1 Corinthians 7

1 Now as to the things concerning which ye wrote to me: it were good for a man not to touch a woman.

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

2 Nevertheless to prevent whoredoms, let every one have his own wife, and let every 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 Let the husband render to the wife due benevolence; and in like manner also the wife to the husband.

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

4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband; and in like manner also the husband hath not power of his own 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 Do not withdraw from one another, unless by consent for a season, that ye may attend to fasting and prayer: and come together again, least Satan tempt you through your incontinency.

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 I say this by way of permission, not of command:

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

7 for I could wish that all men were as I myself am; but every man hath his proper gift from God, one of one kind and another of another?

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 Now to the unmarried and widows I say, it is good for them to continue so, as I do.

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 have not the gift of continence, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with lust.

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

10 But those that are married, not I command, but the Lord, that the wife be not separated 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 (but if she separate, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; ) and that the husband put not 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 But to the rest say I, not the Lord, If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she like 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 if any wife hath an unbelieving husband, and he like to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

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

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 depart, let them depart; a brother or a sister is not bound in such cases.

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 But God hath called us to peace; for how knowest thou, O wife, but thou shalt save thy husband; or how knowest thou, O husband, but thou shalt save 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 However, as God hath distributed to every man, and as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk: and thus I order in 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 any one called that is circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised: is any one called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised: for circumcision is nothing,

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

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

20 In the calling in which every one was called, let him continue.

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

21 Wast thou called being a slave, be not anxious about it; but if thou canst be made free, prefer it.

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 in the Lord being a slave, is the Lord's freed-man: and he likewise that is called being free is the servant of Christ.

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, do not become the slaves of men.

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

24 Brethren, in whatever condition every one was when called, let him abide therein with God.

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

25 But concerning single persons I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgement as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

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 I think then, that it is---better on account of the present distress, ---that it is better, I say,

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 for a single man to be so. Art thou bound to a wife indeed? seek not to be loosed: but art thou loosed 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 Though, if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: such however will probably have more trouble in life: but I spare 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 But this I say, brethren, that the time is short: it remains therefore, that even those, who have wives, be as though 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, that weep, as if they wept not; and they, that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they, that buy, as if they possessed 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 they, that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth 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 I would have you without anxiety. Now he, that is unmarried, careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but he,

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

33 that is married, is in care about the things of the world, and 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 virgin: she, that is unmarried, careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but she, that is married, is in care about the things of the world, and 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 own benefit, not that I may cast a snare upon you, but in order to recommend that which is fit and becoming before the Lord without distraction.

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 think that he acts unbecomingly towards his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and that it ought to be so, let him do what he will; he doth not sin: let them marry.

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, that is stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doth well.

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 So that he, who giveth her in marriage, doth well; but he, that giveth her not in marriage, doth better.

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

39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, 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 continue as she is: and I think 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.