1 Corinthians 7

1 And concerning the things of which ye wrote to me, it is praiseworthy for a man not to approach a woman.

With reference to the subjects about which you wrote to me: It is good for a man to remain single.

2 But, on account of whoredom, let each have his own wife and let a woman have her own husband.

But, owing to the prevalence of immorality, I advise every man to have his own wife, and every woman her husband.

3 And let the man render to his wife the kindness which is due; and so also the woman to her husband.

A husband should give his wife her due, and a wife her husband.

4 The woman is not the sovereign over her body, but her husband: so also the man is not the sovereign over his body, but the wife.

It is not the wife, but the husband, who exercises power over her body; and so, too, it is not the husband, but the wife, who exercises power over his body.

5 Therefore, deprive not one another, except when ye both consent, at the time ye devote yourselves to fasting and prayer; and return again to the same disposition, that Satan tempt you not because of the concupiscence of your body.

Do not deprive each other of what is due – unless it is only for a time and by mutual consent, so that your minds may be free for prayer until you again live as man and wife – otherwise Satan might take advantage of your want of self-control and tempt you.

6 But this I say, as to weak persons, not of positive precept.

I say this, however, as a concession, not as a command.

7 For I would that all men might be like me in purity. But every man is endowed with his gift of God; one thus, and another so.

I should wish everyone to be just what I am myself. But everyone has his own gift from God – one in one way, and one in another.

8 And I say to them who have no wives, and to widows, that it is advantageous to them to remain as I am.

My advice, then, to those who are not married, and to widows, is this: It would be good for them to remain as I am myself.

9 But if they cannot endure it, let them marry: for it is more profitable to take a wife, than to burn with concupiscence.

But, if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be consumed with passion.

10 And on them who have wives, I enjoin, -not I, but my Lord, -that the woman separate not from her husband.

To those who are married my direction is – yet it is not mine, but the Master’s – that a woman is not to leave her husband

11 And if she separate, let her remain without a husband, or be reconciled to her husband; and let not the man put away his wife.

(If she has done so, she should remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.

12 And to the rest, say I, - I, not my Lord, -that if there be a brother, who hath a wife that believeth not, and she is disposed to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

To all others I say – I, not the Master – If a follower of the Lord is married to a woman, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with him, he should not divorce her;

13 And that woman, who hath a husband that believeth not, and he is disposed to dwell with her let her not forsake her husband.

and a woman who is married to a man, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with her, should not divorce her husband.

14 For the husband who believeth not, is sanctified by the wife that believeth; and the wife who believeth not, is sanctified by the husband that believeth: otherwise their children would be impure; but now are they pure.

For, through his wife, the husband who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ’s people; and the wife who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ’s people through the Lord’s follower whom she has married. Otherwise your children would be “defiled,” but, as it is, they belong to Christ’s people.

15 But if the unbeliever separateth, let him separate: A brother or sister is not in bondage in such cases: it is to peace, God hath called us.

However, if the unbeliever wishes to be separated, let them be so. Under such circumstances neither is bound; God has called you to live in peace.

16 For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou wilt procure life to thy husband? Or, thou husband, knowest thou, whether thou wilt procure life to thy wife?

How can you tell, wife, whether you may not save your husband? And how can you tell, husband, whether you may not save your wife?

17 Every one, however, as the Lord hath distributed to him, and every one as God hath called him, so let him walk. And also thus I enjoin upon all the churches.

In any case, a person should continue to live in the condition which the Lord has allotted to them, and in which they were when God called them. This is the rule that I lay down in every church.

18 Is a circumcised person called, let him not revert to uncircumcision: and if one uncircumcised be called, let him not become circumcised.

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? Then he should not efface his circumcision. Has a man been called when uncircumcised? Then he should not be circumcised.

19 For circumcision is nothing, neither is uncircumcision; but the keeping of God's commands.

Circumcision is nothing; the want of it is nothing; but to keep the commands of God is everything.

20 Let every one continue in the vocation, in which he was called.

Let everyone remain in that condition of life in which they were when the call came to them.

21 If thou wert called, being a servant; let it not trouble thee. But if thou canst be made free, choose it rather than to serve.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. No, even if you are able to gain your freedom, still do your best.

22 For he that is called by our Lord, being a servant, is God's freedman: likewise, he that is called, being a free man, is the Messiah's servant.

