The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

And concerning the things of which you wrote to me: [it is] good for a man not to touch a woman,

and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;

to the wife let the husband render the due benevolence, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;

the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and in like manner also, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

Do not defraud one another, except by consent for a time, that you may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that Satan may not tempt you because of your self-indulgence;

and this I say by way of concurrence—not of command,

for I wish all men to be even as I myself [am]; but each has his own gift of God, one indeed thus and one thus.

And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I [am];

and if they do not have continence—let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;

and to the married I announce—not I, but the LORD—do not let a wife separate from a husband:

but, and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to the husband, and do not let a husband send a wife away.

And to the rest I speak—not the LORD—if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to dwell with him, do not let him send her away;

and a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is pleased to dwell with her, do not let her send him away;

for the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

And if the unbelieving separates himself—let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace has God called us;

for what, have you known, O wife, whether you will save the husband? Or what, have you known, O husband, whether you will save the wife?

Live Your Calling

If not, as God distributed to each, as the LORD has called each—so let him walk; and thus I direct in all the assemblies:

being circumcised—was anyone called? Do not let him become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was anyone called? Do not let him be circumcised;

the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing—but a keeping of the commands of God.

Each in the calling in which he was called—in this let him remain;

a servant—were you called? Do not be anxious; but if also you are able to become free—use [it] rather;

for he who [is] in the LORD—having been called a servant—is the LORD’s freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:

you were bought with a price, do not become servants of men;

each, in that in which he was called, brothers, in this let him remain with God.

The Unmarried and Widowed

And concerning the virgins, I do not have a command of the LORD; and I give judgment as having obtained kindness from the LORD to be faithful.

I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man that the matter be thus:

Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed; have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

But, and if you may marry, you did not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such will have tribulation in the flesh: and I spare you.

And this I say, brothers, the time from now on is having been shortened—that both those having wives may be as not having;

and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;

and those using this world, as not using [it] up; for the [present] form of this world is passing away.

And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the LORD, how he will please the LORD;

and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he will please the wife.

The wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the LORD, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she will please the husband.

And this I say for your own profit: not that I may cast a noose on you, but for the seemliness and devotedness to the LORD, undistractedly,

and if anyone thinks [it] to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought to be so, what he wills let him do; he does not sin—let him marry.

And he does well who has stood steadfast in the heart—not having necessity—and has authority over his own will, and he has determined this in his heart—to keep his own virgin;

so that both he who is giving in marriage does well, and he who is not giving in marriage does better.

A wife has been bound by law [for] as long [a] time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will—only in the LORD;

and she is happier if she may so remain—according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.

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”.