|
Word Gems
exploring self-realization, sacred personhood, and full humanity
|
The apostle Paul:
'keep your dealings with the world as light as possible'
|
return to the main-page article on "Bible"
Elenchus: In the writings of the apostle Paul, I seem to remember a statement, to the effect, “it’s best to keep your dealings with the world as light as possible” – but I can’t find this. Can you? Maybe also check various translations?
ChatGPT: You’re almost certainly remembering First Corinthians 7:29–31. The phrasing you recall—“keep your dealings with the world as light as possible”—is very close to how some modern translations render verse 31.
Here is the key verse in several translations:
1 Corinthians 7:31
-
KJV (King James Version)
“And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”
-
RSV (Revised Standard Version)
“and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away.”
-
NRSV
“and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.”
-
ESV (English Standard Version)
“and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.”
-
NIV (New International Version)
“those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”
The RSV/NRSV/ESV wording — “deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it” — is probably the closest to what you’re remembering.
The broader context (vv. 29–31) stresses living in the present age with a kind of spiritual detachment, because “the present form of this world is passing away.”
Several modern paraphrase and thought-for-thought translations have a very clear, contemporary wording of 1 Corinthians 7:31, and they capture the sense you were remembering about light or minimal engagement with the world. Here are a few of the notable ones:
Modern Paraphrase / Contemporary Renderings
• The Message (MSG) – Eugene Peterson
“Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.”
• New Living Translation (NLT) – Thought-for-thought
“Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.”
• The Passion Translation (TPT) – Paraphrase
“We are to live as those who live in the world but are not absorbed by it, for the world as we know it is quickly passing away.”
How These Compare to Traditional Translations
Where more literal translations say “deal with the world as though you had no dealings with it,” the paraphrase versions make Paul’s practical advice more explicit — essentially:
So the idea you recalled — Paul urging believers to keep their dealings with the world light, uneconomic, or unattached — is exactly what The Message and other modern paraphrases express in vivid contemporary language.
Here are several additional modern, contemporary, or paraphrase-style translations of First Corinthians 7:31, especially focusing on the wording that captures the “light dealings” idea:
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
“In fact, those who are involved with this world should make good use of it without becoming attached to it. The world in its present form will soon be gone.”
Tone: Very plain and direct.
Emphasis: Use the world, but do not become attached.
Good News Translation (GNT / Today’s English Version)
“Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them, for this world as it is now will not last long.”
Tone: Clear, readable, slightly interpretive.
Emphasis: Non-attachment because of impermanence.
Phillips New Testament (J.B. Phillips)
“Those who use the world should not become engrossed in it, for the present scheme of things is rapidly passing away.”
Tone: Mid-20th century dynamic paraphrase.
Emphasis: Avoid being engrossed.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
“And those who use the world [taking advantage of its resources], as though they did not [become absorbed in it]; for this world’s present form is passing away.”
Tone: Expansive, explanatory.
Emphasis: Use resources without absorption.
The Message (MSG) – Eugene Peterson
“Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.”
This is the one that most directly echoes the phrase you remembered — “keep your dealings with the world as light as possible.”
Summary of the Nuance
The Greek verb Paul uses (χρ?μενοι, “using”) suggests ordinary engagement with worldly structures — commerce, marriage, social life — but he immediately qualifies it. The key idea across translations is:
-
Engage, but lightly.
-
Participate, but without attachment.
-
Use, but don’t be absorbed.
-
Stay inwardly free because the present order is temporary.
Paul is not advocating withdrawal from life, but a kind of spiritual non-entanglement — a lived awareness that “the present form of this world is passing away.”
|