Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 7:40

"But she is happier if she abide as she is, after my judgment: and I think that I also have the Spirit of God." — 1 Corinthians 7:40 (ASV)

In climaxing the discussion, Paul states that marriage is a life-long contract. If a woman marries, she is to cleave to her husband till he dies (Genesis 2:24). But when he dies, she is free to marry anyone she chooses, so long as he is a Christian. But, Paul says, the woman will be happier—freer from hardship and care—if she remains unmarried. This is his judgment for the Corinthian situation. When he says, rather modestly, “And I think that I have the Spirit of God,” he means that in writing this he also is inspired by the Holy Spirit as were the other writers of Scripture. It is possible that some in Corinth were claiming inspiration; if so, Paul is contrasting himself with them in a veiled way.