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In 1 Corinthians 7:2, Paul uses two separate Greek words for “own.”

“But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own [idios] wife and each woman her own [heautou] husband.”

Do you think there is a reason why Paul uses separate terms, given that they both essentially mean the same thing?

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    You have it backwards. “His own” is τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, while “her own” is τὸν ἴδιον. Commented Oct 16 at 3:49

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In fact, there is only one word in 1 Cor 7:2 that means "own" which is ἴδιον (idion). Let me translate the verse very literally:

Because, however, the sexual immorality, each [man] the of himself wife let have; and each [woman] the own husband let have.

In more idiomatic English I would render this (still literally)

However, because of sexual immorality, let each man have the wife of himself; and let each woman have her own husband.

Thus, the adjective ἴδιον (idion) occurs only once.

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    In other words, there are two different Greek constructions, both of which it's natural to render as "his/her own" in English? This isn't at all an uncommon situation in translation.
    – user111403
    Commented Oct 16 at 5:41
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    @user111403 - that is correct.
    – Dottard
    Commented Oct 16 at 5:50
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    Your answer is correct in a narrow sense, but the point of the question is why Paul doesn't refer to them the same. What distinction does he intend? Commented Oct 16 at 17:56
  • 1 Cor. 7:2, 14:35; Eph. 5:22; Tit. 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:1, 5 > The aspect is submission.
    – Betho's
    Commented Oct 19 at 11:56

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