1 Corinthians 7

1 Now concerning the things whereof all of you wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

I now deal with the subjects mentioned in your letter. It is well for a man to abstain altogether from marriage.

2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

But because there is so much fornication every man should have a wife of his own, and every woman should have a husband.

3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

Let a man pay his wife her due, and let a woman also pay her husband his.

4 The wife has not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not power of his own body, but the wife.

A married woman is not mistress of her own person: her husband has certain rights. In the same way a married man is not master of his own person: his wife has certain rights.

5 Defraud all of you not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that all of you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Do not refuse one another, unless perhaps it is just for a time and by mutual consent, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and may then associate again; lest the Adversary begin to tempt you because of your deficiency in self-control.

6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

Thus much in the way of concession, not of command.

7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man has his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

Yet I would that everybody lived as I do; but each of us has his own special gift from God--one in one direction and one in another.

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

But I tell the unmarried, and women who are widows, that it is well for them to remain as I am.

9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

If, however, they cannot maintain self-control, by all means let them marry; for marriage is better than the fever of passion.

10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

But to those already married my instructions are--yet not mine, but the Lord's--that a wife is not to leave her husband;

11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

or if she has already left him, let her either remain as she is or be reconciled to him; and that a husband is not to send away his wife.

12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother has a wife that believes not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

To the rest it is I who speak--not the Lord. If a brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, let him not send her away.

13 And the woman which has an husband that believes not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

And a woman who has an unbelieving husband--if he consents to live with her, let her not separate from him.

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

For, in such cases, the unbelieving husband has become--and is--holy through union with a Christian woman, and the unbelieving wife is holy through union with a Christian brother. Otherwise your children would be unholy, but in reality they have a place among God's people.

15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace.

If, however, the unbeliever is determined to leave, let him or her do so. Under such circumstances the Christian man or woman is no slave; God has called us to live lives of peace.

16 For what know you, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? or how know you, O man, whether you shall save your wife?

For what assurance have you, O woman, as to whether you will save your husband? Or what assurance have you, O man, as to whether you will save your wife?

17 But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

Only, whatever be the condition in life which the Lord has assigned to each individual--and whatever the condition in which he was living when God called him--in that let him continue.

18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

This is what I command in all the Churches. Was any one already circumcised when called? Let him not have recourse to the surgeons. Was any one uncircumcised when called? Let him remain uncircumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing: obedience to God's commandments is everything.

20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

Whatever be the condition in life in which a man was, when he was called, in that let him continue.

21 Are you called being a servant? care not for it: but if you may be made free, use it rather.

Were you a slave when God called you? Let not that weigh on your mind. And yet if you can get your freedom, take advantage of the opportunity.

22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

For a Christian, if he was a slave when called, is the Lord's freed man, and in the same way a free man, if called, becomes the slave of Christ.

23 All of you are bought with a price; be not all of you the servants of men.

You have all been redeemed at infinite cost: do not become slaves to men.

24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

Where each one stood when he was called, there, brethren, let him still stand--close to God.

25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

Concerning unmarried women I have no command to give you from the Lord; but I offer you my opinion, which is that of a man who, through the Lord's mercy, is deserving of your confidence.

26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

I think then that, taking into consideration the distress which is now upon us, it is well for a man to remain as he is.

27 Are you bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to get free. Are you free from the marriage bond? Do not seek for a wife.

28 But and if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

Yet if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a maiden marries, she has not sinned. Such people, however, will have outward trouble. But I am for sparing you.

29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

Yet of this I warn you, brethren: the time has been shortened--so that henceforth those who have wives should be as though they had none,

30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,

31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passes away.

and those who use the world as not using it to the full. For the world as it now exists is passing away.

32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

And I would have you free from worldly anxiety. An unmarried man concerns himself with the Lord's business--how he shall please the Lord;

33 But he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

but a married man concerns himself with the business of the world--how he shall please his wife.

34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: (pneuma) but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

There is a difference too between a married and an unmarried woman. She who is unmarried concerns herself with the Lord's business--that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman concerns herself with the business of the world--how she shall please her husband.

35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that all of you may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

Thus much I say in your own interest; not to lay a trap for you, but to help towards what is becoming, and enable you to wait on the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man think that he behaves himself indecent toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sins not: let them marry.

If, however, a father thinks he is acting unbecomingly towards his still unmarried daughter if she be past the bloom of her youth, and so the matter is urgent, let him do what she desires; he commits no sin; she and her suitor should be allowed to marry.

37 Nevertheless he that stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.

But if a father stands firm in his resolve, being free from all external constraint and having a legal right to act as he pleases, and in his own mind has come to the decision to keep his daughter unmarried, he will do well.

38 So then he that gives her in marriage does well; but he that gives her not in marriage does better.

So that he who gives his daughter in marriage does well, and yet he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

A woman is bound to her husband during the whole period that he lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to marry whom she will, provided that he is a Christian.

40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit (pneuma) of God.

But in my judgement, her state is a more enviable one if she remains as she is; and I also think that I have the Spirit of God.