1 Corinthians 7:21

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
called	ἐκλήθης; eklēthēs	G2564	to "call" (properly · verb — aorist passive indicative, 2nd person singular
servant	δοῦλος doulos	G1401	a slave (literal or figurative · noun — nominative singular masculine
care	μελέτω· meletō	G3199	to be of interest to · verb — present active imperative, 3rd person singular
not	μή mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
it	σοί soí	G4671	to thee
but	ἀλλ᾽ all᾽	G235	properly · conjunction
if	εἰ ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
mayest	δύνασαι dunasai	G1410	to be able or possible · verb — present middle or passive deponent indicative, 2nd person singular
made	γενέσθαι, genesthai	G1096	to cause to be ("gen"-erate) · verb — second aorist middle deponent infinitive
free	ἐλεύθερος eleutheros	G1658	unrestrained (to go at pleasure) · adjective — nominative singular masculine
use	χρῆσαι. chrēsai	G5530	to furnish what is needed · verb — aorist middle deponent imperative, 2nd person singular
rather	μᾶλλον mallon	G3123	(adverbially) more (in a greater degree)) or rather · adverb

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

Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
1 Peter 2:18-24 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
Luke 10:40-41 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?…
Luke 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to d…
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so th…
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Here the apostle takes occasion to advise them to continue in the state and condition in which Christianity found them, and in which they became converts to it. And here, I. He lays down this rule in general - as God hath distributed to every one. Note, Our states and circumstances in this world are distributions of divine Providence. This fixes the bounds of men's habitations, and orders their steps. God setteth up and pulleth down. And again, As the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. Whatever his circumstances or condition was when he was converted to Christianity, let him abide therein, and suit his conversation to it. The rules of Christianity reach every condition. And in ever…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:21

care not for it--Let it not be a trouble to thee that thou art a servant or slave. use it rather--Continue rather in thy state as a servant (Co1 7:20; Gal 3:28; Ti1 6:2). The Greek, "But if even thou mayest be made free, use it," and the context (Co1 7:20, Co1 7:22) favors this view [CHRYSOSTOM, BENGEL, and ALFORD]. This advice (if this translation be right) is not absolute, as the spirit of the Gospel is against slavery. What is advised here is, contentment under one's existing condition (Co1 7:24), though an undesirable one, since in our union with Christ all outward disparities of condition are compensated (Co1 7:22). Be not unduly impatient to cast off "even" thy condition as a servant…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:21

Art thou called being a servant? - Δουλος εκληθης, Art thou converted to Christ while thou art a slave - the property of another person, and bought with his money? care not for it - this will not injure thy Christian condition, but if thou canst obtain thy liberty - use it rather - prefer this state for the sake of freedom, and the temporal advantages connected with it.

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:21

The Church Fathers

Paul is saying that no slave should run away, using religion as his excuse.
— Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 207

Paul encourages slaves to serve their earthy masters well, so that they may appear to them to deserve their freedom. A slave who did not do his work properly would blaspheme the name of Christ and do nothing to further God's cause.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

I am a slave of that affair and care to which I am bound. For I know that it is written that whatever one is conquered by, to that he is delivered as a slave.… Who will free me from this most unseemly slavery except him who said, "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed".?
— Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES 13

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.…
Contentment · 14:10,14;15:13,15,30;16:8;17:1,22;30:8; — 14:10,14;15:13,15,30;16:8;17:1,22;30:8;
Servants · Should be contented in their situation — Should be contented in their situation

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 7:21

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:21

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:21

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:21

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Corinthians 7:21

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:21

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:21

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:21

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 Corinthians 7:18-24

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 7:21-23