1 Corinthians 7:6

κατὰ συνγνώμην. A.V. by permission. Other commentators translate, by way of indulgence. But συνγνώμη properly means pardon, or excuse. So Calvin and Estius here. See Plato Phaed. 88 C νὴ τοὺς θεούς, ὦ Φαίδων, συγγνώμην γε ἔχω ὑμῖν. And Herod. I. 39 συγγνώμη μέν, ὦ πάτερ, τοι. See also Aristotle Eth. Nic. III. 1, IV. 5, 1 Corinthians 7:8. In VI. 11 he defines συγγνώμη as γνώμη κριτικὴ τοῦ ἐπιεικοῦς ὀρθή. Therefore we may paraphrase the passage thus: ‘I say this as a fair and reasonable concession to your circumstances. But it is not to be regarded as a positive command.’