For the person who was a slave when they were called to the master’s service is the Master’s freedman; so, too, the person who was free when called is Christ’s slave.

23 Ye are bought with a price; become not the servants of men.

You were bought, and the price was paid. Do not let yourselves become slaves to people.

24 Let every one, my Brethren, continue with God, in whatever state he was called.

Friends, let everyone remain in the condition in which they were when they were called, in close communion with God.

25 And concerning virginity, I have no precept from God; but I give counsels as a man who hath obtained mercy from God to be a believer.

With regard to unmarried women, I have no command from the Master to give you, but I tell you my opinion, and the Master in his mercy has made me worthy to be trusted.

26 And I think this is suitable, on account of the necessity of the times; it is advantageous for a man to remain as he is.

I think, then, that, in view of the time of suffering that has now come upon us, what I have already said is best – that a man should remain as he is.

27 Art thou bound to a wife? Seek not a release. Art thou free from a wife? Seek not a wife.

Are you married to a wife? Then do not seek to be separated. Are you separated from a wife? Then do not seek for a wife.

28 But if thou takest a wife, thou sinnest not. And if a maiden is given to a husband, she sinneth not. But they who are such, will have trouble in the body: but I am forbearing to you.

Still, if you should marry, that is not wrong; nor, if a young woman marries, is that wrong. But those who marry will have much trouble to bear, and my wish is to spare you.

29 And this I say, my Brethren, that the time to come is short; so that they who have wives, should be as if they had none;

What I mean, friends, is this – the time is short. Meanwhile, let those who have wives live as if they had none,

30 and they who weep, as if they wept not; and they who rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they who buy, as if they acquired not;

those who are weeping as if not weeping, those who are rejoicing as if not rejoicing, those who buy as if not possessing,

31 and those occupied with this world, not going beyond the just using: for the fashion of this world is passing away.

and those who use the good things of the world as using them sparingly; for this world as we see it is passing away.

32 And therefore I wish you to be without solicitude. For he who hath not a wife, considereth the thing of his Lord, how he may please his Lord.

I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious about the Master’s cause, desiring to please him;

33 And he who hath a wife, is anxious about the world, how he may please his wife.

while the married man is anxious about worldly matters, desiring to please his wife;

34 There is a difference also between a wife and a maiden. She who is without a husband, thinketh of things pertaining to her Lord, that she may be holy in her body and in her spirit. But she who hath a husband, thinketh of things pertaining to the world, how she may please her husband.

and so his interests are divided. Again, the unmarried woman, whether she is old or young, is anxious about the Master’s cause, striving to be pure both in body and in spirit, while the married woman is anxious about worldly matters, desiring to please her husband.

35 And this I say for your advantage; I am not laying a snare for you; but that ye may be faithful towards your Lord, in a suitable manner, while not minding worldly things.

I say this for your own benefit, not with any intention of putting a halter round your necks, but in order to secure for the Master seemly and constant devotion, free from all distraction.

36 But if any one thinketh that there is reproach, on account of his maiden daughter, because she hath passed her time, and he hath not presented her to a husband, and it be fitting that he present her; let him do what he desireth, he sinneth not; let her be married.

If, however, a father thinks that he is not acting fairly by his unmarried daughter, when she is past her youth, and if under these circumstances her marriage ought to take place, he should act as he thinks right. He is doing nothing wrong – let the marriage take place.

37 But he who hath firmly determined in his own mind, and nothing compelleth him, and he can act his own pleasure, and he so judgeth in his heart, that he keep his maiden daughter, he doeth commendably.

On the other hand, a father, who has definitely made up his mind, and is under no compulsion, but is free to carry out his own wishes, and who has come to the decision, in his own mind, to keep his unmarried daughter at home will be doing right.

38 And therefore, he who presenteth his maiden daughter, doeth commendably; and he who presenteth not his maiden daughter, doeth very commendably.

In short, the one who consents to his daughter’s marriage is doing right, and yet the other will be doing better.

39 A woman, while her husband liveth, is bound by the law; but if her husband sleepeth in death, she is free to marry whom she pleaseth, yet only in the Lord.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; but, if the husband should pass to his rest, the widow is free to marry anyone she wishes, provided he is a believer.

40 But she is happier, in my opinion, if she remain so: and I think also, that I have the Spirit of God.

Yet she will be happier if she remains as she is – in my opinion, for I think that I also have the Spirit of God.