her presence in the home makes a difference; the unbelieving spouse is 'sanctified' through the marriage (v.14), and perhaps through her witness he may be saved (v.16). The counsel is not a burden but an invitation to remain as a channel of grace.
Textual Notes
The textual tradition for 1 Corinthians 7:13 is stable. The most significant variant involves the final phrase: in some manuscripts, the text reads “her husband” (ton andra) as in the majority, but a few early manuscripts (e.g., P⁴⁶, Codex Vaticanus) read “him” (auton). The meaning is identical; both refer to the husband. The apparatus shows no other noteworthy variants. The English translations vary only in style, not in substance.
Reception History
In the early church, this verse was cited to counter the idea that conversion required separation from a pagan spouse. The Apostolic Constitutions (4th century) advise believers to remain in mixed marriages and hope for their spouse's conversion. Augustine used 1 Corinthians 7 in his treatises on marriage, stressing the good of the marriage bond. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin emphasized that marriage is not dissolved by religious difference; Calvin saw the command as binding on the believer's conscience. In modern pastoral practice, the verse is often applied to situations where one spouse becomes a Christian and the other does not. Many churches offer support groups for women in this position, encouraging faithful presence while acknowledging the difficulty.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The marriage bond endures after conversion. The wife became a Christian but the marriage remains valid. She is not released from her vows.
- The condition of the husband’s willingness. The verb suneudokeō (consents) implies the husband is agreeable to continue the marriage despite her faith. That consent is the key test.
- The believing wife’s witness. Her remaining is not passive resignation; it is active hope. As v.16 asks, she may be the means of saving her husband.
Five-point outline
- Paul’s pastoral authority: “I, not the Lord” does not mean less authority, but a specific application of Christ’s principle.
- No automatic separation upon conversion. The wife’s change of religion does not justify divorce.
- The husband’s consent is decisive. If he is willing to dwell with her, she must not leave.
- She is not to initiate divorce. The verb aphiēmi (send away, divorce) is used; she has the legal power but is told not to use it.
- The ultimate goal: peace and possible salvation. The next verses show that God’s calling is to peace and that her faithfulness may lead to his conversion.
Illustration hooks
- A wife who comes to faith while her husband remains skeptical. She wonders whether to stay in a marriage where they no longer share the same spiritual foundation.
- The tension between loyalty to Christ and loyalty to a spouse. The choice to stay requires trusting that God works through the relationship, not apart from it.
- Everyday moments: meal times, a shared bed, conversations about the children, these become places of quiet witness when the wife does not pull away.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse mean a believing wife must stay even in an abusive marriage? (Barnes notes the exception with ‘rendered miserable or in danger’)
- If the husband is not aggressive but merely indifferent, how long should she wait for change?
- What if the husband pressures her to compromise her faith? Is that equivalent to him not being ‘content to dwell’?
Leading a Discussion
This verse addresses a specific situation: a marriage where one spouse comes to faith and the other does not. Paul gives clear direction, but the surrounding verses add important nuance about sanctification and the possibility of separation if the unbeliever departs. As you discuss, remember that the apostle is applying the Lord’s teaching to a new context, not inventing a new morality.
Discussion questions
- What does the verse actually command the believing wife to do? What does it not address?
- Why does Paul distinguish between the Lord’s command (v.10) and his own instruction (v.12)? How does that shape the way you read this verse?
- The Greek verb aphietō means “let her divorce/send away.” Why is it significant that Paul uses this word rather than a word for mere separation?
- Read v.14. What does it mean that the unbelieving husband is “sanctified” in the wife? How might that affect her decision to stay?
- Read v.15. In what circumstances does Paul allow the marriage to end? How does the call to peace balance the command to stay?
- Barnes comments that she should not leave unless her life is miserable or in danger. Do you agree that these are implied exceptions? Why or why not?
- How can a small group or church support a woman in this situation, offering encouragement without pressure?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that a woman who converts to Christianity after marrying a non-Christian husband is not free to leave him solely because of that difference. If he agrees to continue living with her, she must remain, because her conversion does not dissolve the marriage bond.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that the wife should not separate from an unbelieving husband simply over religious differences, but should patiently bear much to win him. He permits separation only for brutal treatment or neglect that makes life miserable or dangerous, yet even then the marriage bond remains undissolved, forbidding remarriage.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
let her not leave him ] The word here is the same which in the last verse is translated ‘ put away . ’
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the believing wife's responsibility to remain with her unbelieving husband if he is willing to stay. The comment treats this as a clear command, not merely
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that the apostle treats both believing husbands and believing wives alike when an unbelieving spouse is willing to stay. The advice to remain together is not only reasonable and consistent with the Gospel but also serves as a practical way to commend and spread the Christian faith.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the Greek word the verse uses for "leave" is the same term Paul uses for "put away" in 1 Corinthians 7:12. Under Greek and Roman law a wife could initiate divorce, so this command specifically forbids a believing woman from putting her husband away.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the unbelieving spouse is sanctified not through personal holiness or future conversion, but by a theocratic consecration, belonging to God's people through union with the believer. He also notes that Paul's appeal to children being holy actually weakens any support for infant baptism, since baptism is never mentioned.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Paul clarifies two different levels of authority: Christ directly commanded believers not to divorce, but Paul himself, not the Lord, addresses the case of mixed marriages. Still, the principle holds: believers should remain with an unbelieving spouse who is willing to stay, because the marriage is sanctified through the believing partner.