1 Corinthians 7
7
Questions about Marriage
1Now, to deal with the matters you wrote about.
A man does well not to marry.#7.1 A man does well not to marry; or You say that a man does well not to marry. 2But because there is so much immorality, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband. 3A man should fulfil his duty as a husband, and a woman should fulfil her duty as a wife, and each should satisfy the other's needs. 4A wife is not the master of her own body, but her husband is; in the same way a husband is not the master of his own body, but his wife is. 5Do not deny yourselves to each other, unless you first agree to do so for a while in order to spend your time in prayer; but then resume normal marital relations. In this way you will be kept from giving in to Satan's temptation because of your lack of self-control.
6I tell you this not as an order, but simply as a concession. 7Actually I would prefer that all of you were as I am; but each one has a special gift from God, one person this gift, another one that gift.
8Now, to the unmarried and to the widows I say that it would be better for you to continue to live alone as I do. 9But if you cannot restrain your desires, go ahead and marry — it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 #
Mt 5.32; 19.9; Mk 10.11–12; Lk 16.18 For married people I have a command which is not my own but the Lord's: a wife must not leave her husband; 11but if she does, she must remain single or else be reconciled to her husband; and a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the others I say (I, myself, not the Lord): if a Christian man has a wife who is an unbeliever and she agrees to go on living with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a Christian woman is married to a man who is an unbeliever and he agrees to go on living with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is made acceptable to God by being united to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made acceptable to God by being united to her Christian husband. If this were not so, their children would be like pagan children; but as it is, they are acceptable to God. 15However, if the one who is not a believer wishes to leave the Christian partner, let it be so. In such cases the Christian partner, whether husband or wife, is free to act. God has called you to live in peace. 16How can you be sure, Christian wife, that you will not save#7.16 How can you be sure… that you will not save; or How do you know… that you will save. your husband? Or how can you be sure, Christian husband, that you will not save your wife?
Live as God Called You
17Each of you should go on living according to the Lord's gift to you, and as you were when God called you. This is the rule I teach in all the churches. 18If a circumcised man has accepted God's call, he should not try to remove the marks of circumcision; if an uncircumcised man has accepted God's call, he should not get circumcised. 19For whether or not a man is circumcised means nothing; what matters is to obey God's commandments. 20Each of you should remain as you were when you accepted God's call. 21Were you a slave when God called you? Well, never mind; but if you have a chance to become free, use it.#7.21 but if you have a chance to become free, use it; or but even if you have a chance to become free, choose rather to make the best of your condition as a slave. 22For a slave who has been called by the Lord is free for the Lord; in the same way a free person who has been called by Christ is his slave. 23God bought you for a price; so do not become slaves of human beings. 24My friends, each of you should remain in fellowship with God in the same condition as you were when you were called.
Questions about the Unmarried and the Widows
25Now, concerning what you wrote about unmarried people: I do not have a command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is worthy of trust.
26Considering the present distress, I think it is better for a man to stay as he is. 27Have you got a wife? Then don't try to get rid of her. Are you unmarried? Then don't look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you haven't committed a sin; and if an unmarried woman marries, she hasn't committed a sin. But I would rather spare you the everyday troubles that married people will have.
29What I mean, my friends, is this: there is not much time left, and from now on married men should live as though they were not married; 30those who weep, as though they were not sad; those who laugh, as though they were not happy; those who buy, as though they did not own what they bought; 31those who deal in material goods, as though they were not fully occupied with them. For this world, as it is now, will not last much longer.
32I would like you to be free from worry. An unmarried man concerns himself with the Lord's work, because he is trying to please the Lord. 33But a married man concerns himself with worldly matters, because he wants to please his wife; 34and so he is pulled in two directions. An unmarried woman or a virgin concerns herself with the Lord's work, because she wants to be dedicated both in body and spirit; but a married woman concerns herself with worldly matters, because she wants to please her husband.
35I am saying this because I want to help you. I am not trying to put restrictions on you. Instead, I want you to do what is right and proper, and to give yourselves completely to the Lord's service without any reservation.
