1 Corinthians 7

Teaching on Marriage

1Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is 1good for a man not to touch a woman. 2But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. 3The husband must 2fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 53Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and 4come together again so that 5Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6But this I say by way of concession, 6not of command. 77Yet I wish that all men were 8even as I myself am. However, 9each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

8But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is 10good for them if they remain 11even as I. 9But if they do not have self-control, 12let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10But to the married I give instructions, 13not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not 14leave her husband 11(but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not 15divorce his wife.

12But to the rest 16I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not 17divorce her. 13And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not 18send her husband away. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through 19her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are 20holy. 15Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called 21us 2223to peace. 16For how do you know, O wife, whether you will 24save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

17Only, 25as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And 26so I direct in 27all the churches. 18Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? 28He is not to be circumcised. 1929Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is 30the keeping of the commandments of God. 2031Each man must remain in that 32condition in which he was called.

21Were you called while a slave? 33Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather 34do that. 22For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is 35the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is 36Christ’s slave. 2337You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brethren, 38each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

25Now concerning virgins I have 39no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who 4041by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26I think then that this is good in view of the 42present 43distress, that 44it is good for a man 45to remain as he is. 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have 46trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 29But this I say, brethren, 47the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; 30and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 31and those who use the world, as though they did not 48make full use of it; for 49the form of this world is passing away.

32But I want you to be free from concern. One who is 50unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but 51to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

36But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let 52her marry. 37But he who stands firm in his heart, 53being under no constraint, but has authority 54over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. 38So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

3955A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband 56is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only 57in the Lord. 40But 58in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.