John Calvin on 1 Corinthians 7:17

17. Unless every one, according as God has dispensed his grace, etc. Such is the literal meaning: only I have in my rendering made use of the nominative, “Our Author refers to the word ἑκαστος, (every one,) which occurs in the first clause of the verse in the dative case, and in the second clause in the accusative, and in both instances rendered by him in the nominative — unusquisque (every one.) — Ed in order that the connection may be more easy and natural. The meaning is: “What, then, is to be done, unless The particles which occur in the original, ἐι μὴ, (unless,) might in this passage, and in several other instances in the New Testament, (as well as in classical writers,) be rendered only They correspond to the Hebrew particles אם-לא. See Genesis 24:38. — Ed that every one walk according to the grace given to him, and according to his calling? Let every one, therefore, labor for this, and use his endeavor, that he may do good to his neighbors, and, more especially, when he ought to be excited to it by the particular duty of his calling.” He mentions two things — the calling, and the measure of grace These he desires us to look to in deliberating as to this matter; as it ought to be no small stimulus to us to duty, that God condescends to make us ministers of his grace for the salvation of our brethren; while the calling, on the other hand, should hold us, as it were, under God’s yoke, even where an individual feels his situation to be an unpleasant one.

And so in all the Churches. I am of opinion that he added this, with the view of obviating the calumnies of some who boasted that he assumed more authority over the Corinthians than he ventured to do over others. At the same time he might have also another end in view — that this doctrine might have the more weight, when the Corinthians understood that it was already published in all the Churches. For we embrace the more readily what we understand that we have in common with all the pious. The Corinthians, on the other hand, would have felt it hateful to be bound more closely than others.

1 Corinthians 7:18-24

18. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

18. Circumcisus aliquis vocatus est? ne arcessat praeputium: in praeputio aliquis vocatus est? ne circumcidatur.

19. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

19. Circumcisio nihil est, et praeputium nihil est, sed observatio mandatorum Dei.

20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

20. Unusquisque in qua vocatione fuit vocatus, maneat.

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

21. Servus vocatus es? ne sit tibi curae: at si etiam possis liber fieri, magis utere.

22. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called being free, is Christ’s servant.

22. Etenim qui in Domino vocatus est servus, libertus Domini est: similiter et qui liber vocatus est, servus est Christi.

23. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

23. Pretio empti estis: nolite fieri servi hominum.

24. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

24. Unusquisque in eo, in quo vocatus est, fratres, maneat apud Deum.