1 Corinthians 7
7
Marriage and its ideal
1Yes, my brethren, it is a good thing for both man and woman to be above all sexual intercourse. You wrote and asked me if that were good, and I answer yes. 2-3But marriage exists to prevent fornication. It is a step towards chastity. The ideal is to rise above all physical union of the sexes. Perfect chastity is a higher condition than the married state, and the intercourse of married persons, of husband and wife, is condoned and allowed, not commanded. I would that all men had reached the condition with regard to these questions that the spirit has conferred as a gift on me; but, as it is, we must have marriage, and those that are married must follow its rules. 4Husbands and wives, you are not masters of your own bodies. Each must do as the other has a right to demand in this important matter, 5-7and if by mutual consent you abstain from it altogether for a time, giving yourselves more thoroughly to prayer, and guarding against the entry of the spirit of evil through the avenue of indulgence, that is the best rule to observe.
Constancy in the truth
8-9Now whether married or unmarried, my advice is — remain as you were when God first called you into the truth. 10-13If married, do not seek separation. Husband and wife may not both be in the faith, nevertheless if the one to whom the truth has not yet come is agreeable to remain with the other, there should be no thought of separation. 14Both will be sanctified by the presence of the truth in the household, and likewise the children also, and who knows? probably the one that has faith will save the other. 15-16But if you were unmarried or widowed when the truth first came to you, then my advice is — do not change your state. Be as I am — and live a life of total abstinence from the claims of the body in this direction. But if this is beyond you, then marry; marriage is far better than unsuccessful efforts at this form of self-mastery. Now all this is only an expression of my own opinion, but the following is a commandment to all married persons. Let neither husband nor wife seek separation; or if they must be separated, let neither marry again whilst the other lives, but let them rather, if possible, be once more reconciled. That is the Lord’s expressed command and no matter of opinion.
In other matters also
17Further, in other matters besides marriage, I enjoin the same rule as that which I have just explained. 18After the truth has come to you, make no outward change in your manner of life, that is to say, in such matters as the circumcision or uncircumcision. 19-20Let it not make the slightest difference what you were before you received the truth, for in the truth these differences are seen to be nothing, so remain as you always were in this matter. For the keeping of God’s commandments is all that matters. 21Similarly, if you were a slave when called, do not seek to obtain manumission, but even prefer to continue in the old calling. 22-23You know now that you are Christ’s freedman and bought out of slavery at a heavy price. That freedom is everything, for those that were of free birth when called are now the slaves of Christ. Let then neither bond nor free be in spirit the slaves of men; that is all the faith demands; 24in outward respects remain as you were.
Chastity a noble thing
25Some are married when called into the faith; some have had wives, but have put them away; some are unmarried, and have never been married and have on no occasion indulged the sexual impulse, but are virgins. 26To all these I repeat the same advice. Stay as you are, as you were before God called you; 27-28and this even applies to the last class, those who have never known sexual intercourse. To these I would give no definite command, and yet even here, I will give my opinion, and I will give it with the consciousness that in this matter I have been faithful myself, or rather that God in His infinite mercy has taken pity on the weakness of my flesh, and made me by His own power firm and trustworthy in the matter. Well, my opinion is that perfect chastity, abstention from marriage and all sexual intercourse is a noble thing in a man, 29-31and the reason of that is that the world is changing, the end of the old order is near, and the doom of the physical approaches. We are called to attend to something higher than marriage and its cares. The whole outward form and manner of the universe is changing and passing away. Marriages, feastings, funerals, business and worldly matters may continue, but the time is short. Rise above them, and be as if they were not, even though you take part in them. 32I would have you without such cares; 33and you know that a married man thinks of his wife 34and cares about his business and the world for her sake, whilst the unmarried man or woman who lives a virgin life is free to dedicate that life to the Lord. 35But of course, if such an one, who has never touched a woman, elect to marry, he does so with good conscience, sinning not; only such persons, whether male or female, will find that their physical appetite puts obstacles and trials in their way, the details of which I spare you. 36Of course, if a man is not certain in his own mind, if he has lingering regrets that he has never used this important function of mortal man, let him marry by all means, he does no wrong thereby. 37But if he is certain, if he has clearly determined that to live and die a virgin is for him the best course of all, then let him keep his resolution, and he will do well by it. 38It will be the best and greatest course of all, though he who marries may rightly be congratulated on so doing. 39Lastly, a wife of course is bound to her husband for his life-time only — if he dies, she is free to marry again, but let her second choice not be one of the heathen, but one who belongs to the faith. 40But, as I said before, I believe it to be better that she marry not again, but remain a widow, and in so saying I believe that my sense in this matter is governed by the Spirit of God.
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1 Corinthians 7: GWC
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Translated in 1916, published in 1937.
1 Corinthians 7
7
1Now concerning the things whereof you2f wrote unto me: [It is] good for a man not to touch a woman.
2Nevertheless, [to avoid] fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3Let the husband render unto the wife sexual dues: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4The wife has not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not power of his own body, but the wife.
5Defraud you2f not one the other, except [it be] with consent for a time, that you2f may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan [the adversary] tempt you not for your incontinency.
6But I speak this by permission, [and] not of commandment.
7For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man has his proper (one’s own; peculiar; particular) gift of God-The Father, one after this manner, and another after that.
8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
10And unto the married I command, [yet] not I, but the Lord - Kurios, Let not the wife depart from [her] husband:
11But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to [her] husband: and let not the husband put away [his] wife.
12But to the rest speak I, not the Lord - Kurios: If any brother has a wife that believes not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13And the woman which has an husband that believes not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such [cases]: but God-The Father has called us to peace.
16For what know youi, O wife, whether youi shall save [youri] husband? or how know youi, O man, whether youi shall save [youri] wife?
17But as God-The Father has distributed to every man, as the Lord - Kurios has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
18Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but [the important thing is] the keeping of the commandments of God-The Father.
20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
21Are youi called [being] a slave? care not for it: but if youi may be made free, use [it] rather.
22For he that is called in the Lord - Kurios, [being] a slave, is the Lord - Kurios’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, [being] free, is Moshiach [Messiah]’s slave.
23You2f are bought with a price; be not you2f the servants of men.
24Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, in it abide with God-The Father.
25Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord - Kurios: yet I give my judgment, as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord - Kurios to be faithful.
26I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, [I say], that [it is] good for a man so to be.
27Are youi bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Are youi loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28But and if youi marry, youi have not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
29But this I say, brethren, the time [is] short: it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31And they that use this world, as not abusing [it]: for the fashion of this world passes away.
32But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord - Kurios, how he may please the Lord - Kurios:
33But he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please [his] wife.
34There is difference [also] between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord - Kurios, that she may be holy both in body and in Spirit [Ruach]: but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please [her] husband.
35And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely (attractive; proper (one’s own; peculiar; particular); becoming), and that you2f may attend upon the Lord - Kurios without distraction.
36But if any man think that he behaves himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of [her] age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sins not: let them marry.
37Nevertheless he that stands stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.
38So then he that gives [her] in marriage does well; but he that gives [her] not in marriage does better.
39The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord - Kurios.
40But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit [Ruach] of God-The Father.
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