1 Corinthians 7

1 Now, concerning the things whereof ye wrote, it were, good, for a man, not to touch, a woman;

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

2 But, on account of fornications, let, each man, have, his own wife, and, each woman, have, her own husband:

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

3 Unto the wife, let the husband render what is her due, and, in like manner, the wife also, unto the husband, —

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

4 The wife, over her own body, hath not authority, but the husband, and, in like manner, the husband also, over his own body, hath not authority, but the wife.

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.

5 Be not depriving one another—unless perhaps by consent for a season, that ye may have leisure for prayer, and, again, may be together, —lest Satan be tempting you by reason of your want of self-control.

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.

6 This, however I am saying, by way of concession, not of injunction;

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

7 Besides, I desire all men to be, even as myself, —but, each one, hath his, personal, gift from God, one, after this manner, and, another, after that.

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.

8 But I say, to the unmarried, and to the widows, good, were it for them, that they should abide, even as I;

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

9 But, if they have not self-control, let them marry, for, better, is it, to marry than to burn.

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

10 To the married, however, I give charge—not, I, but the Lord, —that, a wife, from her husband, do not depart, —

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

11 But, if she should even depart, let her remain unmarried, or, to her husband, be reconciled; and let not, a husband, leave, his wife.

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

12 But, unto the rest, say, I—not the Lord, —if, any brother, hath, a wife that believeth not, and, she, is well pleased to dwell with him, let him not leave her;

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.

13 And, a woman who hath a husband that believeth not, and, he, is well pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband; —

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

14 For the husband that believeth not is hallowed in the wife, and the wife that believeth not is hallowed in the brother: else were, your children, impure, but, now, are they, pure.

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.

15 But, if, the unbelieving, departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister hath not come into bondage, in such cases, but, in peace, hath God called us.

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.

16 For how knowest thou, O woman, whether, thy husband, thou shalt save? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether, thy wife, thou shalt save?

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

17 If not—as the Lord hath distributed—unto each one, as God hath called, each one, so, let him be walking; —and, so, in all the assemblies, I ordain.

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.

18 After being circumcised, was any called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision, hath any been called? let him not be circumcised:

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

19 The circumcision, is, nothing, and, the uncircumcision, is, nothing, —but keeping the commandments of God.

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

20 Each one, in the calling wherein he was called, in the same, let him abide:

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

21 A bond-servant, wast thou called? let it not cause thee concern; but, if thou canst even become, free, rather use it.

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

22 For, he who in the Lord was called, being a bond-servant, is, a freed-man of the Lord: in like manner, he that was called being, a freeman, is Christ’s bond-servant: —

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.

23 With a price, have ye been bought, —do not become bond-servants of men:

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

24 Each one, wherein he was called, brethren, in the same, let him abide with God.

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

25 But, concerning them who are virgin, injunction of the Lord, have I none; yet, a judgment, do I give, as one who hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be, faithful:

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.

26 I consider this, then, to be, good, in the circumstances, by reason of the existing distress, —that it is, good for a man, so, to be:

I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

27 Hast thou become bound to a wife? do not seek to be loosed; hast thou become loosed from a wife? do not seek a wife.

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

28 If, however, thou shouldst even marry, thou hast not sinned; and, if one who is virgin should marry, that one hath not sinned; —but, tribulation of the flesh, shall, such, have: —howbeit, I, spare you.

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.

29 But, this, I say—the opportunity is, contracted for what remaineth—in order that, they who have wives, may be, as though they had none,

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

30 And, they who weep, as though they wept not, and, they who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not, and, they who buy, as though they possessed not,

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, they who use the world, as though they used it not to the full, —for the fashion of this world passeth away;

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

32 And I desire you to be, without anxiety: —the unmarried man, is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

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:

33 But, he that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how may please his wife—

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

34 And he is divided; and, the unmarried woman, or the virgin, is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy [both] in her body and in her spirit; but, she that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

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.

35 This, however, with a view to your own profit, am I saying, —not that, a snare, upon you, I may cast, but with a view to what is comely, and devoted unto the Lord, without distraction.

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.

36 If however anyone considereth it behaving unseemly towards his virginity, if he should be beyond the bloom of life, —and, thus, it ought to come about, what he chooseth, let him do, —he sinneth not: let them marry:

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.

37 But, he that standeth in his heart, steadfast, having no necessity, but hath authority concerning his own will, and, this, hath determined in his own heart, —to preserve his own virginity, well shall he do.

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.

38 So that, he that giveth in marriage his own virginity, doeth, well; and, he that giveth it not, shall do, better.

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

39 A wife, is bound for as long a time as her husband is living; but, if the husband have fallen asleep, she is, free, to be married unto whom she pleaseth, —only, in the Lord;

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.

40 But, happier, is she, if, so, she remain, —in my judgment; for I think, I also, have the Spirit of God.

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