1 Corinthians 7:34-36

Expanded Bible

³⁴ He ·must think about two things—pleasing his wife and pleasing the Lord [^Lis divided]. A woman who is not married or a ·girl who has never married [or betrothed woman; ^Lvirgin] is ·busy [concerned] with the ·Lord’s work [^Lthings of the Lord]. She wants to be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is ·busy [concerned] with things of the world, as to how she can please her husband. ³⁵ I am saying this to help you, not to ·limit [restrain] you. But I want you to live ·in the right way [or in a proper/orderly manner; or above criticism], to ·give yourselves fully [be devoted] to the Lord without ·concern for other things [distraction].

³⁶ If a man thinks he is ·not doing the right thing with [or acting improperly toward] ·the girl he is engaged to [^Lhis virgin; ^Cit is possible, but less likely, that the passage concerns a father’s decision to allow his virgin daughter to marry; a third option is that it is about a couple in a “spiritual” (celibate) marriage deciding whether to consummate it], if ·she is almost past the best age to marry [or his passions are too strong; ^Lhe/she is at the highest point] and ·he feels he should marry her [^Lit ought to be so], he should do what he wants. They should get married. It is no sin.