36In the case of an engaged couple who have decided not to marry: if the man feels that he is not acting properly towards the young woman and if his passions are too strong and he feels that they ought to marry, then they should get married, as he wants to.#7.36 an engaged couple… as he wants to; or a man and his unmarried daughter: if he feels that he is not acting properly towards her, and if she is at the right age to marry, then he should do as he wishes and let her get married. There is no sin in this. 37But if a man, without being forced to do so, has firmly made up his mind not to marry,#7.37 not to marry; or not to let his daughter get married. and if he has his will under complete control and has already decided in his own mind what to do — then he does well not to marry the young woman.#7.37 marry the young woman; or let her get married. 38So the man who marries#7.38 marries; or lets his daughter get married. does well, but the one who doesn't marry#7.38 doesn't marry; or doesn't let her get married. does even better.
39A married woman is not free as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, then she is free to be married to any man she wishes, but only if he is a Christian. 40She will be happier, however, if she stays as she is. That is my opinion, and I think that I too have God's Spirit.
Currently Selected:
1 Corinthians 7: GNBDK
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
1 Corinthians 7
7
Principles of Marriage
1Now in response to the matters you wrote # Other mss add to me about: “It is good for a man not to have relations with # Lit not to touch a woman.” # The words in quotation marks are a principle that the Corinthians wrote to Paul about to ask for his view. 2But because sexual immorality is so common, # Lit because of immoralities # 1Th 4:3 each man should have his own wife, # Mt 1:6; 1Pt 3:1 and each woman should have her own husband. 3A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility # Rm 13:7 to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. 4A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. 5Do not deprive # Mk 10:19 one another sexually — except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to # Other mss add fasting and to prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say the following # Lit say this ; some interpret the word as referring to v. 2, vv. 2-5, v. 5 (wholly or in part), or v. 6 as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift # 2Co 1:11 from God, one person in this way and another in that way.
A Word to the Unmarried
8I say to the unmarried and to widows: # Jms 1:27 It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9But if they do not have self-control, # 1Co 9:25 they should marry, for it is better to marry # 1Tm 5:14 than to burn with desire.
About Married People
10I command the married # 1Tm 5:14 — not I, but the Lord — a wife is not to leave # Or separate from, or divorce her husband. 11But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband — and a husband is not to leave his wife. # Dt 22:19 12But I (not the Lord) # Jesus did not address the situation of a marriage in the Gentile world where only one person is a believer. say to the rest: If any brother # Ac 9:30 has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her. 13Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband. 14For the unbelieving husband is set apart for God # Lk 11:2 by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart for God by the husband. # Lit the brother Otherwise your children would be corrupt, but now they are set apart for God. 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you # Other mss read us to live in peace. 16For you, wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Or you, husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?
Various Situations of Life
17However, each one must live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called # Col 3:15 him. # Lit called each This is what I command in all the churches. 18Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. 19Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God’s commands does. 20Each person should remain in the life situation # Lit in the calling in which he was called. 21Were you called while a slave? It should not be a concern to you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity. # Or But even though you can become free, make the most of your position as a slave. 22For he who is called by the Lord as a slave # Rm 1:1; 2Tm 2:24 is the Lord’s freedman. # A former slave Likewise he who is called as a free man # A man who was never a slave is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought # 2Pt 2:1 at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called.
About the Unmarried and Widows
25About virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy # Mt 5:7; Mk 5:19; Lk 1:50 is trustworthy. # Nm 12:7 26Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine 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. 28However, if you do get married, # 1Tm 5:14 you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, # Lit in the flesh and I am trying to spare you. 29And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, # Rm 13:11 so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice # Php 1:18 as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away. # Mk 13:7; 1Jn 2:8
32I want you to be without concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord — how he may please # 1Th 4:1 the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the things of the world — how he may please his wife — 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, # 1Tm 5:5 so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world — how she may please her husband. 35Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.
36But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, # = a man’s fiancée, or his daughter, or his Levirate wife, or a celibate companion if she is past marriageable age, # Or virgin, if his passions are strong, and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. 37But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will # Jn 1:13) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin, will do well. 38So then he who marries # Or marries off his virgin does well, but he who does not marry # Or marry her off will do better.
39A wife is bound # Other mss add by law as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants — only in the Lord. # Only a believer 40But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.