1 Corinthians 7
New American Standard Bible
Teaching on Marriage
7 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is (A)good for a man [a]not to touch a woman. 2 But because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. 3 The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife also to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 [b](B)Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and [c]come together again so that (C)Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 But this I say by way of concession, (D)not of command. 7 [d]Yet I wish that all [e]men were (E)even as I myself am. However, (F)each has his own gift from God, one in this way, and another in that.
8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is (G)good for them if they remain (H)even as I. 9 But if they do not have self-control, (I)let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 But to the married I give instructions, (J)not I, but the Lord, that the wife is not to leave her husband 11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband is not to [f]divorce his wife.
12 But to the rest (K)I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he must not [g]divorce her. 13 And [h]if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not [i]divorce her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through [j]her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are (L)holy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, [k]let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called [l]us (M)in peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will (N)save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
17 Only, (O)as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this way let him walk. And (P)so I direct in (Q)all the churches. 18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? (R)He is not to be circumcised. 19 (S)Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is (T)the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 (U)Each person is to remain in that [m]state in which he was called.
21 Were you called as a slave? Do not let it concern you. But if you are also able to become free, take advantage of that. 22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave, is (V)the Lord’s freed person; likewise the one who was called as free, is (W)Christ’s slave. 23 (X)You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of people. 24 Brothers and sisters, (Y)each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.
25 Now concerning virgins, I have (Z)no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who [n](AA)by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26 I think, then, that this is good in view of the [o]present (AB)distress, that (AC)it is good for a man [p]to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people as yourselves will have [q]trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 29 But this I say, brothers, (AD)the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; 30 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, as though they did not (AE)make full use of it; for (AF)the present form of this world is passing away.
32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is (AG)unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but [r]to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
36 But if anyone thinks that he is acting dishonorably toward his virgin, if she is [s]past her youth and it ought to be so, let him do what he wishes, he is not sinning; let [t]them marry. 37 But the one who stands firm in his heart, [u]if he is not under constraint, but has authority [v]over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well. 38 So then, both the one who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and the one who does not give her in marriage will do better.
39 (AH)A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband [w]dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only (AI)in the Lord. 40 But (AJ)in my opinion she is [x]happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 7:1 Prob. referring to abstinence
- 1 Corinthians 7:5 Or do not deprive
- 1 Corinthians 7:5 Lit be
- 1 Corinthians 7:7 One early ms For
- 1 Corinthians 7:7 Or people
- 1 Corinthians 7:11 Or leave his wife
- 1 Corinthians 7:12 Or leave her
- 1 Corinthians 7:13 One early ms any woman who has
- 1 Corinthians 7:13 Or leave her husband
- 1 Corinthians 7:14 Lit the brother
- 1 Corinthians 7:15 Or then he must leave
- 1 Corinthians 7:15 One early ms you
- 1 Corinthians 7:20 Lit calling
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 Lit has been shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 Or impending
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 Lit so to be
- 1 Corinthians 7:28 Lit tribulation in the flesh
- 1 Corinthians 7:35 Lit for what is seemly
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or past puberty
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 I.e., the woman and her betrothed or fiancé
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 Lit having no necessity
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 Lit pertaining to
- 1 Corinthians 7:39 Lit falls asleep
- 1 Corinthians 7:40 Or more fortunate
1 Corinthians 7
Young's Literal Translation
7 And concerning the things of which ye wrote to me: good [it is] for a man not to touch a woman,
2 and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;
3 to the wife let the husband the due benevolence render, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;
4 the wife over her own body hath not authority, but the husband; and, in like manner also, the husband over his own body hath not authority, but the wife.
5 Defraud not one another, except by consent for a time, that ye may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that the Adversary may not tempt you because of your incontinence;
6 and this I say by way of concurrence -- not of command,
7 for I wish all men to be even as I myself [am]; but each his own gift hath of God, one indeed thus, and one thus.
8 And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I [am];
9 and if they have not continence -- let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;
10 and to the married I announce -- not I, but the Lord -- let not a wife separate from a husband:
11 but and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or to the husband let her be reconciled, and let not a husband send away a wife.
12 And to the rest I speak -- not the Lord -- if any brother hath a wife unbelieving, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not send her away;
13 and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;
14 for the unbelieving husband hath been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
15 And, if the unbelieving doth separate himself -- let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace hath God called us;
16 for what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?
17 if not, as God did distribute to each, as the Lord hath called each -- so let him walk; and thus in all the assemblies do I direct:
18 being circumcised -- was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;
19 the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing -- but a keeping of the commands of God.
20 Each in the calling in which he was called -- in this let him remain;
21 a servant -- wast thou called? be not anxious; but if also thou art able to become free -- use [it] rather;
22 for he who [is] in the Lord -- having been called a servant -- is the Lord's freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:
23 with a price ye were bought, become not servants of men;
24 each, in that in which he was called, brethren, in this let him remain with God.
25 And concerning the virgins, a command of the Lord I have not; and I give judgment as having obtained kindness from the Lord to be faithful:
26 I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man that the matter be thus: --
27 Hast thou been bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; hast thou been loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28 But and if thou mayest marry, thou didst not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I spare you.
29 And this I say, brethren, the time henceforth is having been shortened -- that both those having wives may be as not having;
30 and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;
31 and those using this world, as not using [it] up; for passing away is the fashion of this world.
32 And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;
33 and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he shall please the wife.
34 The wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she shall please the husband.
35 And this for your own profit I say: not that I may cast a noose upon you, but for the seemliness and devotedness to the Lord, undistractedly,
36 and if any one doth think [it] to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought so to be, what he willeth let him do; he doth not sin -- let him marry.
37 And he who hath stood stedfast in the heart -- not having necessity -- and hath authority over his own will, and this he hath determined in his heart -- to keep his own virgin -- doth well;
38 so that both he who is giving in marriage doth well, and he who is not giving in marriage doth better.
39 A wife hath been bound by law as long time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will -- only in the Lord;
40 and she is happier if she may so remain -- according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.
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