1 Corinthians 7

1 Now concerning the issues you wrote about: “It is 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 because of temptations for many immoral acts, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should 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 The husband should give to the wife her sexual rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

Let the husband fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

4 It is not the wife who has authority over her own body, it is the husband. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

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 Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement and for a specific period of time. Do this so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack 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 But I say these things to you as a concession and not as a command.

But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

7 I wish that everyone were as I am. But each one has his own gift from God. One has this kind of gift, and another that kind.

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

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 cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better for them to marry than to burn with passion.

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry. For it's better to marry than to burn.

10 Now to the married I give this command—not I, but the Lord—the wife should not separate from her husband

But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband

11 (but if she does separate from her husband, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce 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 to the rest I say—I, not the Lord—that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and if she is content to live with him, he should not divorce 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 If a woman has an unbelieving husband, and if he is content to live with her, she should not divorce him.

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

14 For the unbelieving husband is set apart because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart because of the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but actually they are set apart.

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 partner departs, let him go. In such cases, the brother or sister is not bound to their vows. God has called us to live in peace.

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

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 Only let each one live the life the Lord has assigned him, each as God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

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 Was anyone circumcised when he was called to believe? He should not try to appear uncircumcised. Was anyone uncircumcised when he was called to faith? He should 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 For it is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision that matters. What matters is obeying the commandments of God.

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

20 Each one should remain in the calling he was in when God called him to believe.

Let each person stay in that calling in which he was called.

21 Were you a slave when God called you? Do not be concerned about it. But if you can become free, take advantage of 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 someone who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freeman. Likewise, the one who was free when he was called to believe is Christ's slave.

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 You have been bought with a price, so do not become slaves of men.

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

24 Brothers, in whatever life each of us was in when we were called to believe, let us remain like that.

Brothers, let each one, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

25 Now concerning those who never married, I have no commandment from the Lord. But I give my opinion as one who, by the Lord's mercy, is trustworthy.

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 Therefore, I think that because of the disaster that is coming, it is good for a man to remain as he is.

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 Are you married to a wife? Do not seek a divorce. If you are unmarried, 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 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if an unmarried woman marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will have many kinds of worldly trouble, and I want to spare you from this.

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, brothers: The time is short. From now on, let those who have wives live 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 Those who weep should act as though they were not weeping, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not possess anything,

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 those who use the world should not act as though they are using it to the full. For the world in its present form is coming to an end.

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the form of this world is passing away.

32 I would like you to be free from worries. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please him.

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 the married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife—

but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,

34 he is divided. The unmarried woman or the virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to be set apart in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to 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 I say this for your own benefit, and not to put any constraint on you. I say this for what is right, so that you may be devoted to the Lord without any 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 But if anyone thinks that he is not treating his fiancée with respect—if she is beyond the age of marriage and it must be so—he should do what he wants. He is not sinning. They should 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 if he is standing firm in his heart, if he is not under pressure but can control his own will, and if he has decided in his own heart to do this, to keep his own fiancée a virgin, he will do well.

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 the one who marries his fiancée does well, and the one who chooses not to marry will do even 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 woman is bound to her husband for as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes to marry, but 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 Yet in my judgment she would be happier if she lives as she is. And I think that 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.