1 Corinthians 7

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

And concerning the things of which you wrote to me: [it is] good for a man not to touch a woman,

2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every 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 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

to the wife let the husband render the due benevolence, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;

4 The wife has not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not power of his own body, but the wife.

the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and in like manner also, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

5 Defraud all of you not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that all of you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Do not defraud one another, except by consent for a time, that you may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that Satan may not tempt you because of your self-indulgence;

6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

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

7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man has his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

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

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they 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 cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

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

10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

and to the married I announce—not I, but the LORD—do not let a wife separate from a husband:

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

but, and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to the husband, and do not let a husband send a wife away.

12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother has a wife that believes not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

And to the rest I speak—not the LORD—if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to dwell with him, do not let him send her away;

13 And the woman which has an husband that believes not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

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

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

for the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace.

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

16 For what know you, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? or how know you, O man, whether you shall save your wife?

for what, have you known, O wife, whether you will save the husband? Or what, have you known, O husband, whether you will save the wife?

17 But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

If not, as God distributed to each, as the LORD has called each—so let him walk; and thus I direct in all the assemblies:

18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

being circumcised—was anyone called? Do not let him become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was anyone called? Do not let him be circumcised;

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

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

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

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

21 Are you called being a servant? care not for it: but if you may be made free, use it rather.

a servant—were you called? Do not be anxious; but if also you are able to become free—use [it] rather;

22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's 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 All of you are bought with a price; be not all of you the servants of men.

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

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

each, in that in which he was called, brothers, in this let him remain with God.

25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

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

26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, 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 Are you bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed; have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 But and if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

But, and if you may marry, you did not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such will have tribulation in the flesh: and I spare you.

29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

And this I say, brothers, the time from now on is having been shortened—that both those having wives may be as not having;

30 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;

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

31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passes away.

and those using this world, as not using [it] up; for the [present] form of this world is passing away.

32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to 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 will please the LORD;

33 But he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

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

34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: (pneuma) but she that is married cares 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 will please the husband.

35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that all of you may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

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

36 But if any man think that he behaves himself indecent toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sins not: let them marry.

and if anyone thinks [it] to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought to be so, what he wills let him do; he does not sin—let him marry.

37 Nevertheless he that stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.

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

38 So then he that gives her in marriage does well; but he that gives her not in marriage does better.

so that both he who is giving in marriage does well, and he who is not giving in marriage does better.

39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

A wife has been bound by law [for] as long [a] 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 she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit (pneuma) 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.