This translation is from the New American Standard Bible. Several other translations are available here.
Excerpts from definitions of what seem to be key the Greek words are set out following the scriptural text. The sources are hyperlinked.
That is followed by excerpts from the scriptural texts that tell us what about God or His ways, what we should do, and what we should not do.
That is followed by commentary, in blue. The commentary is my own, so it is not entitled to any particular weight.
Scriptural Text:
But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband 11(but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
12But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 15Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 16For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
Definitions:
leave = χωρίζω = chorizo
to put apart, separate, to separate oneself, to depart from; divide, put asunder; go away
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
separate, divide, exclude;separate in thought, distinguish
divorce, send away = ἀφίημι = aphiēmi
to send away, set free, to let alone; cease to, leaving; to send forth, send away;to leave, leave alone, forsake, neglect;to bid going away or depart; to let go, let alone, let be; to disregard; to give up, keep no longer; to leave, go way from one; to depart from one and leave him to himself so that all mutual claims are abandoned; to give up a thing to one
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
send forth, discharge;throw oneself upon, give oneself up; let loose; let fall from one's grasp; give up or hand over to; send away;let go, loose, set free;dissolve, disband; put away, divorce; break off;disown; get rid of;leave alone, pass by, neglect;send forth from oneself
sanctified = ἁγιάζω = hagiazō
to make holy; to hallow; to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow; to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; consecrate, dedicate, to God; to purify
through = ἐν = en
in, by, with; instrumentality; in the person, nature, soul, thought of anyone; with, among, in the presence of;by means of, by (through);aided by one, by the intervention or agency of someone, by (means of) one;within, in the course of
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
By, in, within, surrounded by;in the number of, amongst; in the presence of; in one's hands, within one's reach or power; the instrument, means or matter
peace = εἰρήνη = eirēnē
harmonious relationships; friendliness; freedom from molestation; rest and contentment; harmony, concord; security, safety, prosperity, felicity; quietness, rest
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
have naught to fear
save = σῴζω = sōzō
Heal; restoration to health; to make whole; to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction; to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health; to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue; to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance; deliver or protect; preserve
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
save from death, keep alive; preserved; keep a whole skin, escape destruction; be healed, recover from sickness; keep safe; bring one safe to;; rescue from
What this passage tells us:
What this passage tells us about God/His ways:
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
God has called us to peace.
For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
What these scriptures tell us not to do:
the husband should not divorce his wife.
he must not divorce her.
Commentary:
We are not to reject/disengage/pull away from our wives, even as things change in our lives.
· Even if the things that tend to push/pull us apart are not of God,
Nor are we to disengage/pull apart due to simple neglect/inattentiveness.
· We have to be intentional about our relationship.
Husbands are to stay with their wives because they (the husbands) are an instrument for their wives’ salvation.
· This is similar to the direction in Ephesians 5:25-27 that we are to edify, build up our wives, do for them what Christ does for the church.
· Perhaps we do this by example, similar to dynamic noted for wives in 1 Peter 3:1-2.
· Maybe it is more than that, maybe there is some sort of attributional/relational/imputed salvation through the marriage relationship. That would be consistent with the concept that husband and wife become one being/body. But it seems to be at odds with the idea that God wants relationship with each of us by choice, and of the concept of individual accountability/free will.
· But either way (by influence or attribution), we must stay with our wives in order to influence their salvation, as well as to do whatever good we can for them.
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