The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.(a)

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

I say this as a concession, not as a command.

I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.

But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you

(b)

to live in peace.

How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live Your Calling

Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.

The Unmarried and Widowed

Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

Because of the present (c) crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.

Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife.

But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;

those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;

and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.

But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,

and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.

I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.

However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry,(d) let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married.

But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin,(e) he will do well.

So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.(f)

In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Footnotes

(a)7:1 Literally It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

(b)7:15 SBL, BYZ, and TR us

(d)7:36 Literally and it ought to be so

(e)7:37 Literally in his heart to keep the virgin or in his heart to keep the betrothed

(f)7:39 Literally she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord

Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her,(a) and likewise also the wife her husband.

The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

Yet I wish that all men were like me. However, each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn with passion.

But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband

(but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.

But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.

For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live Your Calling

Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments.

Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called.

Were you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.

You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men.

Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

The Unmarried and Widowed

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

Therefore I think that because of the distress that is on us, it’s good for a man to remain as he is.

Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.

But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.

But I say this, brothers: the time is short. From now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

and those who weep, as though they didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t possess;

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.

This I say for your own benefit, not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t sin. Let them marry.

But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his own virgin, does well.

So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better.

A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.

Footnotes

(a)7:3 NU and TR have “what is owed her” instead of “the affection owed her”.