1 Corinthians7:40
Previous VerseTranslation
However, according to my judgment, she is blessed if she should remain in that manner, and I think I too have the Spirit of GOD.
Paraphrase
However, as I see it, she will be happier if she remains as she is (unmarried). I carefully follow the Spirit of God, therefore, I am confident that my opinion on the matter has as least as much weight as others who have been teaching in Corinth.
A SUMMARY OF THE ENTIRE PASSAGE
It will go more easily for her if she is not attached to a husband when persecution comes.
The key to understanding this passage is the clause “because of the present necessity” (v. 26). If you see persecution coming, do not rush into a close relationship like a marriage; it will only make things harder. It is possible that Paul had seen people do that very thing. They rushed into a marriage relationship because the time was short; they enjoyed a little bit of time together, but then it made their suffering even greater. His advice was, “It’s not worth it, so don’t go there.” However, don’t respond out of fear and try to get out of relationships and the responsibilities they entail. Paul had learned that the easiest way to say all this was to say, “if you see persecution approaching, it is usually best to stay in the situation you are now in.”
We see from this discussion that Paul’s strange-sounding advice had a very good reason when applied to the specific situation he had in mind – persecution.