FIRST CORINTHIANS

 

First Corinthians 7

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

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

3 Let the husband carry out his responsibility to his wife: and likewise also the wife to her husband.

4 The wife’s body does not belong to her alone, but also to her husband: In the same way the husband’s body does not belong to him alone, but also to his wife.

5 Do not deprive one another, except by mutual consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of restraint.

6 But I am saying this as a concession, not as a command.

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

8 Therefore I tell the unmarried and widows, that it is fine for them to remain unmarried as I am.

9 But if they find it hard to control themselves, they should marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

10 ¶ And to the married I give this command, not from me but the Lord, A wife must not leave her husband:

11 But if she does leave, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 But what I say to the rest is not a commandment from God: If a brother has an unbelieving wife, and she wants to stay with him, he should not divorce her.

13 And a wife who has an unbelieving husband, who wants her to remain with him, should not divorce him.

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: otherwise your children would be unclean; but now are they holy.

15 But if the unbelieving spouse ends the marriage, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace.

16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? or how do you know, O man, whether you will save your wife?

17 ¶ But let each walk in the path that the Lord assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is the rule I have set for all the churches.

18 Was any man circumcised when he was called? let him not become uncircumcised. Was any uncircumcised when he was called? let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but taking to heart the words of God is everything.

20 Let every man remain in the situation that he was in when God called him.

21 Were you a slave when you were called? don’t let it trouble you: although if you can gain your freedom, do so.

22 For he who was a slave when the Lord called him, is the Lord’s freedman: Similarly he who was free when he was called, is Christ’s servant.

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

24 Brethren, let each, being responsible to God, remain in the situation God called him to.

25 ¶ Now concerning virgins I do not have a commandment from the Lord: but I offer my judgment, as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

26 Because of the present crisis, I believe that it is best for you to remain as you are.

27 Are you married? do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? do not seek a wife.

28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will face tribulation in body and mind: and I want to spare you that.

29 What I am saying, brethren, is that time is short: From now on, let even those who 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;

31 And they who use this world, as not preoccupied with it: for the world as we know it will pass away.

32 For I want you to be free of distress. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of God, how he may please the Lord:

33 But the married man has his mind on the things of this world, how he may please his wife.

34 There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in both body and spirit: but a married woman has her mind on the things of this world, how she may please her husband.

35 And I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you or place a snare in your path; on the contrary, as an aid to what is appropriate and undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 ¶ But if any man thinks that he would not be doing right to remain unmarried, if he is past his prime, and his passion so requires, let him do what he thinks best, he does not sin: let them marry.

37 Nevertheless he who stands firm in his heart, not being forced by necessity, but having control over his own will and desire, and having resolved in his heart that he will put off marriage, does well.

38 So then he who marries does well; but he who does not marry does better.

39 ¶ The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to marry whom she wishes; only in the Lord.

40 But in my opinion she’ll be happier if she stays as she is: and I think that I have the Spirit of God.