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 things about which 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, because of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each 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.

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

It 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.

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.

So, 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.

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

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

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 widows: It is good for them, if they would remain as they are, just as I also am.

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

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 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.

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.

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

Concerning 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.

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 has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce 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 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.

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 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.

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?

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

However, 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.

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.

Has any circumcised man been called? Let him not cover his circumcision. Has any uncircumcised man been called? 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; there is only the observance of the commandments of God.

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

Let each and every one remain in the same calling to 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.

Are 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

Brothers, let each one, in whatever state he was called, remain in that state 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 from the Lord. But I give counsel, as one who has obtained the mercy of the Lord, so as to be faithful.

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

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

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.

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

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;

And 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;

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 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;

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

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

But 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.

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 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.

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.

Furthermore, 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.

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 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.

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.

But 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.

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

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

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 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.