ἐγκρατεύομαι

From the study of 1 Corinthians 7:9

Range of meaning

To have power over oneself, to hold oneself in, to exercise self-mastery or restraint. It is built on kratos ("strength, rule"): the person rules their own desires instead of being ruled by them. It is often used of sexual restraint, of food and drink, and of the rigorous training of athletes.

Against the English

KJV "cannot contain", BSB/NIV "cannot control themselves" and ESV "cannot exercise self-control" all add cannot, a word about ability. The Greek is a simple present indicative: "they are not exercising self-control". WEB/NASB "don't have self-control" and YLT "have not continence" are a little closer to the factual tone. "Cannot" is a defensible paraphrase, because someone who keeps failing may well be unable. But it shifts the focus from what is actually happening in Corinth to a person's inner capacity.

How it drifted

Translators often supply "cannot" to make the sentence read naturally in English. Later Christian traditions that ranked celibacy above marriage read the verse as a concession to people too weak for the higher path, and "cannot" fits that reading.

Used elsewhere in the period

Paul uses the same verb in 1 Cor 9:25 for athletes who "exercise self-control in all things" in training. The noun enkrateia appears in Gal 5:23 among the fruit of the Spirit and in Acts 24:25. In the Septuagint (LXX, the Greek Old Testament), Gen 43:31 uses it of Joseph holding back his tears. Greek moral philosophy (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics VII) contrasts enkrateia with akrasia. The enkratēs person feels strong desire but masters it. The akratēs knows better but gives in. Paul uses the opposite word, akrasia, just above in 1 Cor 7:5: "lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

From the study of 1 Corinthians 9:25

Range of meaning

To have power over oneself, to hold oneself in check, and especially to abstain from food, drink or sex. It belongs to the word group enkratēs / enkrateia, "having mastery within." In Greek ethics, enkrateia (self-mastery) was the opposite of akrasia (lack of self-control, giving in to desire), a pairing Aristotle discusses at length in Nicomachean Ethics book 7.

Against the English

KJV "temperate" now suggests moderation, or in American usage abstaining from alcohol. The athlete's regime was not moderation but strict restriction. WEB and ESV "exercises self-control" is accurate. BSB "trains with strict discipline" and NIV "goes into strict training" bring out the athletic regime but lose some of the idea of mastering one's own appetites.

How it drifted

"Temperance" became attached to the 19th-century campaigns against alcohol, which narrowed the English word to drinking. Separately, from the 2nd century a Christian ascetic group called the Encratites (from this word) rejected marriage, meat and wine altogether, which gave the word a world-denying flavour it does not have here.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT the verb occurs only here and in 1 Corinthians 7:9 (sexual self-control). The noun enkrateia appears in Acts 24:25, Galatians 5:23 and 2 Peter 1:6. In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint, or LXX), Genesis 43:31 uses it of Joseph controlling his emotions and 1 Samuel 13:12 of Saul "forcing himself." Sirach 18:30 heads a section "Self-control of the soul." Epictetus (Discourses 3.15.2–4; Enchiridion 29) describes the would-be Olympic athlete: keep to a strict diet, no sweets, train at fixed hours in heat and cold, no cold water or wine as you please. Pausanias 5.24.9 records the Olympic oath that athletes had trained for ten months.