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.

Now as to the matters about which ye wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman;

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

but on account of the commonness of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband.

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

Let the husband render to his wife her due; and so also the wife to her husband.

4 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.

The wife hath not the disposal of her own body, but her husband; and so also the husband hath not the disposal of his own body, but his wife.

5 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.

Defraud not one another, except by agreement for a time, that ye may have a season for prayer; and be together again, that Satan may not tempt you through your incontinence.

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

But I say this by way of permission, not command.

7 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.

I would that all men were as I myself; but every one hath his own gift from God, one man this, and another that.

8 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.

I say also to the unmarried and the widows, it is good for them to remain as I am;

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

but if they cannot control themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.

10 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.

But to those who are married it is my command, yet not mine, but the Lord's: Let not the wife separate herself from her husband,

11 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.

and if she have separated herself let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and let not the husband put away his wife.

12 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.

But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she be satisfied to dwell with him, let him not put her away;

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

and if a wife hath an unbelieving husband, and he be satisfied to dwell with her, let her not put her husband away.

14 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.

For the unbelieving husband hath been made holy by his wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been made holy by the brother; otherwise were your children unclean, but, as it is, they are holy.

15 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.

But if the unbelieving separateth himself, let him separate himself; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God hath called you to be in peace.

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

For how dost thou know, O wife, but that thou mayst save thy husband? or how dost thou know, O husband, but that thou mayst save thy wife?

17 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.

But let every one continue to walk in the lot which the Lord appointed him, in the condition in which God called him. And this direction I give in all the churches.

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

Was any one called being circumcised, let him not become as if uncircumcised; hath any one been called in uncircumcision, let him not become circumcised.

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

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

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

Let every one remain in the same calling in which he was called.

21 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.

Wast thou called being a slave, care not for it; but even if thou canst be made free, use it rather.

22 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.

For he that was called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord's freeman. In like manner the freeman, who is called, is Christ's slave.

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

Ye were bought with a price; become not the slaves of men.

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

In that state, brethren, in which he was called, let every one remain with God.

25 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.

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

26 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.

I think, then, that it is well, on account of the impending distress, for a man to remain as he is.

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

Art thou bound to a wife, seek not to be loosed from her; art thou loosed from a wife, do not seek for one.

28 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.

But if thou hast married, thou hast committed no sin; and if a virgin hath married, she hath committed no sin. Such, however, will have trouble in the flesh, which I desire to spare you.

29 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;

But this I say, brethren, the time that remaineth is short; that both they that have wives may be as though they had none;

30 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;

and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

31 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.

and they that use this world as not abusing it; for the outward condition of this world is passing away;

32 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.

and I would have you free from anxious cares. He that is unmarried careth about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

33 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.

but he that is married careth about the things of the world, how to please his wife.

34 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.

There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin; the unmarried woman careth about the things of the Lord, to be holy, both in body and in spirit; but she that is married careth about the things of the world, how to please her husband.

35 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.

And this I say for your own profit; not to cast a noose over you, but with a view to what is becoming, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

36 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.

But if any one thinketh that he behaveth improperly in respect to his virgin [[daughter]], if she pass the flower of her age [[without being married]], and if it must be so, let him do what he will, he committeth no sin; let them marry.

37 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.

But if any one is settled in his purpose, and is under no necessity, but is free to act as he will, and hath determined in his heart to keep his own virgin daughter [[unmarried]], he doeth well.

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

So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; and he that doth not give her in marriage doeth better.

39 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.

The wife is bound to her husband as long as he liveth; but if her husband die, she is free to marry whom she will, only in the Lord.

40 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.

But she is happier if she remain as she is, in my opinion; and I too think that I have the Spirit of God.