1 Corinthians 7:9 (WEB)
But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn with passion.
Fathers and councils · 23
Cyril of Jerusalem
“For it is good for them, saith the Apostle, if they abide even as I. But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 8, 9.
Read the whole comment“Every prayer of thine, every Psalm thou singest is recorded; every alms-deed, every fast is recorded; every marriage duly observed is recorded; continence kept for God’s sake is recorded; but the first crowns in the records are those of virginity and purity; and thou shalt shine as an Angel.” — editor's note: ᾽Εγκράτεια. “Id est viduitas” (Ben. Ed.). This special reference of the word to widowhood is to some extent confirmed by 1 Cor. vii. 9: εἰ δὲ οὐκ…
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Ambrose of Milan
““It is better to marry than to burn,” for there is a flame which burns within.” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9; Prov. vi. 27.
Read the whole comment“Yet, since the Apostle knew that Anna, the widow of fourscore years, from her youth was a herald of the works of the Lord, I do not think that he thought that the younger should be excluded from the devotion of widowhood, especially as he said: “It is better to marry than to burn.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9.
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John Cassian
- John Cassian, Conferences I–X V.11Conference V
“…unmarried and to widows, that it is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they do not contain let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn;” (3) that which is conceived in heart and mind, of which the Lord says in the gospel: “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath already committed…” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 8, 9.
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Basil the Great
““If they cannot contain,” it is said “let them marry;” but if they marry they must not break the law.” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9.
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Jerome
“But if a girl pretends to have a vocation simply because she desires to escape from service, read aloud to her the words of the apostle: “It is better to marry than to burn.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9.
Read the whole comment“Moreover, when I came to discuss marriage in connection with the following verses, I still adhered to the same view.” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 8–10.
Read the whole comment““It is better,” the apostle tells us, “to marry than to burn.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9.
Read the whole comment“A widow should be ignorant that second marriage is permitted; she should know nothing of the apostle’s words:—“It is better to marry than to burn.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9.
Read the whole comment“To the Corinthians he uses somewhat similar language: “I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 8, 9.
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Augustine of Hippo
“But at this time, towards them unto whom it is said, “if they contain not, let them be married,” we must use not consolation, but exhortation.” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9
Read the whole comment“…the People of God, and City of the kingdom of heaven, whoso can receive sacred virginity, let him receive it; and let her only, who contains not, be married.” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 12; 1 Cor. vii. 9
Read the whole comment“Whence it seems to me, that at this time, those only, who contain not, ought to marry, according to that sentence of the same Apostle, “But if they contain not, let them be married: for it is better to be married than to burn.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9
Read the whole comment“Therefore as many women as there are now, unto whom it is said, “if they contain not, let them be married,” are not to be compared to the holy women then, even when they married.” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9
Read the whole comment“This habit, in the matter of that continence which is from sexual intercourse, they have not, unto whom it is said, “If they contain not, let them be married.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9
Read the whole comment“For you would have done what the Apostle says, after he had said, “It is good for them, if they shall have so continued, even as I;” forsooth he straightway added, “But if they contain not themselves, let them marry; for I had rather that they marry than be burned.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 8, 9
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Tertullian
“For, withal, when he has laid down the definitive rule with reference to “the widowed and the unwedded,” that they are to “marry if they cannot contain,” because “better it is to marry than to burn,” he turns round to the other class, and says: “But to the wedded I make official declaration—not indeed I, but the Lord.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 8, 9.
Read the whole comment“…that they make the fear of succumbing to adultery and fornication their reason for marrying as often as they please—since “better it is to marry than to burn.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9, repeatedly quoted.
Read the whole comment““To the unmarried” also, “and widows,” he says, “It is good, by his example, to persevere” (in their present state); “but if they were too weak, to marry; because it is preferable to marry than to bum.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 8, 9.
Read the whole comment“For the apostle, although preferring the grace of continence, yet permits the contraction of marriage and the enjoyment of it, and advises the continuance therein rather than the dissolution thereof.” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9, 13, 14.
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Gregory the Great
“For it is written, It is better to marry than to burn (1 Cor. vii. 9).” — the author cites it
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Clement of Alexandria
“De secundis autum nuptiis: “Si uraris,” inquit Apostolus, “jungere matrimonio.”” — editor's note: 1 Cor. vii. 9.
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Cross-references · 34
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Letters Letter 160 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Letters Letter 160.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2 and 1 other place.
Cited together in On the Good of Widowhood Chapter 11.
Cited together in On the Good of Widowhood Chapter 11.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Letters Letter 160.
Cited together in Letters Letter 160.
Cited together in Letters Letter 160.
Cited together in On the Good of Marriage Chapter 25.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2.
Cited together in Concerning Widows Chapter 2.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in On the Good of Widowhood Chapter 11.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.
Cited together in Letters Letter 160.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14 and 1 other place.
Cited together in On the Good of Marriage Chapter 25 and 2 other places.
Cited together in Of Holy Virginity Chapter 1.
Cited together in Concerning Repentance I.14.