1 Corinthians 7

Modern

Literal

Principles of Marriage

¹Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.^a

¹Now concerning the things of which you wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

²But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

²But because of the sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

³The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

³Let the husband render the duty to the wife, and likewise also the wife to the husband.

⁴The 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.

⁴The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

⁵Do 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.

⁵Do not deprive one another, except by mutual agreement for a time, so that you might be at leisure for prayer, and may be together the same again, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

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

⁶Now I say this by way of concession, not by way of command.

⁷I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

⁷Yet I wish all men to be even like myself. But each has his own gift from God; indeed the one thus, but the one thus.

⁸Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

⁸Now I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they should remain as even I am.

⁹But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

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

¹⁰To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.

¹⁰Now to those having married I command (not I, but the Lord): A wife is not to be separated from a husband.

¹¹But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

¹¹But if indeed she might be separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to the husband; and a husband is not to send away a wife.

¹²To 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.

¹²Now to the rest I say (I, not the Lord): If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to dwell with him, let him not send her away.

¹³And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

¹³And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not send away the husband.

¹⁴For 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.

¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother. Otherwise, then your children are unclean; but now they are holy.

¹⁵But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you^a to live in peace.

¹⁵But if the unbeliever separates himself, let him separate himself. The brother or the sister is not bound in such cases. But God has called you in peace.

¹⁶How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

¹⁶For how do you know, wife, if you will save the husband? Or how do you know, husband, if you will save the wife?

Live Your Calling

¹⁷Regardless, 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.

¹⁷Nevertheless, as the Lord apportioned to each, as God has called each, thus let him walk. And thus I direct in all the churches.

¹⁸Was 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.

¹⁸Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

¹⁹Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

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

²⁰Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.

²⁰Each in the calling in which he has been called—in this let him remain.

²¹Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

²¹Were you called while a slave? Let it not be a care to you; but if also you have power to become free, rather use it.

²²For 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.

²²For the one having been called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman; likewise the one having been called while free is a slave of Christ.

²³You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

²³You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

²⁴Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.

²⁴Each in that in which he was called, brothers—in this let him remain with God.

The Unmarried and Widowed

²⁵Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

²⁵Now concerning the virgins, I do not have a commandment of the Lord, but I give judgment as one having received mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

²⁶Because of the present^a crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.

²⁶Therefore I think this is good, because of the present necessity, that it is good for a man to be thus.

²⁷Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife.

²⁷Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

²⁸But 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.

²⁸But if also you shall have married, you did not sin; and if the virgin shall have married, she did not sin. But such will have tribulation in the flesh, and I am sparing you.

²⁹What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;

²⁹Now I say this, brothers: The time is shortened—so that from now on both those having wives should be as not having;

³⁰those 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;

³⁰and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;

³¹and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

³¹and those using the world, as not using it up. For the form of this world is passing away.

³²I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.

³²But I want you to be without concern. The unmarried man is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he should please the Lord;

³³But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,

³³but the one being married is concerned for the things of the world, how he should please the wife,

³⁴and 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.

³⁴and is divided. And the unmarried woman and virgin is concerned for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but the one being married is concerned for the things of the world, how she should please the husband.

³⁵I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.

³⁵Now I say this for your own profit, not so that I might place upon you a restraint, but for what is seemly and devoted to the Lord, without distraction.

³⁶However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry,^a let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married.

³⁶But if anyone supposes himself to be acting unbecomingly to his virgin, if she is beyond youth, and it ought to be so, let him do what he wills; he does not sin; let them marry.

³⁷But 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,^a he will do well.

³⁷But he who has stood steadfast in his heart, not having necessity but having authority over his own will, and has judged this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well.

³⁸So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

³⁸So then also, the one marrying his own virgin does well, and the one not marrying will do better.

³⁹A 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.^a

³⁹A wife has been bound for as long a time as her husband may live; but if the husband shall have died, she is free to be married to whom she wants, only in the Lord.

⁴⁰In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

⁴⁰But she is more blessed if she should remain in the same manner, according to my judgment; and I think myself also to have the Spirit of God.