1 Corinthians 7:16

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
For	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
what	τί ti	G5101	an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — accusative singular neuter
thou	εἴδω eídō	G1492	used only in certain past tenses
wife	γύναι, gunai	G1135	a woman · noun — vocative singular feminine
whether	εἰ ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
save	σώσεις; sōseis	G4982	to save · verb — future active indicative, 2nd person singular
husband	ἄνδρα andra	G435	a man (properly as an individual male) · noun — accusative singular masculine
or	ἢ ē	G2228	disjunctive · conjunction
how	τί ti	G5101	an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — accusative singular neuter
thou	εἴδω eídō	G1492	used only in certain past tenses
man	ἄνερ, aner	G435	a man (properly as an individual male) · noun — vocative singular masculine
whether	εἰ ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
save	σώσεις; sōseis	G4982	to save · verb — future active indicative, 2nd person singular
wife	γυναῖκα gunaika	G1135	a woman · noun — accusative singular feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Peter 3:1-2 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conv…
Romans 11:14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
1 Corinthians 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
James 5:19-20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:10-16

In this paragraph the apostle gives them direction in a case which must be very frequent in that age of the world, especially among the Jewish converts; I mean whether they were to live with heathen relatives in a married state. Moses's law permitted divorce; and there was a famous instance in the Jewish state, when the people were obliged to put away their idolatrous wives, Ezr 10:3. This might move a scruple in many minds, whether converts to Christianity were not bound to put away or desert their mates, continuing infidels. Concerning this matter the apostle here gives direction. And, I. In general, he tells them that marriage, by Christ's command, is for life; and therefore those who are…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:16

What knowest thou but that by staying with thy unbelieving partner thou mayest save him or her? Enforcing the precept to stay with the unbelieving consort (Co1 7:12-14). So Ruth the Moabitess became a convert to her husband's faith: and Joseph and Moses probably gained over their wives. So conversely the unbelieving husband may be won by the believing wife (Pe1 3:1) [CALVIN]. Or else (Co1 7:15), if thy unbelieving consort wishes to depart, let him go, so that thou mayest live "in peace": for thou canst not be sure of converting him, so as to make it obligatory on thee at all costs to stay with him against his will [MENOCHIUS and ALFORD]. save--be the instrument of salvation to (Jam 5:20).

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:16

For what knowest thou, O wife - You that are Christians, and who have heathen partners, do not give them up because they are such, for you may become the means of saving them unto eternal life. Bear your cross, and look up to God, and he may give your unbelieving husband or wife to your prayers.

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:16

For what knowest thou, O wife,.... These words may be understood, as containing a reason either why the believing party should be easy at the departure of the unbeliever, after all proper methods have been used in vain to retain him or her; taken from the uncertainty and improbability of being of any use to them, to bring them to the knowledge of Christ, and salvation by him; "for what knowest thou, O wife"; thou dost not know, thou canst not know, thou canst not be sure, whether thou shall save thy husband? be the means of bringing of him under the means of grace, and so of his conversion and salvation; there is no likelihood of it, since he is such an implacable enemy to Christ, and so bi…

The Church Fathers

Paul says this because it is always possible that the unbelieving partner will come to believe if he or she does not detest the name of Christ.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

If these things may happen to those women also who, having attained the faith while in (the state of) Gentile matrimony, continue in that state, still they are excused, as having been "apprehended by God" in these very circumstances; and they are bidden to persevere in their married state, and are sanctified, and have hope of "making a gain" held out to them.
— Tertullian, To His Wife Book II

"For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thine husband?" This again refers to that expression, "let her not leave him." That is, "if he makes no disturbance, remain," saith he, "for there is even profit in this; remain and advise and give counsel and persuade." For no teacher will have such power to prevail as a wife. And neither, on one hand, doth he lay any necessity upon her and absolutely demand the point of her, that he may not again do what would be too painful; nor, on the other, doth he tell her to despair: but he leaves the matter in suspense through the uncertainty of the future, saying, "For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband whether thou shalt save thy wife?"
— John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 19

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Revelation of Christ — The second advent of Christ. Three different Greek words are used by the apostles to express this, (1) apokalupsis (1 Cor. 1;7; 2 Thess. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:7, 13); (2) parousia (Matt. 24:3, 27; 1 Thess.…
Divorce · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Husband · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Husbands · Duty of, to wives: Not to leave them, though unbelieving — Duty of, to wives: Not to leave them, though unbelieving
Influence · GOOD — GOOD
Missionaries, All Christians Should Be As · In the family — In the family
Wife · UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Wives · Good: Duty of, to unbelieving husbands — Good: Duty of, to unbelieving husbands

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 Corinthians 7:16

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:10-16

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:16

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:16

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:16

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Corinthians 7:16

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:10-16

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:16

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:16

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:16

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 Corinthians 7:10-17

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 7:16