Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Corinthians 7:35

35 And this I speak for your own profit , not that I may cast a snare upon you , but for that which is comely , and that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction .

For your advantage both as to your converse in the world, and also for your religious conversation, and the performance of those duties which you owe unto God; for those that are married, must meet with more troubles and cares in this life, and cannot have so much time and leisure for religious duties, as others have that are not intangled in the domestick cares of a family.

Yet I would not bring you under a snare, imposing what God hath not imposed, and obliging you where God hath not obliged you.

The word here is [non-Latin text not transcribed], it strictly [illegible: 1 letter]ignifies a thing of a good figure, and is translated in Scripture honourable, Mark 15.43. Acts 13.50. & 17.11. where it signifies what is of a fair and good repute in the eye of the world, which is also the sense of it, Chap. 12.24. where we read of the comely parts of mans body; but in this place the word signifies most largely the same with profitable and convenient. For marriage is a state which neither is in it self indecent, nor ever was so reputed in the World by any Nation, and the Scripture tells us, that Marriage is honourable amongst all. The word therefore here is of the same significancy with [non-Latin text not transcribed], which in the beginning of the verse is translated profitable, and Chap. 6.12. is translated expedient.

The phrase in the Greek is very difficult to be translated properly into our English language, word for word it is, To sit well to the Lord without distraction; our Translators render it, To serve the Lord. We have something like it in our language, when we express our diligent attendance to a thing, under the notion of sitting close to a business, which is opposed to such an attendance to business, as we give when we have many avocations and callings away, so as we cannot sit close to it. The Apostle saith, That this was the end of his advising those who could contain not to marry under that state of things in the World referring to the Church, that they might with more ease and conveniency attend to the great concerns of their Souls, without those distracting and dividing thoughts, which they must have who were intangled with domestick business and relations.