1 Corinthians 7 · Verse 38

1 Corinthians 7:38

So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
1 Corinthians 7:38, King James Version

1 Corinthians 7:38 in other translations

BSBSo then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
WEBSo then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better.
ASVSo then both he that giveth his own virgin daughter in marriage doeth well; and he that giveth her not in marriage shall do better.
YLTso that both he who is giving in marriage doth well, and he who is not giving in marriage doth better.
DARBYSo that he that marries himself does well; and he that does not marry does better.
BBESo then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better.
WebsterSo then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

What does 1 Corinthians 7:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
38. her--The oldest manuscripts have "his own virgin daughter." but--The oldest manuscripts have "and."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 38. Doeth well. Does right; violates no law in it, and is not to be blamed for it.

Doeth better. Does that which is on the whole to be preferred, if it can be done. He more certainly, in the present circumstances, consults here happiness by withholding her from the marriage connexion than he could by allowing her to enter it.

(a) "So then" Rom 7:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:36-40

The apostle is thought to give advice here about the disposal of children in marriage. In this view, the general meaning is plain. Children should seek and follow the directions of their parents as to marriage. And parents should consult their children's wishes; and not reckon they have power to do with them, and dictate just as they please, without reason. The whole is closed with advice to widows. Second marriages…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 7:36-40 →

1 Corinthians 7:38 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὥστεhōsteSo thenG5620
καὶkaialsoG2532
ὁhothe [one]G3588
γαμίζωνgamizōngiving in marriageG1061
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
ἑαυτοῦhe'autouhis ownG1438
παρθένονparthenonvirginG3933
καλῶςkalōswellG2573
ποιεῖ,poieidoes,G4160
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhothe [one]G3588
μὴmēnotG3361
γαμίζωνgamizōngiving in marriageG1061
κρεῖσσονkreissonbetterG2908
ποιήσει.¶poiēseiwill do.G4160

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 7:38

  • Hebrews 13:4

    Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:1-2

    Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:37

    Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:32-34

    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: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:8

    I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:26

    I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
then.
28
doeth well.
2; Heb 13:4
doeth better.
1,8,26,32-34,37

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 7:37

    Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:38

    So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:39

    The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 7

1 Corinthians 7:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así que, el que la da en casamiento, bien hace; y el que no la da en casamiento, hace mejor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ainsi, et celui qui se marie fait bien; et celui qui ne se marie pas fait mieux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Also, wer heiratet, tut wohl, und wer nicht heiratet, tut besser.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Igitur et qui matrimonio jungit virginem suam, bene facit: et qui non jungit, melius facit.