I Corinthians 7

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

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

³A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should also act similarly toward her husband.

⁴It is not the wife, but the husband, who has power over her body. But, similarly also, it is not the husband, but the wife, who has power over his body.

⁵So, do not fail in your obligations to one another, except perhaps by consent, for a limited time, so that you may empty yourselves for prayer. And then, return together again, lest Satan tempt you by means of your abstinence.

⁶But I am saying this, neither as an indulgence, nor as a commandment.

⁷For I would prefer it if you were all like myself. But each person has his proper gift from God: one in this way, yet another in that way.

⁸But I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them, if they would remain as they are, just as I also am.

⁹But if they cannot restrain themselves, they should marry. For it is better to marry, than to be burned.

¹⁰But to those who have been joined in matrimony, it is not I who commands you, but the Lord: a wife is not to separate from her husband.

¹¹But if she has separated from him, she must remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband should not divorce his wife.

¹²Concerning the rest, I am speaking, not the Lord. If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.

¹³And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce her husband.

¹⁴For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through the believing husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, whereas instead they are holy.

¹⁵But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart. For a brother or sister cannot be made subject to servitude in this way. For God has called us to peace.

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

¹⁷However, let each one walk just as the Lord has distributed to him, each one just as God has called him. And thus do I teach in all the churches.

¹⁸Has any circumcised man been called? Let him not cover his circumcision. Has any uncircumcised man been called? Let him not be circumcised.

¹⁹Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; there is only the observance of the commandments of God.

²⁰Let each and every one remain in the same calling to which he was called.

²¹Are you a servant who has been called? Do not be concerned about it. But if you ever have the ability to be free, make use of it.

²²For any servant who has been called in the Lord is free in the Lord. Similarly, any free person who has been called is a servant in Christ.

²³You have been bought with a price. Do not be willing to become the servants of men.

²⁴Brothers, let each one, in whatever state he was called, remain in that state with God.

²⁵Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord. But I give counsel, as one who has obtained the mercy of the Lord, so as to be faithful.

²⁶Therefore, I consider this to be good, because of the present necessity: that it is good for a man to be such as I am.

²⁷Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be freed. Are you free of a wife? Do not seek a wife.

²⁸But if you take a wife, you have not sinned. And if a virgin has married, she has not sinned. Even so, such as these will have the tribulation of the flesh. But I would spare you from this.

²⁹And so, this is what I say, brothers: The time is short. What remains of it is such that: those who have wives should be as if they had none;

³⁰and those who weep, as though they were not weeping; and those who rejoice, as if they were not rejoicing; and those who buy, as if they possessed nothing;

³¹and those who use the things of this world, as if they were not using them. For the figure of this world is passing away.

³²But I would prefer you to be without worry. Whoever is without a wife is worried about the things of the Lord, as to how he may please God.

³³But whoever is with a wife is worried about the things of the world, as to how he may please his wife. And so, he is divided.

³⁴And the unmarried woman and the virgin think about the things that are of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But she who is married thinks about the things that are of the world, as to how she may please her husband.

³⁵Furthermore, I am saying this for your own benefit, not in order to cast a snare over you, but toward whatever is honest and whatever may provide you with the ability to be without hindrance, so as to worship the Lord.

³⁶But if any man considers himself to seem dishonorable, concerning a virgin who is of adult age, and so it ought to be, he may do as he wills. If he marries her, he does not sin.

³⁷But if he has decided firmly in his heart, and he does not have any obligation, but only the power of his free will, and if he has judged this in his heart, to let her remain a virgin, he does well.

³⁸And so, he who joins with his virgin in matrimony does well, and he who does not join with her does better.

³⁹A woman is bound under the law for as long as her husband lives. But if her husband has died, she is free. She may marry whomever she wishes, but only in the Lord.

⁴⁰But she will be more blessed, if she remains in this state, in accord with my counsel. And I think that I, too, have the Spirit of God.

I Corinthians 7

¹Now concerning the things whereof you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

²But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife: and let every woman have her own husband.

³Let the husband render the debt to his wife: and the wife also in like manner to the husband.

⁴The 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.

⁵Defraud 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.

⁶But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment.

⁷For 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.

⁸But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.

⁹But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.

¹⁰But to them that are married, not I, but the Lord, commandeth that the wife depart not from her husband.

¹¹And if she depart, that she remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.

¹²For 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.

¹³And if any woman hath a husband that believeth not and he consent to dwell with her: let her not put away her husband.

¹⁴For 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.

¹⁵But 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.

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

¹⁷But 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.

¹⁸Is any man called, being circumcised? Let him not procure uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

¹⁹Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing: but the observance of the commandments of God.

²⁰Let every man abide in the same calling in which he was called.

²¹Wast thou called, being a bondman? Care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

²²For 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.

²³You are bought with a price: be not made the bondslaves of men.

²⁴Brethren, let every man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.

²⁵Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.

²⁶I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity: that it is good for a man so to be.

²⁷Art thou bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.

²⁸But 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.

²⁹This therefore I say, brethren: The time is short. It remaineth, that they also who have wives be as if they had none:

³⁰And they that weep, as though they wept not: and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not: and they that buy as if they possessed not:

³¹And they that use this world, as if they used it not. For the fashion of this world passeth away.

³²But 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.

³³But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world: how he may please his wife. And he is divided.

³⁴And 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.

³⁵And 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.

³⁶But 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.

³⁷For 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.

³⁸Therefore both he that giveth his virgin in marriage doth well: and he that giveth her not doth better.

³⁹A 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.

⁴⁰But more blessed shall she be, if she so remain, according to my counsel. And I think that I also have the spirit of God.