1 Corinthians 7

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

Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.

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

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

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

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

4 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.

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

5 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.

Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

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

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

7 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.

I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8 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.

Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

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

But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 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

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.

11 (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.

But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 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;

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

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

And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

14 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.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15 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.

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

16 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?

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

17 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.

Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.

18 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.

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.

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

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

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

Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.

21 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.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

22 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.

For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.

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

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

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

Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.

25 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.

Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

26 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.

Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.

27 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.

Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife.

28 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.

But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

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

What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;

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

those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;

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

and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

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

I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.

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

But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,

34 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.

and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.

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

I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 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.

However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married.

37 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.

But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well.

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

So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

39 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.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

40 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.

In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.