1 Corinthians 7

1 Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote to me: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.”

2 But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

But because of the cases of fornication, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

3 Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife her husband.

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

4 The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

5 Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Do not deprive one another, except by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to fasting and prayer and then come together again so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

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

7 Yet I wish that all men were like me. However, each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.

For I wish that all people were as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one person in this manner and another in that manner.

8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them if they remain even as I am.

9 But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn with passion.

But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband

Now to the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband

11 (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.

(but if she does separate, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

Now to the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to dwell with him, he must not divorce her.

13 The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he consents to dwell with her, she must not divorce him.

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

15 Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.

But if the unbelieving spouse separates, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not enslaved in such cases. God has called us to live in peace.

16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

For how do yoʋ know, O wife, whether yoʋ will save yoʋr husband? Or how do yoʋ know, O husband, whether yoʋ will save yoʋr wife?

17 Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

Nevertheless, each person should live the life that God has assigned to him and to which the Lord has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

18 Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

Was any man already circumcised when he was called? He should not remove the marks of circumcision. Was any man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not become circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments.

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

20 Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called.

Each person should remain in the calling in which he was called.

21 Were you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

Were yoʋ a slave when yoʋ were called? Do not be concerned about it, but if yoʋ are able to become free, make the most of the opportunity.

22 For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.

For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman. In the same way, he who was called as a free man is Christ's slave.

23 You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men.

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

24 Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

Brothers, each person should remain with God in the condition in which he was called.

25 Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

Now concerning virgins, I do not have a command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has been shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

26 Therefore I think that because of the distress that is on us, it’s good for a man to remain as he is.

I think it is good then, on account of the present distress, for a man to remain as he is.

27 Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.

Are yoʋ pledged to marry a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are yoʋ free from such a commitment? Do not seek a wife.

28 But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.

But even if yoʋ do marry, yoʋ have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will have tribulation in the flesh, and I am trying to spare you.

29 But I say this, brothers: the time is short. From now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

But I say this, brothers: The time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as though they had none,

30 and those who weep, as though they didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t possess;

and those who weep as though they were not weeping, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not possess,

31 and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

and those who use this world as though they were not making full use of it. For the form of this world is passing away.

32 But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

But I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, how he will please the Lord.

33 but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

But the married man is concerned about the affairs of the world, how he will please his wife.

34 There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.

There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, how she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of the world, how she will please her husband.

35 This I say for your own benefit, not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote proper behavior and devotion to the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t sin. Let them marry.

Now if any man thinks that he is acting improperly toward his virgin daughter by not letting her marry, if she is past the bloom of her youth and it seems necessary to do so, he should do what he wants. He is not sinning by letting her get married.

37 But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his own virgin, does well.

But the man who stands firm in his heart, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and has determined in his heart to keep his virgin daughter from marrying, does well.

38 So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better.

So then, he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.

39 A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

A wife is bound by the law to her husband for as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wishes, but only in the Lord.

40 But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.

Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.