Parallel Verses

Moffatt New Testament

You were a slave when you were called? Never mind. Of course, if you do find it possible to get free, you had better avail yourself of the opportunity.

New American Standard Bible

Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.

King James Version

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

Holman Bible

Were you called while a slave? It should not be a concern to you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.

International Standard Version

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that bother you. Of course, if you have a chance to become free, take advantage of the opportunity.

A Conservative Version

Were thou called being a bondman? It should not concern thee. However if also thou are able to become free, take advantage of it instead.

American Standard Version

Wast thou called being a bondservant? Care not for it: nay, even if thou canst become free, use it rather.

Amplified

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not worry about that [since your status as a believer is equal to that of a freeborn believer]; but if you are able to gain your freedom, do that.

An Understandable Version

Were you a slave when you were called? It should not matter to you [i.e., if you still are]. But if, indeed, you can become a free person, then use that freedom instead [i.e., for serving God].

Anderson New Testament

Were you a servant when you were called? Care not for it. But if you can become free, rather enjoy your freedom.

Bible in Basic English

If you were a servant when you became a Christian, let it not be a grief to you; but if you have a chance to become free, make use of it.

Common New Testament

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it trouble youbut if you can gain your freedom, do so.

Daniel Mace New Testament

were you called being a slave? be not perplex'd about it; but if you can obtain your freedom, don't refuse it.

Darby Translation

Hast thou been called being a bondman, let it not concern thee; but and if thou canst become free, use it rather.

Godbey New Testament

Have you been called being a slave? let it not be a care to you: but if indeed you are able to become free, use it in preference.

Goodspeed New Testament

If you were a slave when you were called, never mind. Even if you can gain your freedom, make the most of your present condition instead.

John Wesley New Testament

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou canst be made free, use it rather.

Julia Smith Translation

A servant wert thou called? let it not concern thee: for if thou art able to be free, rather make use of it.

King James 2000

Are you called being a servant? care not for it: but if you may be made free, use it rather.

Lexham Expanded Bible

Were you called [while] a slave? Do not let it be a concern to you. But if indeed you are able to become free, rather make use of [it].

Modern King James verseion

Were you called as a slave? It does not matter to you, but if you are able to become free, use it rather.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Art thou called a servant? Care not for it. Nevertheless if thou mayst be free, use it rather.

Montgomery New Testament

Were you called in slavery? Let not that trouble you; but if you can become free make use of the opportunity.

NET Bible

Were you called as a slave? Do not worry about it. But if indeed you are able to be free, make the most of the opportunity.

New Heart English Bible

Were you called being a bondservant? Do not let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

Noyes New Testament

Wast thou called being a slave, care not for it; but even if thou canst be made free, use it rather.

Sawyer New Testament

were you called being a servant, care not for it; but if you can be free, use it rather.

The Emphasized Bible

A bond-servant, wast thou called? let it not cause thee concern; but, if thou canst even become, free, rather use it.

Thomas Haweis New Testament

Art thou called being a slave? let it give thee no concern; but if thou canst also obtain thy freedom, rather make use of it.

Twentieth Century New Testament

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. No, even if you are able to gain your freedom, still do your best.

Webster

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

Weymouth New Testament

Were you a slave when God called you? Let not that weigh on your mind. And yet if you can get your freedom, take advantage of the opportunity.

Williams New Testament

Were you called while a slave? Stop letting that annoy you. Yet, if you can win your freedom, take advantage of such an opportunity.

World English Bible

Were you called being a bondservant? Don't let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

Worrell New Testament

Were you called, being a slave? care not for it; but, even if you can become free, use it rather.

Worsley New Testament

Wast thou called being a slave, be not anxious about it; but if thou canst be made free, prefer it.

Youngs Literal Translation

a servant -- wast thou called? be not anxious; but if also thou art able to become free -- use it rather;

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
Art thou called
καλέω 
Kaleo 
call, bid, be so named, named ,
Usage: 106

δοῦλος 
Doulos 
Usage: 65

μέλω 
melo 
Usage: 9

not
μή 
me 
not, no, that not, God forbid 9, lest, neither, no man , but, none, not translated,
Usage: 493

for it
σοί 
Soi 
thee, thou, thy, thine own, not tr
Usage: 113

but
ἀλλά 
Alla 
but, yea, yet, nevertheless, howbeit, nay, therefore, save, not tr,
Usage: 461

if
εἰ 
Ei 
if, whether, that, not tr,
Usage: 218

thou mayest
δύναμαι 
Dunamai 
can , cannot , be able, may , able,
Usage: 140

be made
γίνομαι 
Ginomai 
be, come to pass, be made, be done, come, become, God forbid , arise, have, be fulfilled, be married to, be preferred, not tr, , vr done
Usage: 531

ἐλεύθερος 
Eleutheros 
Usage: 21

use
χράομαι 
Chraomai 
Usage: 11

References

American

Fausets

Hastings

Morish

Watsons

Prayers for 1 Corinthians 7:21

Context Readings

Concerning Christian Marriage

20 Everyone must remain in the condition of life where he was called. 21 You were a slave when you were called? Never mind. Of course, if you do find it possible to get free, you had better avail yourself of the opportunity. 22 But a slave who is called to be in the Lord is a freedman of the Lord. Just as a free man who is called is a slave of Christ

Cross References

Luke 10:40-41

Now Martha was so busy attending to them that she grew worried; she came up and said, "Lord, is it all one to you that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Come, tell her to lend me a hand."

Luke 12:29

So do not seek food and drink and be worried;

Luke 21:34

Take heed to yourselves in case your hearts get overpowered by dissipation and drunkenness and worldly anxieties, and so that Day catches you suddenly like a trap.

1 Corinthians 12:13

For by one Spirit we have all been baptized into one Body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or freemen; we have all been imbued with one Spirit.

Galatians 3:28

There is no room for Jew or Greek, there is no room for slave or freeman, there is no room for male and female; you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6

Never be anxious, but always make your requests known to God in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving;

Philippians 4:11

Not that I complain of want, for I have learned how to be content wherever I am.

Colossians 3:11

In it there is no room for Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free man; Christ is everything and everywhere.

1 Timothy 6:1-3

Let all servants who are under the yoke of slavery remember that their masters are entitled to perfect respect ??otherwise it will be a scandal to the Name of God and to our doctrine.

Hebrews 13:5

Keep your life free from the love of money; be content with what you have, for He has said, Never will I fail you, never will I forsake you.

1 Peter 2:18-24

Servants, be submissive to your masters with perfect respect, not simply to those who are kind and reasonable but to the surly as well ??19 for it is a merit when from a sense of God one bears the pain of unjust suffering.

1 Peter 5:7

let all your anxieties fall upon him, for his interest is in you.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain