1 Corinthians 7:39 teaches that a wife is bound to her husband for as long as he lives, but once he has died she is free to marry again, provided her new husband is someone who belongs to the Lord. The apostle Paul wrote these words to the church in Corinth, answering practical questions the believers had sent him about marriage, singleness and how to live faithfully in a city full of temptation.
A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:39 (WEB)
What 1 Corinthians 7:39 Means
The verse begins with a statement about commitment. A wife is bound “by law” to her husband while he lives. In Paul’s world marriage was a binding public relationship, and a wife’s status depended on it. Paul is not describing a cage. He is affirming that marriage is a serious, lasting bond that does not end simply because the couple grows distant or because one partner feels restless.
The second part of the verse addresses what happens at death. The marriage bond ends with the husband’s death, and the widow is “free” to marry again. Paul does not command her to remarry, and he does not forbid her from doing so. He places the decision in her hands, which was a meaningful statement in a culture where widows often had little control over their own futures.
The final phrase, “only in the Lord,” sets a limit. A believing widow may marry anyone she chooses, but her new spouse should share her faith in Christ. The verse does not promise a happy second marriage or guarantee any particular outcome. It gives a principle for making a choice before God, and it trusts the believer to think, pray and seek wise counsel.
The Context of 1 Corinthians 7:39
First Corinthians was written by Paul, traditionally dated to the mid-50s AD, to a congregation in the port city of Corinth. That city was known for its commercial bustle and its moral laxity, and the church was divided over spiritual pride, sexual conduct, and questions about marriage and singleness. Paul answers those questions in chapter 7 with a mix of pastoral care and frank realism about the pressures believers faced.
The verses just before and after 1 Corinthians 7:39 deal with whether to marry, whether to remain single, and what each path requires. In verse 40 Paul adds his own judgment that a widow is “happier” if she stays as she is, though he presents this as his opinion rather than a command. Reading verse 39 alongside that surrounding discussion shows that Paul is giving real freedom while also offering wise counsel, so the verse is best read as guidance for a thoughtful decision rather than a rigid rule.
Key Phrases in 1 Corinthians 7:39
2 Corinthians 6:14
Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
(WEB)
This verse warns believers not to be “unequally yoked” with unbelievers. It parallels the principle in 1 Corinthians 7:39 that a Christian’s closest partnerships should be shaped by a shared commitment to Christ, and it explains why that concern runs deeper than religious preference.
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it…
(WEB)
Paul calls husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Read alongside 1 Corinthians 7:39, this verse reminds us that marriage in the Lord is more than a legal bond. It is a relationship marked by sacrificial love, which is why the commitment described in verse 39 matters so much.
A Short Prayer From 1 Corinthians 7:39
Lord, you know the joys and sorrows of marriage, and you know the grief that comes when a spouse is taken from us. Thank you that your Word speaks to every season of life, including the long road of widowhood and the decisions that follow it. Give wisdom to anyone facing a choice about marriage, and help them seek a partner who loves you and walks with you in faith.
Guard our hearts from rushing ahead or settling for less than what honors you. Teach us to trust your timing and to rest in your faithfulness whether we marry, remain single, or are grieving a loss. Keep us close to you in every relationship we form. Amen.
