SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:29
Pero esto digo, hermanos, que el tiempo es corto; para los dems es, que los que tienen mujer sean como los que no la tienen,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:29
Verse 29. The time is short] These persecutions and distresses are at the door, and life itself will soon be run out. Even then Nero was plotting those grievous persecutions with which he not only afflicted, but devastated the Church of Christ. They that have wives] Let none begin to think of any comfortable settlement for his family, let him sit loose to all earthly concerns, and stand ready prepared to escape for his life, or meet death, as the providence of God may permit. The husband will be dragged from the side of his wife to appear before the magistrates, and be required either to abjure Christ or die.
Linquenda tellus, et domus, et placens Uxor; neque harum, quas colis, arborum Te, praeter invisas cupressos, Ulla brevem dominum sequetur. HOR. ODAR. lib. ii., Od. xiv., v. 22.
Your pleasing consort must be left; And you, of house and lands bereft, Must to the shades descend: The cypress only, hated tree! Of all thy much-loved groves, shall thee, Its short-lived lord, attend. FRANCIS.
Poor heathenism! thou couldst give but cold comfort in such circumstances as these: and infidelity, thy younger brother, is no better provided than thou.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 29. But this I say, brethren, the time is short , etc.] This is another reason, with which the apostle supports his advice to virgins, and unmarried persons, to remain so; since the time of life is so very short, and it is even but a little while to the end of the world, and second coming of Christ; and therefore seeing the marriage state is so full of care and trouble, and it affords still less time for the service of Christ and religion, he thought it most advisable for them to, continue in a single life, that they might be more at leisure to make use of that little time they had for their spiritual good and welfare, the edification of others, and the glory of Christ: unless it should be rather thought that the apostle is still enlarging upon the former argument, taken from the present time, being a time of distress and persecution; and so the phrase, the time is short, or contracted, and full of anguish and affliction, is the same with the present necessity, and trouble in the flesh; and since this was the case, he suggests again, that an unmarried state was most preferable: it remaineth that both they that have wives , be as though they had none: and as for the rest, they that were married, his advice to them was, that they should so behave as if they were not married; not that he would have them put away their wives, or fancy with themselves that they had none, or make no use of the marriage bed; but suggests a moderate use of it; he would not have them give up themselves to lasciviousness and carnal lusts and pleasures, even with their own wives, and spend their time altogether in their company and embraces: but since the time of life was short, and that full of troubles, they should spend it in the service and worship of God, private and public, as much as possible; and not in the indulging and satisfying of the flesh.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 25-35 - Considering the distress of those times, the unmarried state was best Notwithstanding, the apostle does not condemn marriage. How opposit are those to the apostle Paul who forbid many to marry, and entangl them with vows to remain single, whether they ought to do so or not! He exhorts all Christians to holy indifference toward the world. As to relations; they must not set their hearts on the comforts of the state As to afflictions; they must not indulge the sorrow of the world: eve in sorrow the heart may be joyful. As to worldly enjoyments; here is not their rest. As to worldly employment; those that prosper in trade and increase in wealth, should hold their possessions as though the held them not. As to all worldly concerns; they must keep the world ou of their hearts, that they may not abuse it when they have it in their hands. All worldly things are show; nothing solid. All will be quickl gone. Wise concern about worldly interests is a duty; but to be full of care, to have anxious and perplexing care, is a sin. By this maxim the apostle solves the case whether it were advisable to marry. Tha condition of life is best for every man, which is best for his soul and keeps him most clear of the cares and snares of the world. Let u reflect on the advantages and snares of our own condition in life; tha we may improve the one, and escape as far as possible all injury from the other. And whatever cares press upon the mind, let time still be kept for the things of the Lord.
Greek Textus Receptus
τουτο 5124 D-ASN δε 1161 CONJ φημι 5346 5748 V-PXI-1S αδελφοι 80 N-VPM {VAR2: οτι 3754 CONJ } ο 3588 T-NSM καιρος 2540 N-NSM συνεσταλμενος 4958 5772 V-RPP-NSM το 3588 T-NSN λοιπον 3063 A-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ινα 2443 CONJ και 2532 CONJ οι 3588 T-NPM εχοντες 2192 5723 V-PAP-NPM γυναικας 1135 N-APF ως 5613 ADV μη 3361 PRT-N εχοντες 2192 5723 V-PAP-NPM ωσιν 5600 5753 V-PXS-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
29. Time (kairov). Not, the period of mortal life; but the time which must elapse before the Lord appears.Short (sunestalmenov) Rev., correctly, giving the force of the participle, shortened. Compare Mark xiii. 20, and see on hasting unto, 2 Pet. iii. 12. The word means to draw together or contract. Only here and Acts v. 6, where it is used of the winding up of Ananias' corpse. In classical Greek of furling sails, packing luggage, reducing expenses, etc. Applied to time, the word is very graphic.
It remaineth that (to loipon ina). The meaning is rather henceforth, or for the future. That (ina) in any case is to be construed with the time is shortened. According to the punctuation by different editors, we may read either: the time is shortened that henceforth both those, etc.; or, the time is shortened henceforth, that both those, etc. The former is preferable.96 The time is shortened that henceforth Christians may hold earthly ties and possessions but loosely
31 Abusing (katacrwmenoi). Only here and ch ix. 18. The verb means to use up or consume by using. Hence the sense of misuse by overuse. So A.V. and Rev., abuse. But the American Rev., and Rev. at ch. ix. 18, use to the full, thus according better with the preceding antitheses, which do not contrast what is right and wrong in itself (as use and abuse), but what is right in itself with what is proper under altered circumstances. In ordinary cases it is right for Christians to sorrow; but they should live now as in the near future, when earthly sorrow is to be done away. It is right for them to live in the married state, but they should "assimilate their present condition" to that in which they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Passeth away (paragei). Or, as some, the continuous present, is passing. If the former, the nature of the worldly order is expressed. It is transitory. If the latter, the fact; it is actually passing, with a suggestion of the nearness of the consummation. The context seems to indicate the latter.97
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:29 {But this I say} (touto de femi. Note femi here rather than legw (verses #8,12). A new turn is here given to the argument about the present necessity. {The time is shortened} (ho kairos sunestalmenos estin). Perfect periphrastic passive indicative of sustellw, old verb to place together, to draw together. Only twice in the N.T., here and #Ac 5:6 which see. Found in the papyri for curtailing expenses. Calvin takes it for the shortness of human life, but apparently Paul pictures the foreshortening of time (opportunity) because of the possible nearness of and hope for the second coming. But in Philippians Paul faces death as his fate (#Php 1:21-26), though still looking for the coming of Christ (#3:20). {That henceforth} (to loipon hina). Proleptic position of to loipon before hina and in the accusative of general reference and hina has the notion of result rather than purpose (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 997). {As though they had none} (hws me econtes). this use of hws with the participle for an assumed condition is regular and me in the _Koin_ is the normal negative of the participle. So the idiom runs on through verse #31.
