1 Corinthians 7

1 Now, as to the things in your letter to me: It is good for a man to have nothing to do with a woman.

Now concerning the thing whereof you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2 But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband.

But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

3 Let the husband give to the wife what is right; and let the wife do the same to the husband.

Let the husband render the debt to his wife, and the wife also in like manner to the husband.

4 The wife has not power over her body, but the husband; and in the same way the husband has not power over his body, but the wife.

The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. And in like manner the husband also hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

5 Do not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control.

Defraud not one another, except, perhaps, by consent, for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer; and return together again, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.

6 But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord.

But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment.

7 It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that.

For I would that all men were even as myself: but every one hath his proper gift from God; one after this manner, and another after that.

8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am.

But I say to the unmarried, and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.

9 But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire.

But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.

10 But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband

But to them that are married, not I but the Lord commandeth, that the wife depart not from her husband.

11 (Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife.

And if she depart, that she remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.

12 But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her.

For to the rest I speak, not the Lord. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she consent to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband.

And if any woman hath a husband that believeth not, and he consent to dwell with her, let her not put away her husband.

14 For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband: otherwise your children should be unclean; but now they are holy.

15 But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another.

But if the unbeliever depart, let him depart. For a brother or sister is not under servitude in such cases. But God hath called us in peace.

16 For how may you be certain, O wife, that you will not be the cause of salvation to your husband? or you, O husband, that you may not do the same for your wife?

For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

17 Only, as the Lord has given to a man, and as is the purpose of God for him, so let him go on living. And these are my orders for all the churches.

But as the Lord hath distributed to every one, as God hath called every one, so let him walk: and so in all churches I teach.

18 If any man who is a Christian has had circumcision, let him keep so; and if any man who is a Christian has not had circumcision, let him make no change.

Is any man called, being circumcised? let him not procure uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and its opposite is nothing, but only doing the orders of God is of value.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing: but the observance of the commandments of God.

20 Let every man keep the position in which he has been placed by God.

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

21 If you were a servant when you became a Christian, let it not be a grief to you; but if you have a chance to become free, make use of it.

Wast thou called, being a bondman? care not for it; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

22 For he who was a servant when he became a Christian is the Lord's free man; and he who was free when he became a Christian is the Lord's servant.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a bondman, is the freeman of the Lord. Likewise he that is called, being free, is the bondman of Christ.

23 It is the Lord who has made payment for you: be not servants of men.

You are bought with a price; be not made the bondslaves of men.

24 My brothers, let every man keep in that condition which is the purpose of God for him.

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

25 Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him.

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.

26 In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is.

I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity, that it is good for a man so to be.

27 If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife.

Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

28 If you get married it is not a sin; and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you.

But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you.

29 But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not;

This therefore I say, brethren; the time is short; it remaineth, that they also who have wives, be as if they had none;

30 And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing;

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

31 And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end.

And they that use this world, as if they used it not: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

32 But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord:

But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God.

33 But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife.

But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided.

34 And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband.

And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

35 Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord.

And this I speak for your profit: not to cast a snare upon you; but for that which is decent, and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.

36 But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him; it is no sin; let them be married.

But if any man think that he seemeth dishonoured, with regard to his virgin, for that she is above the age, and it must so be: let him do what he will; he sinneth not, if she marry.

37 But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin.

For he that hath determined being steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but having power of his own will; and hath judged this in his heart, to keep his virgin, doth well.

38 So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better.

Therefore, both he that giveth his virgin in marriage, doth well; and he that giveth her not, doth better.

39 It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian.

A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die, she is at liberty: let her marry to whom she will; only in the Lord.

40 But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.

But more blessed shall she be, if she so remain, according to my counsel; and I think that I also have the spirit of God.