1 Corinthians 7
7
Principles for Marriage
1Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: #ver. 8, 26“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3#Ex. 21:10The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5#[Ex. 19:15; 1 Sam. 21:4; Eccles. 3:5; Zech. 12:12-14] Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, #1 Thess. 3:5so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6Now as a concession, #ver. 12, 25; 2 Cor. 8:8; [ver. 10, 40]not a command, I say this.#7:6 Or I say this: 7#[Acts 26:29] I wish that all were #ver. 8; [ch. 9:5] as I myself am. But #ch. 12:4, 11; 1 Pet. 4:10; [Rom. 12:6] each has his own gift from God, #Matt. 19:11, 12one of one kind and one of another.
8To the unmarried and the widows I say that #ver. 1, 26 it is good for them to remain single, #ver. 7as I am. 9But if they cannot exercise self-control, #[1 Tim. 5:14]they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10To the married #See ver. 6 I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): #Mal. 2:16; See Matt. 5:32the wife should not separate from her husband 11(but if she does, #Mark 10:12 she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and #[See ver. 10 above]the husband should not divorce his wife.
12To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. #Ezra 9:2; Mal. 2:15Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you#7:15 Some manuscripts us #Col. 3:15; See Rom. 14:19to peace. 16For how do you know, wife, #1 Pet. 3:1; See Rom. 11:14whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live as You Are Called
17Only let each person lead the life#7:17 Or each person walk in the way #See Rom. 12:3 that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. #ch. 4:17 This is my rule in #2 Cor. 8:18; 11:28all the churches. 18Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? #Acts 15:1, 5, 19, 24, 28; Gal. 5:2Let him not seek circumcision. 19#Gal. 3:28; 5:6; 6:15; Col. 3:11 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but #See 1 John 2:3keeping the commandments of God. 20#ver. 24Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21Were you a bondservant#7:21 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verses 22 (twice), 23 when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is #[Col. 3:24; Philem. 16]; See John 8:36 a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is #[ch. 9:21; 1 Pet. 2:16]a bondservant of Christ. 23#See ch. 6:20 You were bought with a price; #Lev. 25:42, 55do not become bondservants of men. 24So, brothers,#7:24 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29 #ver. 20in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
The Unmarried and the Widowed
25Now concerning#7:25 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1 the betrothed,#7:25 Greek virgins #See ver. 6 I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as #2 Cor. 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:13, 16 one who by the Lord’s mercy is #ch. 4:2trustworthy. 26I think that in view of the present#7:26 Or impending distress #ver. 1, 8it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman#7:28 Greek virgin; also verse 34 marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29This is what I mean, brothers: #See Rom. 13:11the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy #2 Cor. 6:10as though they had no goods, 31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For #Ps. 39:6; James 1:10; 1 Pet. 1:24; 4:7; 1 John 2:17the present form of this world is passing away.
32I want you to be #See Matt. 6:25; Luke 10:41 free from anxieties. #[1 Tim. 5:5]The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, #[Prov. 22:25]not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
36If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed,#7:36 Greek virgin; also verses 37, 38 if his#7:36 Or her passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38So then he who marries his betrothed #Heb. 13:4does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.
39 #
Rom. 7:2 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only #[2 Cor. 6:14]in the Lord. 40Yet #See ver. 6 in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think #[Acts 15:28]that I too have the Spirit of God.
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1 Corinthians 7
7
Advice about Marriage
1Now, concerning the things that you wrote about: It’s good for men not to get married. 2But in order to avoid sexual sins, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
3Husbands and wives should satisfy each other’s ⌞sexual⌟ needs. 4A wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but his wife does.
5Don’t withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so for a set time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should get back together so that Satan doesn’t use your lack of self-control to tempt you. 6What I have just said is not meant as a command but as a suggestion. 7I would like everyone to be like me. However, each person has a special gift from God, and these gifts vary from person to person.
8I say to those who are not married, especially to widows: It is good for you to stay single like me. 9However, if you cannot control your desires, you should get married. It is better for you to marry than to burn ⌞with sexual desire⌟.
10I pass this command along (not really I, but the Lord): A wife shouldn’t leave her husband. 11If she does, she should stay single or make up with her husband. Likewise, a husband should not divorce his wife.
12I (not the Lord) say to the rest of you: If any Christian man is married to a woman who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13If any Christian woman is married to a man who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to live with her, she should not divorce her husband. 14Actually, the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and an unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise, their children would be unacceptable ⌞to God⌟, but now they are acceptable to him. 15But if the unbelieving partners leave, let them go. Under these circumstances a Christian man or Christian woman is not bound ⌞by a marriage vow⌟. God has called you to live in peace. 16How do you as a wife know whether you will save your husband? How do you as a husband know whether you will save your wife?
17Everyone should live the life that the Lord gave him when God called him. This is the guideline I use in every church.
18Any man who was already circumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn’t undo his circumcision. Any man who was uncircumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn’t get circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing, and the lack of it is nothing. But keeping what God commands is everything. 20All people should stay as they were when they were called. 21Were you a slave when you were called? That shouldn’t bother you. However, if you have a chance to become free, take it. 22If the Lord called you when you were a slave, you are the Lord’s free person. In the same way, if you were free when you were called, you are Christ’s slave. 23You were bought for a price. Don’t become anyone’s slaves. 24Brothers and sisters, you should remain in whatever circumstances you were in when God called you. God is with you in those circumstances.
25Concerning virgins: Even though I don’t have any command from the Lord, I’ll give you my opinion. I’m a person to whom the Lord has shown mercy, so I can be trusted. 26Because of the present crisis I believe it is good for people to remain as they are. 27Do you have a wife? Don’t seek a divorce. Are you divorced from your wife? Don’t look for another one. 28But if you do get married, you have not sinned. If a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will have trouble, and I would like to spare them from that.
29This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time has been shortened. While it lasts, those who are married should live as though they were not. 30Those who have eyes filled with tears should live as though they have no sorrow. Those who are happy should live as though there was nothing to be happy about. Those who buy something should live as though they didn’t own it. 31Those who use the things in this world should do so but not depend on them. It is clear that this world in its present form is passing away.
32So I don’t want you to have any concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, ⌞that is,⌟ about how he can please the Lord. 33But the married man is concerned about earthly things, ⌞that is,⌟ about how he can please his wife. 34His attention is divided.
An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the Lord’s things so that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about earthly things, ⌞that is,⌟ about how she can please her husband. 35I’m saying this for your benefit, not to restrict you. I’m showing you how to live a noble life of devotion to the Lord without being distracted by other things.
36No father would want to do the wrong thing when his virgin daughter is old enough to get married. If she wants to get married, he isn’t sinning by letting her get married. 37However, a father may have come to a decision about his daughter. If his decision is to keep her ⌞at home⌟ because she doesn’t want to get married, that’s fine. 38So it’s fine for a father to give his daughter in marriage, but the father who doesn’t give his daughter in marriage does even better.
39A married woman must remain with her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if the man is a Christian.#7:39 Or “only as the Lord guides her.” 40However, she will be more blessed if she stays as she is. That is my opinion, and I think that I, too, have God’s Spirit.
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