1 Corinthians 7:15
New International Version
But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.

New Living Translation
(But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the believing husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.)

English Standard Version
But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.

Berean Standard Bible
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

Berean Literal Bible
But if the unbeliever separates himself, let him separate himself. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called you into peace.

King James Bible
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

New King James Version
But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

New American Standard Bible
Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.

NASB 1995
Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.

NASB 1977
Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave. The brother or the sister is not enslaved in such cases, but God has called us to peace.

Amplified Bible
But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him leave. In such cases the [remaining] brother or sister is not [spiritually or morally] bound. But God has called us to peace.

Christian Standard Bible
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

American Standard Version
Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us in peace.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But if he who does not believe separates, let him separate. A brother or sister is not in bondage in such cases. God has called us to peace.

Contemporary English Version
If your husband or wife isn't a follower of the Lord and decides to divorce you, then you should agree to it. You are no longer bound to that person. After all, God chose you and wants you to live at peace.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But if the unbeliever depart, let him depart. For a brother or sister is not under servitude in such cases. But God hath called us in peace.

English Revised Version
Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us in peace.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But if the unbelieving partners leave, let them go. Under these circumstances a Christian man or Christian woman is not bound [by a marriage vow]. God has called you to live in peace.

Good News Translation
However, if the one who is not a believer wishes to leave the Christian partner, let it be so. In such cases the Christian partner, whether husband or wife, is free to act. God has called you to live in peace.

International Standard Version
But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him go. In such cases the brother or sister is not under obligation. God has called you to live in peace.

Literal Standard Version
And if the unbelieving separates himself—let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace has God called us;

Majority Standard Bible
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called us to live in peace.

New American Bible
If the unbeliever separates, however, let him separate. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases; God has called you to peace.

NET Bible
But if the unbeliever wants a divorce, let it take place. In these circumstances the brother or sister is not bound. God has called you in peace.

New Revised Standard Version
But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. It is to peace that God has called you.

New Heart English Bible
Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called you to peace.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases; but God hath called us to peace.

Weymouth New Testament
If, however, the unbeliever is determined to leave, let him or her do so. Under such circumstances the Christian man or woman is no slave; God has called us to live lives of peace.

World English Bible
Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.

Young's Literal Translation
And, if the unbelieving doth separate himself -- let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such cases, and in peace hath God called us;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Principles of Marriage
14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?…

Cross References
Luke 9:39
A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him.

Romans 14:19
So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.


Treasury of Scripture

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace.

A brother.

Matthew 12:50
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

James 2:15
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

but.

1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Romans 12:18
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 14:19
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

to peace.

Jump to Previous
Bondage Case Cases Christian Circumstances Depart Departeth Departs Desire Desires Determined Forced God's However Leave Partner Peace Pleasure Position Separate Separation Sister Slave Unbeliever Unbelieving
Jump to Next
Bondage Case Cases Christian Circumstances Depart Departeth Departs Desire Desires Determined Forced God's However Leave Partner Peace Pleasure Position Separate Separation Sister Slave Unbeliever Unbelieving
1 Corinthians 7
1. He discusses marriage;
4. showing it to be a remedy against sinful desires,
10. and that the bond thereof ought not lightly to be dissolved.
20. Every man must be content with his vocation.
25. Virginity wherefore to be embraced;
35. and for what respects we may either marry, or abstain from marrying.














(15) But if the unbelieving depart.--Supposing, however, the desire for separation arises from the unbelieving partner, how is the Christian partner to act? If the married life, for example, be made intolerable by the unbeliever urging the believer to join in such religious acts as conscience cannot approve, the Apostle's previous commands for continued union do not hold good: a brother or a sister, in such cases, is not bound to insist upon the continuation of the union. "Let the unbeliever, if he so desire, depart."

This permission is in no way contrary to our Lord's permission of divorce on only one ground, for the Apostle has carefully reminded his readers that our Lord's command does not apply to the case of a marriage between a believer and a heathen. In ouch cases we have no command from Him.

A brother or a sister.--That is, a Christian. In such cases, when the unbelieving partner wishes to depart, let him or her do so. The Christian partner is not, under such circumstances, bound by the marriage to continue together. Their doing so might destroy that very peace in which (not "to peace" as in the English) God has called us.

Verse 15. - If the unbelieving depart. The sense of the word rendered "depart" is rather "wishes to be separated." Is not under bondage; literally, has not been enslaved. Our Lord assumes one cause alone - unfaithfulness - as adequate for the disruption of the marriage tie; but he was not contemplating, as St. Paul is, the case of mixed marriages. To peace; rather, in peace. Peace is to be the sphere in which the calling comes, and in which it issues. Milton, in his 'Tetrachordon,' quotes Maimonides to the effect that "divorce was permitted by Moses to preserve peace in marriage and quiet in the family." Similarly, a voluntary separation might be the only possible means of preserving moral peace where the union was between souls separated from each other by so vast a gulf as those of a pagan and a Christian.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

if
Εἰ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

unbeliever
ἄπιστος (apistos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 571: (passively) untrustworthy (person), or incredible (thing).

leaves,
χωρίζεται (chōrizetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5563: From chora; to place room between, i.e. Part; reflexively, to go away.

let him go.
χωριζέσθω (chōrizesthō)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5563: From chora; to place room between, i.e. Part; reflexively, to go away.

The [ believing ]
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

brother
ἀδελφὸς (adelphos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 80: A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

sister
ἀδελφὴ (adelphē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 79: A sister, a woman (fellow-)member of a church, a Christian woman. Fem of adephos; a sister.

is not bound
δεδούλωται (dedoulōtai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1402: To enslave. From doulos; to enslave.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

such [cases].
τοιούτοις (toioutois)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5108: (including the other inflections); from toi and houtos; truly this, i.e. Of this sort (to denote character or individuality).

God
Θεός (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

has called
κέκληκεν (keklēken)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2564: (a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

[to live] in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

peace.
εἰρήνῃ (eirēnē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1515: Probably from a primary verb eiro; peace; by implication, prosperity.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 7:15 Yet if the unbeliever departs let there (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 7:14
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