First Corinthians 7:6 is Paul’s clarification that the advice he has just given about marriage and sexual intimacy is a permission he is granting, not a rule he is imposing. The verse marks a boundary: what comes before it is something Paul allows within the church’s life, and what follows it reflects his personal preference. Paul, the apostle who wrote this letter to the church in Corinth, is the speaker, and his words are addressed to a community of believers wrestling with questions about marriage, celibacy, and how Christian faith shapes family life.
But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.
1 Corinthians 7:6 (WEB)
What 1 Corinthians 7:6 Means
The phrase “this I say” points back to the instructions Paul has just given in verses 3 through 5, about spouses giving each other affection and not withholding from one another. When Paul says he is speaking “by way of concession,” he means he is allowing something rather than demanding it. A concession is a yielding, a making room for a practice that is not the ideal but is acceptable within certain limits. In the context of verse 5, that allowance is a temporary pause from marital intimacy by mutual agreement, so that a couple can devote themselves to fasting and prayer.
The phrase “not of commandment” is just as important. Paul is careful to say that he is not issuing a command from the Lord or from his own authority as an apostle. He distinguishes between what he is permitting and what he is requiring. This verse does not promise that every believer must follow a particular pattern, nor does it guarantee any outcome for those who do. It simply clarifies the status of Paul’s advice, making clear that the arrangement he describes is an option grounded in mutual consent and spiritual purpose.
The Context of 1 Corinthians 7:6
First Corinthians is one of the letters Paul wrote to the church he founded in Corinth, a bustling port city known for its commerce and for a culture that often tolerated sexual immorality. The church there faced many challenges, and in chapter 7 Paul answers questions the Corinthians had raised in an earlier letter. Scholars generally date the letter to the mid-50s AD. Chapter 7 deals with marriage, singleness, and the desire to lead a holy life in a world full of temptation, and Paul’s tone throughout is pastoral rather than legalistic.
Read in its surroundings, verse 6 looks back to verses 3 through 5, where Paul insists that husbands and wives owe each other intimacy and should not deprive one another. Verses 7 through 9 look forward, where Paul expresses his wish that everyone could live as he does, unmarried and devoted to the Lord, while acknowledging that each person has a particular gift from God. Verse 6 thus functions as a hinge: it qualifies the preceding instruction and prepares the reader for the personal reflection that follows. Understanding this flow prevents the verse from being read as a freestanding rule about abstinence.
Key Phrases in 1 Corinthians 7:6
1 Corinthians 7:7
Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.
(WEB)
This verse continues Paul’s thought directly, expressing his wish that all people could share his singleness while acknowledging that each person has a particular gift from God. Reading it alongside verse 6 shows that Paul’s concession is rooted in a recognition of God’s varied gifts rather than in a single standard for every believer.
1 Corinthians 7:9
But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn.
(WEB)
Here Paul speaks plainly about self-control and the wisdom of marriage for those who lack it. It helps to see that his concessions are practical and pastoral, offering a realistic path for people living with real desires and temptations in a challenging city.
A Short Prayer From 1 Corinthians 7:6
Lord, you know the desires of our hearts and the pressures we carry in our relationships and our choices. Give us wisdom to recognize what is permitted and what is required, and courage to speak honestly with those we love. Where we need to pause for prayer, help us to do so with one mind and one heart. Where our path is different from what others expect, free us from comparison and help us to trust the gifts you have given us. Keep us faithful, humble, and attentive to your leading. Amen.
