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The Circumstances of Your Calling

17 Nevertheless,[a] as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each person, so must he live. I give this sort of direction in all the churches. 18 Was anyone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision.[b] Was anyone called who is uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Instead, keeping God’s commandments is what counts. 20 Let each one remain in that situation in life[c] in which he was called. 21 Were you called as a slave?[d] Do not worry about it. But if indeed you are able to be free, make the most of the opportunity. 22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. In the same way, the one who was called as a free person is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men. 24 In whatever situation someone was called, brothers and sisters,[e] let him remain in it with God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 7:17 tn Or “only”; Grk “if not.”
  2. 1 Corinthians 7:18 tn Grk “Let him not pull over the foreskin,” that is, attempt to reverse the appearance of circumcision by a surgical procedure. This was sometimes done by Hellenistic Jews to hide the embarrassment of circumcision (1 Macc 1:15; Josephus, Ant. 12.5.1 [12.241]). Cf. BDAG 380 s.v. ἐπισπάω 3.
  3. 1 Corinthians 7:20 tn Grk “in the calling.” “Calling” in Paul is God’s work of drawing people to faith in Christ. As in 1:26, calling here stands by metonymy for a person’s circumstances when he becomes a Christian.
  4. 1 Corinthians 7:21 tn Traditionally, “servant” (KJV), though almost all modern translations render the word as “slave” here.
  5. 1 Corinthians 7:24 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.

17 Only ei mē, as hōs the ho Lord kyrios has assigned merizō to each hekastos person , as hōs God theos has called kaleō each hekastos one , · ho so houtōs let that person conduct peripateō his life . And kai thus houtōs I prescribe diatassō in en all pas the ho churches ekklēsia. 18 If a man tis was already circumcised peritemnō when he was called kaleō, he should not conceal his circumcision epispaomai. If a man tis was not circumcised en when he was called kaleō, he should not submit to circumcision peritemnō. 19 · ho Circumcision peritomē is eimi nothing oudeis and kai · ho uncircumcision akrobystia is eimi nothing oudeis. Rather alla, it is keeping tērēsis God’ s theos commandments entolē that counts. 20 Let menō each hekastos person continue menō in en that condition houtos · ho in which hos he was called kaleō.

21 If you were a slave when called kaleō, do not be concerned melei about it. However alla, if ei · kai you are able dynamai to gain ginomai your freedom eleutheros, make the most mallon of the opportunity chraomai. 22 For gar the ho one who was called kaleō by en the Lord kyrios as a slave is eimi a freedman apeleutheros of the Lord kyrios. Likewise homoiōs, the ho one who was called kaleō as a free eleutheros person is eimi a slave of Christ Christos. 23 You were bought agorazō with a price timē; do not become ginomai slaves of men anthrōpos. 24 Each hekastos one in the condition in en which hos he was called kaleō, brothers adelphos, in en that houtos condition let him remain menō with para God theos.

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