New International Version You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. New Living Translation God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world. English Standard Version You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. Berean Standard Bible You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Berean Literal Bible You⁺ were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. King James Bible Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. New King James Version You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. New American Standard Bible You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of people. NASB 1995 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. NASB 1977 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Legacy Standard Bible You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Amplified Bible You were bought with a price [a precious price paid by Christ]; do not become slaves to men [but to Christ]. Berean Annotated Bible You⁺ were bought at a price; do not become slaves {douloi} of men. Christian Standard Bible You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of people. Holman Christian Standard Bible You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. American Standard Version Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men. Contemporary English Version God paid a great price for you. So don't become slaves of anyone else. English Revised Version Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men. GOD'S WORD® Translation You were bought for a price. Don't become anyone's slaves. Good News Translation God bought you for a price; so do not become slaves of people. International Standard Version You were bought for a price. Stop becoming slaves of people. NET Bible You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men. New Heart English Bible You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of people. Webster's Bible Translation Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Weymouth New Testament You have all been redeemed at infinite cost: do not become slaves to men. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleYou were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. World English Bible You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionyou were bought with a price, do not become servants of men; Berean Literal Bible You⁺ were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Young's Literal Translation with a price ye were bought, become not servants of men; Smith's Literal Translation Ye were bought for a price; be ye not servants of men. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleYou are bought with a price; be not made the bondslaves of men. Catholic Public Domain Version You have been bought with a price. Do not be willing to become the servants of men. New American Bible You have been purchased at a price. Do not become slaves to human beings. New Revised Standard Version You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human masters. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleYou have been bought with a price; you must not therefore become slaves of men. Aramaic Bible in Plain English You have been bought with a price; you should not be Servants of people. NT Translations Anderson New TestamentYou have been bought with a price; become not the servants of men. Godbey New Testament You have been bought with a price; be not the slaves of men. Haweis New Testament Have you been redeemed with a price? become not the slaves of men. Mace New Testament have you been redeemed from slavery? then, don't turn slaves. Weymouth New Testament You have all been redeemed at infinite cost: do not become slaves to men. Worrell New Testament Ye were bought with a price; become not slaves of men. Worsley New Testament Ye are bought with a price, do not become the slaves of men. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Live Your Calling…22For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.… Cross References You were bought at a price; 1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, / but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. do not become slaves of men. Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men, / because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 1 Peter 2:16 Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery. Romans 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Titus 2:14 He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Treasury of Scripture You are bought with a price; be not you the servants of men. are. 1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Leviticus 25:42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. be. Matthew 23:8-11 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren… Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: Jump to Previous Bondmen Bondservants Bought Cost Infinite Payment Price Redeemed Servants SlavesJump to Next Bondmen Bondservants Bought Cost Infinite Payment Price Redeemed Servants Slaves1 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. You were bought at a price; Jesus Christ redeemed believers through His sacrificial death, paying the full cost of their deliverance from sin. The image reflects the familiar buying and selling of slaves in Corinth’s Roman world, yet it declares that Christians belong to Christ, whose blood secured their freedom and reconciliation with God. 1Pe 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things… do not become slaves of men. Believers must not surrender their obedience or identity to human masters, social pressures, or religious systems that rival Christ’s authority. Though some Christians remained literal slaves, their highest allegiance belonged to the Lord who had purchased them. Col 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being,… Persons / Places / Events 1. Paul the ApostleThe author of 1 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth with guidance on Christian living. 2. Corinth A major city in ancient Greece known for its commerce and diverse population, including a significant Christian community. 3. The Corinthian Church The recipients of Paul's letter, dealing with issues of morality, division, and questions about Christian conduct. 4. Jesus Christ The one who paid the price for believers' freedom through His sacrificial death. 5. Slavery in the Roman Empire A common social institution during Paul's time, providing a backdrop for his metaphorical use of slavery. Teaching Points Understanding Our ValueRecognize that believers are precious to God, having been purchased by the blood of Christ. This understanding should shape our identity and self-worth. Living in Freedom Embrace the freedom Christ has given us, avoiding the entanglements of worldly systems and ideologies that can enslave us. Serving God, Not Man Prioritize serving God over seeking approval or becoming dependent on human systems or relationships that can lead to spiritual compromise. Guarding Against Spiritual Slavery Be vigilant against anything that might enslave us spiritually, whether it be sin, legalism, or the pursuit of worldly success. Reflecting Christ's Ownership Live in a way that reflects Christ's ownership over our lives, demonstrating His love, grace, and truth in our daily actions and decisions. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 7:23?2. How does 1 Corinthians 7:23 emphasize the value of our spiritual freedom? 3. What does "bought at a price" reveal about Christ's sacrifice for us? 4. How can we avoid becoming "slaves of men" in today's society? 5. Connect 1 Corinthians 7:23 with Galatians 5:1 on Christian freedom. 6. How should being "bought at a price" influence our daily decisions? 7. What does "You were bought at a price" mean in 1 Corinthians 7:23? 8. How does 1 Corinthians 7:23 relate to Christian freedom and servitude? 9. What historical context influenced Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 7:23? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Corinthians 7? (23) Ye are bought with a price . . .--Better, You were bought with a price therefore become not slaves of men. This carries on the idea of freedmen of the previous verse. With a great price--even the blood of Christ--they have been purchased by Him as freedmen: therefore, do not become slaves of men--do not yield to their views by seeking to change the condition of your calling.Verse 23. - Ye are bought with a price; rather, ye were bought, namely, by Christ; and the price paid for you was his blood (see 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18, 19). Be not ye; rather, become not. The servants of men. There is a grand play of words in the advice to them not to become slaves, at the very moment when he is advising them to continue in slavery. In that which the world called "slavery" the Christian slave might enjoy absolute liberty. The price which a master paid for them was but an unmeaning shadow; they had been bought once and eternally by an infinitely nobler price, and that purchase was the pledge of absolute emancipation. Christ paid the highest price—His own blood—to make us His treasured possession. Because we belong to Him, no human master, system, or expectation can rightly claim ownership of our conscience or devotion. Our daily call is to enjoy the freedom He purchased and to live gratefully, refusing every form of bondage that would diminish His rightful rule. Parallel Commentaries ... Greek You were boughtἠγοράσθητε (ēgorasthēte) Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 59: To buy. From agora; properly, to go to market, i.e. to purchase; specially, to redeem. at a price; Τιμῆς (Timēs) Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Strong's 5092: A price, honor. From tino; a value, i.e. Money paid, or valuables; by analogy, esteem, or the dignity itself. {do} not μὴ (mē) Adverb Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether. become γίνεσθε (ginesthe) Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude. slaves δοῦλοι (douloi) Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 1401: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave. From deo; a slave. of men. ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being. Additonal Resources 1 Corinthians 7:23 Blue Letter Bible1 Corinthians 7:23 Bible Gateway 1 Corinthians 7:23 Bible.com 1 Corinthians 7:23 NIV |
    |