1st Corinthians 7
7
CHAPTER 7
1But of those things that ye have written to me, it is good to a man to touch not a woman.
2But for fornication each man have his own wife, and each woman have her own husband.
3The husband yield debt to the wife, and also the wife to the husband.
4The woman hath not power of her body, but the husband; and the husband hath not power of his body, but the woman [or the wife].
5Do not ye defraud each to other, but peradventure of consent for a time, that ye give attention to prayer; and again turn again to the same thing, lest Satan tempt you for your uncontinence.
6But I say this thing as giving leave [or by indulgence], not by command-ment.
7For I will, that all men be as myself. But each man hath his proper gift of God; one thus, and another thus.
8But I say to them, that be not wedded, and to widows, it is good to them, if they dwell so as I.
9And if they contain not them-selves, [or be not chaste], be they wedded; for it is better to be wedded, than to be burnt.
10But to them that be joined in matrimony, I command, not I, but the Lord, that the wife depart not from the husband;
11and that if she departeth, that she dwell unwedded, or be reconciled to her husband; and the husband forsake not the wife.
12But to others I say, not the Lord. If any brother hath an unfaithful, [or heathen], wife, and she consenteth to dwell with him, leave he her not.
13And if any woman hath an unfaithful husband, and this consenteth to dwell with her, leave she not the husband.
14For the unfaithful husband is hallowed by the faithful woman, and the unfaithful woman is hallowed by the faithful husband. Else your children were unclean, but now they be holy.
15That if the unfaithful departeth, depart he. For why the brother or sister is not subject to servage in such; for God hath called us in peace.
16And whereof knowest thou, woman, if thou shalt make the man safe; or whereof knowest thou, man, if thou shalt make the woman safe?
17But as the Lord hath parted to each, and as God hath called each man, so go he, as I teach in all churches.
18A man circumcised is called, bring he not to prepuce. A man is called in prepuce, be he not circumcised.
19Circumcision is nought, and prepuce is nought, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20Each man in what calling he is called, in that dwell he.
21Thou [a] servant art called, be it no charge to thee; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
22He that is a servant, and is called in the Lord, is a free man of the Lord. Also he that is a free man, and is called, is the servant of Christ.
23With price ye be bought; do not ye be made servants of men.
24Therefore each man in what thing he is called a brother, dwell he in this with God.
25But of virgins I have no command-ment of God; but I give counsel, as he that hath gotten mercy of the Lord, that I be true.
26Therefore I guess, that this thing is good for the present need; for it is good to [or for] a man to be so.
27Thou art bound to a wife, do not thou seek unbinding; thou art unbound from a wife, do not thou seek a wife.
28But if thou hast taken a wife, thou hast not sinned; and if a maiden is wedded, she sinned not; nevertheless such shall have tribulation of flesh. But I spare you.
29Therefore, brethren, I say this thing, The time is short. Another is this, that they that have wives, be as though they had none;
30and they that weep, as they wept not; and they that joy, as they joyed not; and they that buy, as they had not;
31and they that use this world, as they that use [it] not. For why the figure, [or fairness], of this world passeth.
32But I will, that ye be without busyness, for he that is without wife, is busy what things be of the Lord, how he shall please God.
33But he that is with a wife, is busy what things be of the world, how he shall please the wife [or his wife], and he is parted.
34And a woman unwedded and [a] maiden thinketh what things be of the Lord, that she be holy in body and spirit. But she that is wedded, thinketh what things be of the world, how she shall please the husband [or her husband].
35And I say these things to your profit, not that I cast to you a snare, but to that that is seemly, and that giveth easiness [or facility], without hindering to make prayers, [or to beseech], to the Lord.
36And if any man guesseth himself to be seen foul on his virgin, that she is full waxen [or is well old], and so it behooveth to be done, do she that that she will [or what he will]; she sinneth not, if she be wedded, [+or s/he sinneth not, if s/he be wedded].
37For he that ordained stably, [or steadfastly], in his heart, not having need, but having power of his will, and hath deemed in his heart this thing, to keep his virgin [or his virginity], doeth well.
38Therefore he that joineth his virgin in matrimony, doeth well; and he that joineth not, doeth better.
39The woman is bound to the law, as long time as her husband liveth; and if her husband is dead, she is delivered from the law of the husband, be she wedded to whom she will, only in the Lord.
40But she shall be more blessed, if she dwelleth thus, after my counsel; and I ween, that I have the Spirit of God.
