1 Corinthians / Marriage, Singleness, and Conjugal Duties

Marriage, Singleness, and Conjugal Duties

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Chapter 7

¹ Now concerning the things about which you wrote: it is good for a man not to touch a woman. ² But because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ³ To the wife let the husband give what is due; likewise, however, also the wife to the husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and then be together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ But I say this by concession, not by command. ⁷ But I wish all men to be as I also am. But each has his own spiritual gift from God, one in this way and the other in this way. ⁸ But I say to the unmarried and the widows, it is good for them if they remain as I do. ⁹ But if they do not exercise self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn. ¹⁰ But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that a wife is not to separate from her husband. ¹¹ But if she is also separated, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and let the husband not send away the wife. ¹² But to the rest I say—I, not the Lord—if any brother has a wife who is unbelieving, and she consents to dwell with him, let him not leave her. ¹³ And if any wife has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave the husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the brother; since otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever separates, let him separate. The brother or the sister is not enslaved in such cases. But God has called us in peace. ¹⁶ For what do you know, wife, if you will save your husband? Or what do you know, husband, if you will save your wife? ¹⁷ Except as the Lord has divided to each one, as God has called each one, in this way let him walk. And in this way I direct in all the churches. ¹⁸ Is someone called while circumcised? Let him not draw back the foreskin. Is someone called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ The circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing, but the commandment-keeping of God. ²⁰ Each one in the calling in which he was called—in this let him remain. ²¹ Were you called as a slave? Let it not be a concern to you; but even if you are able to become free, rather use it. ²² For the one called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman; likewise the one called as free is Christ's slave. ²³ You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of humans. ²⁴ Each one in which he was called, brothers—in this let him remain with God. ²⁵ Now concerning the virgins, I do not have a command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be faithful. ²⁶ I think therefore this is good because of the present necessity, that it is good for a man in this way to be. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ But if even you marry, you did not sin. And if the virgin marries, she did not sin. But such ones will have tribulation in the flesh; but I spare you. ²⁹ But this I say, brothers, the appointed time has been shortened; from now on those who have wives should be as those who do not. ³⁰ and those weeping as not weeping, and those rejoicing as not rejoicing, and those buying as not possessing, ³¹ and those who use the world as not overusing it—for the form of this world is passing away. ³² But I want you to be free from cares. The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord, how he might please the Lord. ³³ But the one who marries cares for the things of the world, how he might please his wife. ³⁴ And she has been divided. And the married woman and the unmarried woman and the virgin cares for the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but the one having married cares for the things of the world, how she may please the husband. ³⁵ But I say this for your own advantage, not to throw a noose upon you, but for what is seemly and undistracted attendance to the Lord without distraction. ³⁶ But if anyone thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the prime age, and in this way it ought to happen, let him do what he wants; he does not sin; let them marry. ³⁷ But whoever stands firm in his own heart, not having compulsion but having authority concerning his own will, and has judged this in his own heart—to keep his own virgin—will do well. ³⁸ so that both the one marrying off his own virgin does well, and the one not marrying her off will do better. ³⁹ A wife is bound for as long a time as her husband lives; but if the husband has fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whomever she wishes, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But she is happier if she remains in this way, according to my judgment. But I think that I also have the Spirit of God.