1 Corinthians 7:29

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as if they do not.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος: τὸ λοιπὸν ἐστιν, ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν·

Transliteration

This de I phēmi, adelphoi, the kairos having been sunestalmenos: the loipon estin, hina also those echontes gunaikas as mē echontes ōsin;

Grammar Details

• *de*: postpositive particle - but/and/now
• *phēmi*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I say/declare
• *adelphoi*: vocative, masculine, plural - brothers/brethren
• *kairos*: nominative, masculine, singular - time/season/opportune moment
• *sunestalmenos*: perfect passive participle, nominative, masculine, singular - having been shortened/compressed
• *loipon*: accusative, neuter, singular - remainder/what remains
• *estin*: present active indicative, 3rd person singular - is
• *hina*: conjunction - so that/in order that
• *echontes*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, plural - having/possessing
• *gunaikas*: accusative, feminine, plural - wives/women
• *mē*: negative particle - not
• *ōsin*: present active subjunctive, 3rd person plural - they may be

Word Meanings

• *phēmi*: say/declare/affirm
• *adelphoi*: brothers/brethren/fellow believers
• *kairos*: time/season/opportune moment/appointed time
• *sunestalmenos*: having been shortened/compressed/limited/curtailed
• *loipon*: remainder/what remains/henceforth
• *echontes*: having/possessing/holding
• *gunaikas*: wives/women
• *ōsin*: they may be/exist

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  But this I say, brethren, the time is short; so that from now on, even those who have wives should be as though they had none,

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But this I say, brethren, the time is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none;

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  This saye I brethre the tyme is shorte. It remayneth that they which have wives be as though they had none

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Howbeit this I saye brethren: the tyme is shorte. Farthermore this is the meanynge, yt they which haue wyues, be as though they had none:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And this I say, brethren, because the time is short, hereafter that both they which haue wiues, be as though they had none:

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But this say I brethren, the tyme is short: It remayneth, that they which haue wyues, be as though they had none:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  But this I say, brethren, the time [is] short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And this I say, brethren, the time henceforth is having been shortened -- that both those having wives may be as not having;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But this I say, brethren, the time is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But this I say, brethren, the time is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not;

• World English Bible (2000)

  But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  And I say this, brothers and sisters: The time is short. So then those who have wives should be as those who have none,

Referenced Verses

• Rom 13:11-12 : 11 And do this, knowing the time, that the hour has already come for you to wake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. So let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
• 1 Cor 7:31 : 31 And those who use the things of this world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
• Eccl 12:13-14 : 13 Now that all has been heard, here is the conclusion: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
• Ps 39:4-7 : 4 My heart grew hot within me; as I meditated, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: 5 LORD, let me know my end and the number of my days, so I may understand how fleeting my life is. 6 Behold, You have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before You. Surely, every man is but a breath. Selah. 7 Surely, man goes about as a shadow; surely, they make an uproar over nothing; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will gather it.
• Jas 4:13-16 : 13 Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.' 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
• 1 John 2:17 : 17 The world is passing away, along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
• Job 14:1-2 : 1 Man, born of a woman, is short-lived and full of trouble. 2 He springs up like a flower and withers away; he flees like a shadow and does not endure.
• 1 Pet 1:24 : 24 For, "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off,
• 1 Pet 4:7 : 7 The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
• 2 Pet 3:8-9 : 8 But do not let this one thing escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wanting any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
• Ps 90:5-9 : 5 You sweep them away like a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that springs up in the morning— 6 In the morning it flourishes and grows, but by evening it withers and dries up. 7 We are consumed by your anger, and terrified by your wrath. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a sigh. 10 The span of our life is seventy years—or eighty, if we have strength; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
• Ps 103:15-16 : 15 As for man, his days are like grass, he blooms like a flower of the field. 16 The wind blows over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
• Eccl 6:12 : 12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few days of their fleeting life? They pass like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
• Eccl 9:10 : 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
• Eccl 12:7-8 : 7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 'Utter futility,' says the Teacher. 'Everything is futile!'
• Isa 24:1-2 : 1 Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. 2 It will be the same for the people as for the priest, the servant as for his master, the maid as for her mistress, the buyer as for the seller, the lender as for the borrower, the creditor as for the debtor.
• Isa 40:6-8 : 6 A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are like grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
• Heb 13:13-14 : 13 Therefore, let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we eagerly seek the city that is to come.