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Wycliffe’s Bible with Modern Spelling ©2017
Wycliffe’s Apocrypha ©2013, 2015
Wycliffe’s Bible © 2012, 2015
Wycliffe’s New Testament ©2001, 2011
Wycliffe’s Old Testament ©2001, 2010
1 Corinthians 7
7
The Question About Marriage
1Now let me address the things you wrote to me about. Some of you are saying, “It’s good for a man not to sleep with a woman,” as if that were more spiritual. 2But since you can’t control yourselves, this is leading to sexual sin. So each man should sleep with his own wife and each woman should sleep with her own husband. 3A husband should satisfy his wife’s needs, and a wife should satisfy her husband’s needs. 4The wife’s body doesn’t belong only to her; it also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body doesn’t belong only to him; it also belongs to his wife. 5Don’t deprive each other. You could agree not to have sexual relations for a while if you really needed time to pray. But after that, you should go back to having sexual relations. Otherwise, Satan will tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6(I’m giving you permission to do this; I’m not telling you that you should.) 7I wish all of you were single like me. But each person has their own gift from God. One has the gift of being happily married, and another has the gift of being happily single.
8I think it would be good if those of you who aren’t married or who are widowed could stay single like me. 9But if you couldn’t control yourselves, then you should get married. It’s better to get married than to burn with desire.
10But as for those who are married, I need to give you a command that comes directly from the Lord Jesus, not from me: A wife must not leave her husband. 11If she does, she must stay unmarried or else go back to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12I know that some of the rest of you are in a complicated situation. We don’t have a direct command from the Lord about that, but let me offer some advice. If a brother has a wife who isn’t a believer, he shouldn’t divorce her if she’s willing to live with him. 13In the same way, if a woman has a husband who isn’t a believer, she shouldn’t divorce him if he’s willing to live with her. 14An unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and an unbelieving wife is made holy through her believing husband. If that weren’t true, your children wouldn’t be clean. But since it is true, they are holy.
15But if the unbeliever wants to leave, let them go. In that case, the believer isn’t bound to them. God wants us to live in peace. 16Wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?
Stay as You Were When God Chose You
17But each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them. Stay as you were when God chose you. That’s the rule I tell people to follow in all the churches. 18If a man was already circumcised when he was called, then he shouldn’t become uncircumcised. If he was uncircumcised when he was called, then he shouldn’t be circumcised. 19Being circumcised means nothing and being uncircumcised means nothing. Doing what God commands is what matters. 20Each of you should stay as you were when God chose you.
21Were you a slave when God called you? Don’t let that trouble you, although if you can gain your freedom, you should do that. 22Someone who was a slave when the Lord called them is now serving the Lord as a free person. But it’s just as true that someone who was free when God called them is now a slave of Christ. 23You were bought with a price, so don’t become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, each person should stay as they were when God called them, knowing that God will be with them in that situation.
Advice for Those Who Are Engaged
25Now let me speak to those who are engaged. I don’t have a direct command from the Lord for you. But I’d like to give my opinion as someone who, by the Lord’s mercy, can be trusted. 26Times are difficult right now, so I think it’s good for a man to stay as he is. 27Are you engaged to a woman? Then don’t break the engagement. Are you not engaged to anyone? Then don’t look for a wife. 28But if you do marry someone, you haven’t sinned. And if a woman marries her fiancé, she hasn’t sinned. But those who do marry will have many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you from those.
29What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on, those who have a husband or wife should live as if they didn’t have one. 30Those who are mourning should live as if they weren’t, and those who are rejoicing should live as if they weren’t. Those who buy something should live as if it weren’t theirs to keep, 31and those who use the things of this world shouldn’t become all wrapped up in them. The world as it now exists is passing away.
32I don’t want you to have anything to worry about. A single man is concerned about the things of the Lord. He wants to know how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the things of this world. He wants to know how he can please his wife. 34So he’s pulled in two directions. An unmarried or single woman is concerned about the things of the Lord. She wants to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of this world. She wants to know how she can please her husband. 35I’m saying these things for your own good. I’m not trying to hold you back. I want you to be free to live in a right way and devote yourselves completely to the Lord.
36Suppose someone is worried that he’s not acting honorably toward his fiancée. Suppose his desires are too strong, and he feels that he should marry her. He should do as he wants. That wouldn’t be a sin. They should get married. 37But suppose a man has made up his mind not to marry his fiancée. He has no compelling need to get married; he’s able to control himself. If that’s what he has decided, then he’s also doing the right thing. 38So then, the man who marries his fiancée is doing the right thing, but the man who doesn’t marry his fiancée is doing an even better thing.
39A woman has to stay married to her husband for as long as he lives. If he dies, she’s free to marry anyone she wants. But the man she marries must belong to the Lord. 40In my opinion, she’s happier if she stays single. I say that as someone who has the Spirit of God too.
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