1 Corinthians 7

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

With reference to the subjects about which you wrote to me: It is good for a man to remain single.

2 Nevertheless, [to avoid] fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

But, owing to the prevalence of immorality, I advise every man to have his own wife, and every woman her husband.

3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

A husband should give his wife her due, and a wife her husband.

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

It is not the wife, but the husband, who exercises power over her body; and so, too, it is not the husband, but the wife, who exercises power over his body.

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

Do not deprive each other of what is due – unless it is only for a time and by mutual consent, so that your minds may be free for prayer until you again live as man and wife – otherwise Satan might take advantage of your want of self-control and tempt you.

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

I say this, however, as a concession, not as a command.

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

I should wish everyone to be just what I am myself. But everyone has his own gift from God – one in one way, and one in another.

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

My advice, then, to those who are not married, and to widows, is this: It would be good for them to remain as I am myself.

9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

But, if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be consumed with passion.

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

To those who are married my direction is – yet it is not mine, but the Master’s – that a woman is not to leave her 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.

(If she has done so, she should remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.

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

To all others I say – I, not the Master – If a follower of the Lord is married to a woman, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with him, he should not divorce her;

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

and a woman who is married to a man, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with her, should not divorce her husband.

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, through his wife, the husband who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ’s people; and the wife who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ’s people through the Lord’s follower whom she has married. Otherwise your children would be “defiled,” but, as it is, they belong to Christ’s people.

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

However, if the unbeliever wishes to be separated, let them be so. Under such circumstances neither is bound; God has called you to live in peace.

16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save [thy] husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save [thy] wife?

How can you tell, wife, whether you may not save your husband? And how can you tell, husband, whether you may not save your wife?

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

In any case, a person should continue to live in the condition which the Lord has allotted to them, and in which they were when God called them. This is the rule that I lay down in every church.

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

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? Then he should not efface his circumcision. Has a man been called when uncircumcised? Then he should not be circumcised.

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

Circumcision is nothing; the want of it is nothing; but to keep the commands of God is everything.

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

Let everyone remain in that condition of life in which they were when the call came to them.

21 Art thou called [being] a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use [it] rather.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. No, even if you are able to gain your freedom, still do your best.

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 the person who was a slave when they were called to the master’s service is the Master’s freedman; so, too, the person who was free when called is Christ’s slave.

23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

You were bought, and the price was paid. Do not let yourselves become slaves to people.

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

Friends, let everyone remain in the condition in which they were when they were called, in close communion with God.

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

With regard to unmarried women, I have no command from the Master to give you, but I tell you my opinion, and the Master in his mercy has made me worthy to be trusted.

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 think, then, that, in view of the time of suffering that has now come upon us, what I have already said is best – that a man should remain as he is.

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

Are you married to a wife? Then do not seek to be separated. Are you separated from a wife? Then do not seek for a wife.

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

Still, if you should marry, that is not wrong; nor, if a young woman marries, is that wrong. But those who marry will have much trouble to bear, and my wish is to spare you.

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

What I mean, friends, is this – the time is short. Meanwhile, let those who have wives live as if they had none,

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;

those who are weeping as if not weeping, those who are rejoicing as if not rejoicing, those who buy as if not possessing,

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

and those who use the good things of the world as using them sparingly; for this world as we see it is passing away.

32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious about the Master’s cause, desiring to please him;

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

while the married man is anxious about worldly matters, desiring to please his wife;

34 There is difference [also] between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please [her] husband.

and so his interests are divided. Again, the unmarried woman, whether she is old or young, is anxious about the Master’s cause, striving to be pure both in body and in spirit, while the married woman is anxious about worldly matters, desiring to please her 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 ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

I say this for your own benefit, not with any intention of putting a halter round your necks, but in order to secure for the Master seemly and constant devotion, free from all distraction.

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

If, however, a father thinks that he is not acting fairly by his unmarried daughter, when she is past her youth, and if under these circumstances her marriage ought to take place, he should act as he thinks right. He is doing nothing wrong – let the marriage take place.

37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

On the other hand, a father, who has definitely made up his mind, and is under no compulsion, but is free to carry out his own wishes, and who has come to the decision, in his own mind, to keep his unmarried daughter at home will be doing right.

38 So then he that giveth [her] in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth [her] not in marriage doeth better.

In short, the one who consents to his daughter’s marriage is doing right, and yet the other will be doing better.

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

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; but, if the husband should pass to his rest, the widow is free to marry anyone she wishes, provided he is a believer.

40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

Yet she will be happier if she remains as she is – in my opinion, for I think that I also have the Spirit of God.