1 Corinthians 7

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

And concerning the things of which ye wrote to me: good [it is] 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:

and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;

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

to the wife let the husband the due benevolence render, and in like manner also the wife to the 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 over her own body hath not authority, but the husband; and, in like manner also, the husband over his own body hath not authority, but the wife.

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.

Defraud not one another, except by consent for a time, that ye may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that the Adversary may not tempt you because of your incontinence;

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

and this I say by way of concurrence — not of command,

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.

for I wish all men to be even as I myself [am]; but each his own gift hath of God, one indeed thus, and one thus.

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

And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may 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.

and if they have not continence — let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;

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

and to the married I announce — not I, but the Lord — let not a wife separate from a 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 and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or to the husband let her be reconciled, and let not a husband send away a 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;

And to the rest I speak — not the Lord — if any brother hath a wife unbelieving, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not send her away;

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; —

and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;

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 hath been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are 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.

And, if the unbelieving doth separate himself — let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace hath God called us;

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 what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?

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.

if not, as God did distribute to each, as the Lord hath called each — so let him walk; and thus in all the assemblies do I direct:

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

being circumcised — was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;

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

the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing — but a keeping of the commands of God.

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

Each in the calling in which he was called — in this let him remain;

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

a servant — wast thou called? be not anxious; but if also thou art able to become free — use [it] rather;

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 [is] in the Lord — having been called a servant — is the Lord's freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:

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

with a price ye were bought, become not servants of men;

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

each, in that in which he was called, brethren, in this let him remain 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:

And concerning the virgins, a command of the Lord I have not; and I give judgment as having obtained kindness from the Lord to be faithful:

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:

I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man that the matter be thus: —

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.

Hast thou been bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; hast thou been loosed from a wife? seek not 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 and if thou mayest marry, thou didst not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I 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,

And this I say, brethren, the time henceforth is having been shortened — that both those having wives may be as not having;

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 weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;

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 using this world, as not using [it] up; for passing away is the fashion of this world.

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;

And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;

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

and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he shall please the 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.

The wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she shall please the 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.

And this for your own profit I say: not that I may cast a noose upon you, but for the seemliness and devotedness to the Lord, undistractedly,

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:

and if any one doth think [it] to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought so to be, what he willeth let him do; he doth not sin — let him 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.

And he who hath stood stedfast in the heart — not having necessity — and hath authority over his own will, and this he hath determined in his heart — to keep his own virgin — doth well;

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

so that both he who is giving in marriage doth well, and he who is not giving in marriage doth 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 hath been bound by law as long time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will — 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.

and she is happier if she may so remain — according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.