1 Corinthians 7

1 Now, concerning the things whereof ye wrote, it were, good, for a man, not to touch, a woman;

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

2 But, on account of fornications, let, each man, have, his own wife, and, each woman, have, her own husband:

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

3 Unto the wife, let the husband render what is her due, and, in like manner, the wife also, unto the husband, —

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

4 The wife, over her own body, hath not authority, but the husband, and, in like manner, the husband also, over his own body, hath not authority, but the wife.

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.

5 Be not depriving one another—unless perhaps by consent for a season, that ye may have leisure for prayer, and, again, may be together, —lest Satan be tempting you by reason of your want of self-control.

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.

6 This, however I am saying, by way of concession, not of injunction;

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

7 Besides, I desire all men to be, even as myself, —but, each one, hath his, personal, gift from God, one, after this manner, and, another, after that.

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.

8 But I say, to the unmarried, and to the widows, good, were it for them, that they should abide, even as I;

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

9 But, if they have not self-control, let them marry, for, better, is it, to marry than to burn.

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

10 To the married, however, I give charge—not, I, but the Lord, —that, a wife, from her husband, do not depart, —

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

11 But, if she should even depart, let her remain unmarried, or, to her husband, be reconciled; and let not, a husband, leave, his wife.

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

12 But, unto the rest, say, I—not the Lord, —if, any brother, hath, a wife that believeth not, and, she, is well pleased to dwell with him, let him not leave her;

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.

13 And, a woman who hath a husband that believeth not, and, he, is well pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband; —

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

14 For the husband that believeth not is hallowed in the wife, and the wife that believeth not is hallowed in the brother: else were, your children, impure, but, now, are they, pure.

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.

15 But, if, the unbelieving, departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister hath not come into bondage, in such cases, but, in peace, hath God called us.

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.

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

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

17 If not—as the Lord hath distributed—unto each one, as God hath called, each one, so, let him be walking; —and, so, in all the assemblies, I ordain.

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.

18 After being circumcised, was any called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision, hath any been called? let him not be circumcised:

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

19 The circumcision, is, nothing, and, the uncircumcision, is, nothing, —but keeping the commandments of God.

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

20 Each one, in the calling wherein he was called, in the same, let him abide:

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

21 A bond-servant, wast thou called? let it not cause thee concern; but, if thou canst even become, free, rather use it.

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

22 For, he who in the Lord was called, being a bond-servant, is, a freed-man of the Lord: in like manner, he that was called being, a freeman, is Christ’s bond-servant: —

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 Messiah’s bondservant.

23 With a price, have ye been bought, —do not become bond-servants of men:

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

24 Each one, wherein he was called, brethren, in the same, let him abide with God.

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

25 But, concerning them who are virgin, injunction of the Lord, have I none; yet, a judgment, do I give, as one who hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be, faithful:

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

26 I consider this, then, to be, good, in the circumstances, by reason of the existing distress, —that it is, good for a man, so, to be:

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

27 Hast thou become bound to a wife? do not seek to be loosed; hast thou become loosed from a wife? do not seek a wife.

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

28 If, however, thou shouldst even marry, thou hast not sinned; and, if one who is virgin should marry, that one hath not sinned; —but, tribulation of the flesh, shall, such, have: —howbeit, I, spare you.

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.

29 But, this, I say—the opportunity is, contracted for what remaineth—in order that, they who have wives, may be, as though they had none,

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

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

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;

31 And, they who use the world, as though they used it not to the full, —for the fashion of this world passeth away;

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

32 And I desire you to be, without anxiety: —the unmarried man, is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

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;

33 But, he that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how may please his wife—

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

34 And he is divided; and, the unmarried woman, or the virgin, is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy [both] in her body and in her spirit; but, she that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

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.

35 This, however, with a view to your own profit, am I saying, —not that, a snare, upon you, I may cast, but with a view to what is comely, and devoted unto the Lord, without distraction.

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.

36 If however anyone considereth it behaving unseemly towards his virginity, if he should be beyond the bloom of life, —and, thus, it ought to come about, what he chooseth, let him do, —he sinneth not: let them marry:

But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately towards 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.

37 But, he that standeth in his heart, steadfast, having no necessity, but hath authority concerning his own will, and, this, hath determined in his own heart, —to preserve his own virginity, well shall he do.

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.

38 So that, he that giveth in marriage his own virginity, doeth, well; and, he that giveth it not, shall do, better.

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

39 A wife, is bound for as long a time as her husband is living; but, if the husband have fallen asleep, she is, free, to be married unto whom she pleaseth, —only, in the Lord;

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.

40 But, happier, is she, if, so, she remain, —in my judgment; for I think, I also, have the Spirit of God.

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