I Corinthians 7
7
Principles of Marriage
1Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:
#1 Cor. 7:8, 26It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3#Ex. 21:10Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4The 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#Joel 2:16Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that #1 Thess. 3:5Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6But I say this as a concession, #2 Cor. 8:8not as a commandment. 7For #Acts 26:29I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.
8But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: #1 Cor. 7:1, 26It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9but #1 Tim. 5:14if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Keep Your Marriage Vows
10Now to the married I command, yet not I but the #Mark 10:6–10Lord: #Mal. 2:14; (Matt. 5:32)A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.
12But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise #Ezra 9:2; Mal. 2:15your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us #Rom. 12:18to peace. 16For how do you know, O wife, whether you will #Rom. 11:14; 1 Pet. 3:1save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live as You Are Called
17But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And #1 Cor. 4:17so I ordain in all the churches. 18Was anyone called while circumcised? #Acts 15:1Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19#(Rom. 2:27, 29; Gal. 3:28; 5:6; 6:15; Col. 3:11)Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but #(John 15:14)keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 20Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. 22For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is #(John 8:36); Rom. 6:18; Philem. 16the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is #(1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 5:13); Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:24; 1 Pet. 2:16Christ’s slave. 23#Lev. 25:42; 1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; Rev. 5:9You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brethren, let each one remain with #(Eph. 6:5–8; Col. 3:22–24)God in that state in which he was called.
To the Unmarried and Widows
25Now concerning virgins: #2 Cor. 8:8I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one #2 Cor. 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:13, 16whom the Lord in His mercy has made #1 Tim. 1:12trustworthy. 26I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—#1 Cor. 7:1, 8that it is good for a man to remain as he is: 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
29But #(Rom. 13:11); 1 Cor. 7:31; 1 Pet. 4:7; (2 Pet. 3:8, 9)this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31and those who use this world as not #1 Cor. 9:18misusing it. For #Ps. 39:6; 1 Cor. 7:29; James 1:10; 4:14; 1 Pet. 1:24; 4:7; (1 John 2:17)the form of this world is passing away.
32But I want you to be without care. #1 Tim. 5:5He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. 34There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman #Luke 10:40cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.
36But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. 37Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. 38#Heb. 13:4So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
39#Rom. 7:2A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, #2 Cor. 6:14only in the Lord. 40But she is happier if she remains as she is, #1 Cor. 7:6, 25according to my judgment—and #1 Thess. 4:8I think I also have the Spirit of God.
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I Corinthians 7: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 7
7
Principles of Marriage
1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.#7:1 Literally It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.
5Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
8Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. 9But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you #7:15 SBL, BYZ, and TR us to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live Your Calling
17Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches. 18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.
20Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called. 21Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity. 22For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.
23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.
The Unmarried and Widowed
25Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26Because of the present #7:26 Or impending crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
29What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; 30those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; 31and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
32I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord. 33But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.
35I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.
36However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry,#7:36 Literally and it ought to be so let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married. 37But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin,#7:37 Literally in his heart to keep the virgin or in his heart to keep the betrothed he will do well.
38So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.#7:39 Literally she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord 40In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
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The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain.