1 Corinthians 7

Teaching on Marriage

1NowG1161 concerningG4012 the things about whichG3739 you wroteG1125, it is 1goodG2570 for a manG444 not to touchG681 a womanG1135. 2But becauseG1223 of immoralitiesG4202, eachG1538 manG1538 is to haveG2192 his ownG1438 wifeG1135, and eachG1538 womanG1135 is to haveG2192 her ownG2398 husbandG435. 3The husbandG435 mustG3782 2fulfillG591 his dutyG3782 to his wifeG1135, and likewiseG3668 alsoG2532 the wifeG1135 to her husbandG435. 4The wifeG1135 does not haveG1850 authorityG1850 overG1850 her ownG2398 bodyG4983, but the husbandG435 does; and likewiseG3668 alsoG2532 the husbandG435 does not haveG1850 authorityG1850 overG1850 his ownG2398 bodyG4983, but the wifeG1135 does. 53StopG3361 deprivingG650 oneG240 anotherG240, exceptG1509 by agreementG4859 for a timeG2540, soG2443G3361 that you may devoteG4980 yourselvesG4980 to prayerG4335, and 4comeG1510 togetherG1909G3588G846 againG3825 soG2443G3361 that 5SatanG4567 will not temptG3985 you becauseG1223 of your lackG192 of self-controlG192. 6But thisG3778 I sayG3004 by wayG2596 of concessionG4774, 6not of commandG2003. 77YetG1161 I wishG2309 that allG3956 menG444 were 8evenG2532 as I myselfG1683 am. HoweverG235, 9eachG1538 manG1538 hasG2192 his ownG2398 giftG5486 from GodG2316, oneG3588G3303 in thisG3779 mannerG3779, and anotherG3739G1161 in that.

8But I sayG3004 to the unmarriedG22 and to widowsG5503 that it is 10goodG2570 for them ifG1437 they remainG3306 11evenG2532 as I. 9But ifG1487 they do not haveG1467 self-controlG1467, 12let them marryG1060; for it is betterG2909 to marryG1060 thanG2228 to burnG4448 with passion.

10But to the marriedG1060 I giveG3853 instructionsG3853, 13not I, but the LordG2962, that the wifeG1135 should not 14leaveG5563 her husbandG435 11(but ifG1437 she does leaveG5563, she must remainG3306 unmarriedG22, orG2228 elseG2228 be reconciledG2644 to her husbandG435), and that the husbandG435 should not 15divorceG863 his wifeG1135.

12But to the restG3062 16I sayG3004, not the LordG2962, that ifG1487 anyG5100 brotherG80 hasG2192 a wifeG1135 who is an unbelieverG571, and she consentsG4909 to liveG3611 with him, he must not 17divorceG863 her. 13And a womanG1135 whoG3748 hasG2192 an unbelievingG571 husbandG435, and he consentsG4909 to liveG3611 with her, she must not 18sendG863 her husbandG435 awayG863. 14For the unbelievingG571 husbandG435 is sanctifiedG37 throughG1722 his wifeG1135, and the unbelievingG571 wifeG1135 is sanctifiedG37 throughG1722 19her believingG80 husbandG80; for otherwiseG1893 your childrenG5043 are uncleanG169, but nowG3568 they are 20holyG40. 15YetG1161 ifG1487 the unbelievingG571 oneG571 leavesG5563, let him leaveG5563; the brotherG80 orG2228 the sisterG79 is not underG1402 bondageG1402 in suchG5108 cases, but GodG2316 has calledG2564 21us 2223to peaceG1515. 16For howG5101 do you knowG3609, O wifeG1135, whetherG1487 you will 24saveG4982 your husbandG435? OrG2228 howG5101 do you knowG3609, O husbandG435, whetherG1487 you will saveG4982 your wifeG1135?

17OnlyG1487G3361, 25as the LordG2962 has assignedG3307 to eachG1538 oneG1538, as GodG2316 has calledG2564 eachG1538, in thisG3779 mannerG3779 let him walkG4043. And 26soG3779 I directG1299 in 27allG3956 the churchesG1577. 18Was anyG5100 manG5100 calledG2564 when he was already circumcisedG4059? He is not to becomeG1986 uncircumcisedG1986. Has anyoneG5100 been calledG2564 in uncircumcisionG203? 28He is not to be circumcisedG4059. 1929CircumcisionG4061 is nothingG3762, and uncircumcisionG203 is nothingG3762, but what matters is 30the keepingG5084 of the commandmentsG1785 of GodG2316. 2031EachG1538 manG1538 must remainG3306 in that 32conditionG2821 in whichG3739 he was calledG2564.

21Were you calledG2564 while a slaveG1401? 33Do not worryG3199 about it; but ifG1487 you are ableG1410 alsoG2532 to becomeG1096 freeG1658, ratherG3123 34doG5530 that. 22For he who was calledG2564 in the LordG2962 while a slaveG1401, is 35the Lord’sG2962 freedmanG558; likewiseG3668 he who was calledG2564 while freeG1658, is 36Christ’sG5547 slaveG1401. 2337You were boughtG59 with a priceG5092; do not becomeG1096 slavesG1401 of menG444. 24BrethrenG80, 38eachG1538 oneG1538 is to remainG3306 with GodG2316 in that condition in whichG3739 he was calledG2564.

25NowG1161 concerningG4012 virginsG3933 I haveG2192 39noG3756 commandG2003 of the LordG2962, but I giveG1325 an opinionG1106 as one who 4041by the mercyG1653 of the LordG2962 is trustworthyG4103. 26I thinkG3543 thenG3767 that thisG3778 is goodG2570 in viewG1223 of the 42presentG1764 43distressG318, that 44it is goodG2570 for a manG444 45to remainG1510 as he is. 27Are you boundG1210 to a wifeG1135? Do not seekG2212 to be releasedG3080. Are you releasedG3089 from a wifeG1135? Do not seekG2212 a wifeG1135. 28But ifG1437 you marryG1060, you have not sinnedG264; and ifG1437 a virginG3933 marriesG1060, she has not sinnedG264. YetG1161 suchG5108 will haveG2192 46troubleG2347 in thisG3588 lifeG4561, and I am trying to spareG5339 you. 29But thisG3778 I sayG5346, brethrenG80, 47the timeG2540 has beenG1510 shortenedG4958, soG2443 that from nowG3062 on thoseG3588 who haveG2192 wivesG1135 should be as thoughG5613 they hadG2192 noneG3361; 30and thoseG3588 who weepG2799, as thoughG5613 they did not weepG2799; and thoseG3588 who rejoiceG5463, as thoughG5613 they did not rejoiceG5463; and thoseG3588 who buyG59, as thoughG5613 they did not possessG2722; 31and thoseG3588 who useG5530 the worldG2889, as thoughG5613 they did not 48makeG2710 fullG2710 useG2710 of it; for 49the formG4976 of thisG3778 worldG2889 is passingG3855 awayG3855.

32But I wantG2309 you to be freeG275 from concernG275. One who is 50unmarriedG22 is concernedG3309 about the things of the LordG2962, howG4459 he may pleaseG700 the LordG2962; 33but one who is marriedG1060 is concernedG3309 about the things of the worldG2889, howG4459 he may pleaseG700 his wifeG1135, 34and his interests are dividedG3307. The womanG1135 who is unmarriedG22, and the virginG3933, is concernedG3309 about the things of the LordG2962, that she may be holyG40 bothG2532 in bodyG4983 and spiritG4151; but one who is marriedG1060 is concernedG3309 about the things of the worldG2889, howG4459 she may pleaseG700 her husbandG435. 35ThisG3778 I sayG3004 for your ownG846 benefitG4851; not to putG1911 a restraintG1029 upon you, but 51to promoteG4314 whatG2158 is appropriateG2158 and to secure undistractedG563 devotionG2138 to the LordG2962.

36But ifG1487 anyG5100 manG5100 thinksG3543 that he is actingG807 unbecominglyG807 towardG1909 his virginG3933 daughter, ifG1437 she is pastG5230 her youthG5230, and if it mustG3784 be soG3779, let him doG4160 whatG3739 he wishesG2309, he does not sinG264; let 52her marryG1060. 37But he whoG3739 standsG2476 firmG1476 in his heartG2588, 53beingG2192 underG2192 noG3361 constraintG318, but hasG2192 authorityG1849 54overG4012 his ownG2398 willG2307, and has decidedG2919 thisG3778 in his ownG2398 heartG2588, to keepG5083 his ownG1438 virginG3933 daughter, he will doG4160 wellG2573. 38SoG5620 thenG5620 bothG2532 he who givesG1061 his ownG1438 virginG3933 daughter in marriageG1061 doesG4160 wellG2573, and he who does not giveG1061 her in marriageG1061 will doG4160 betterG2909.

3955A wifeG1135 is boundG1210 as longG5550 as her husbandG435 livesG2198; but ifG1437 her husbandG435 56is deadG2837, she is freeG1658 to be marriedG1060 to whomG3739 she wishesG2309, onlyG3440 57in the LordG2962. 40But 58in my opinionG1106 she is happierG3107 ifG1437 she remainsG3306 as she is; and I thinkG1380 that I alsoG2532 haveG2192 the SpiritG4151 of GodG2316.