1 Corinthians 7

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

I now deal with the subjects mentioned in your letter. It is well for a man to abstain altogether from marriage.

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

But because there is so much fornication every man should have a wife of his own, and every woman should have a husband.

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

Let a man pay his wife her due, and let a woman also pay her husband his.

4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

A married woman is not mistress of her own person: her husband has certain rights. In the same way a married man is not master of his own person: his wife has certain rights.

5 Do not 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 does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Do not refuse one another, unless perhaps it is just for a time and by mutual consent, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and may then associate again; lest the Adversary begin to tempt you because of your deficiency in self-control.

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

Thus much in the way of concession, not of command.

7 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.

Yet I would that everybody lived as I do; but each of us has his own special gift from God--one in one direction and one in another.

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

But I tell the unmarried, and women who are widows, that it is well for them to remain as I am.

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

If, however, they cannot maintain self-control, by all means let them marry; for marriage is better than the fever of passion.

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

But to those already married my instructions are--yet not mine, but the Lord's--that a wife is not to leave her husband;

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

or if she has already left him, let her either remain as she is or be reconciled to him; and that a husband is not to send away his wife.

12 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.

To the rest it is I who speak--not the Lord. If a brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, let him not send her away.

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

And a woman who has an unbelieving husband--if he consents to live with her, let her not separate from him.

14 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.

For, in such cases, the unbelieving husband has become--and is--holy through union with a Christian woman, and the unbelieving wife is holy through union with a Christian brother. Otherwise your children would be unholy, but in reality they have a place among God's people.

15 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.

If, however, the unbeliever is determined to leave, let him or her do so. Under such circumstances the Christian man or woman is no slave; God has called us to live lives of peace.

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

For what assurance have you, O woman, as to whether you will save your husband? Or what assurance have you, O man, as to whether you will save your wife?

17 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.

Only, whatever be the condition in life which the Lord has assigned to each individual--and whatever the condition in which he was living when God called him--in that let him continue.

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

This is what I command in all the Churches. Was any one already circumcised when called? Let him not have recourse to the surgeons. Was any one uncircumcised when called? Let him remain uncircumcised.

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

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing: obedience to God's commandments is everything.

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

Whatever be the condition in life in which a man was, when he was called, in that let him continue.

21 Were you called being a bondservant? Do not let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

Were you a slave when God called you? Let not that weigh on your mind. And yet if you can get your freedom, take advantage of the opportunity.

22 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 Christ’s bondservant.

For a Christian, if he was a slave when called, is the Lord's freed man, and in the same way a free man, if called, becomes the slave of Christ.

23 You were bought with a price. Do not become bondservants of men.

You have all been redeemed at infinite cost: do not become slaves to men.

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

Where each one stood when he was called, there, brethren, let him still stand--close to God.

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

Concerning unmarried women I have no command to give you from the Lord; but I offer you my opinion, which is that of a man who, through the Lord's mercy, is deserving of your confidence.

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

I think then that, taking into consideration the distress which is now upon us, it is well for a man to remain as he is.

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

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to get free. Are you free from the marriage bond? Do not seek for a wife.

28 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.

Yet if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a maiden marries, she has not sinned. Such people, however, will have outward trouble. But I am for sparing you.

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

Yet of this I warn you, brethren: the time has been shortened--so that henceforth those who have wives should be as though they had none,

30 and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,

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

and those who use the world as not using it to the full. For the world as it now exists is passing away.

32 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;

And I would have you free from worldly anxiety. An unmarried man concerns himself with the Lord's business--how he shall please the Lord;

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

but a married man concerns himself with the business of the world--how he shall please his wife.

34 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.

There is a difference too between a married and an unmarried woman. She who is unmarried concerns herself with the Lord's business--that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman concerns herself with the business of the world--how she shall please her husband.

35 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.

Thus much I say in your own interest; not to lay a trap for you, but to help towards what is becoming, and enable you to wait on the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He does not sin. Let them marry.

If, however, a father thinks he is acting unbecomingly towards his still unmarried daughter if she be past the bloom of her youth, and so the matter is urgent, let him do what she desires; he commits no sin; she and her suitor should be allowed to marry.

37 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.

But if a father stands firm in his resolve, being free from all external constraint and having a legal right to act as he pleases, and in his own mind has come to the decision to keep his daughter unmarried, he will do well.

38 So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage does better.

So that he who gives his daughter in marriage does well, and yet he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

39 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.

A woman is bound to her husband during the whole period that he lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to marry whom she will, provided that he is a Christian.

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

But in my judgement, her state is a more enviable one if she remains as she is; and I also think that I have the Spirit of God.