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 about which you wrote: 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:

But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each 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 fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her 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 does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband does not have authority over 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.

Do not deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to prayer, and may be together again, that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

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

But this I say by way of concession, 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.

Yet I wish that all people were like me. However each one has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.

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

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

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

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry. For it's 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, —

But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave 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 if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave 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 I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

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; —

The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

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 in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are 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.

Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called you 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 how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your 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.

Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the churches.

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

Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been 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 each person stay in that calling in which 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.

Were you called being a slave? Do not let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

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 who was called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord's free person. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ's slave.

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

You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of people.

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

Brothers, let each one, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition 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 from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

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 think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a person to remain as he is.

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.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek 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 if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to 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 I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, those who have wives should 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 those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

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 those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the form of this world is passing 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 desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of 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 who is married is concerned about the things 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.

and is divided. And the woman that is unmarried, or a virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the one that is married is concerned about 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.

This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to 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 anyone thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He does not sin. 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.

But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own heart, to keep his own virgin, does 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 both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage does 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;

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, 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 stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God's Spirit.