1 Corinthians 7
7
Questions About Marriage
1#1Co 7:8Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” 2#1Co 7:9Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3#Ex 21:10; 1Pe 3:7Let the husband render to the wife due affection, and likewise the wife to the husband. 4The 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; 1Sa 21:4–5Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan does not tempt you for lack of self-control. 6#2Co 8:8; 1Co 7:12I speak this as a concession and not as a command. 7#Mt 19:11–12; 1Co 9:5For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man has his proper gift from God, one after this manner and another after that.
8#1Co 7:1I say to the unmarried and widows that it is good for them if they live even as I am. 9#1Ti 5:14; 1Co 7:2But if they cannot restrain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10#Mt 5:32; Lk 16:18; Mal 2:14–16Now to the married I command, not I, but the Lord, do not let the wife depart from her husband. 11But if she departs, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And do not let the husband divorce his wife.
12#1Co 7:6; 2Co 11:17To the rest I speak, not the Lord: If any brother has an unbelieving wife who consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13And if the woman has an unbelieving husband who consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean. But now they are holy.
15#Ro 14:19; 1Co 14:33But if the unbeliever departs, let that one depart. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called us to peace. 16#Ro 11:14For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
Living as God Called You
17#1Co 4:17; 2Co 11:28But as God has given to every man and as the Lord has called every man, so let him walk. This I command in all churches. 18#Ac 15:5; 15:19Is any man called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any man called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19#Gal 5:6; 6:15Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God is everything. 20Let each man remain in the same condition in which he was called.
21Were you called while a servant? Do not worry about it. But if you may become free, do so. 22#1Pe 2:16; Phm 1:16For he who is called in the Lord while a servant is the Lord’s freeman. Likewise, he who is called while free is Christ’s servant. 23#1Co 6:20; Lev 25:42You were bought at a price. Do not be the servants of men. 24#1Co 7:20Brothers, let every man, in whatever condition he is called, remain there with God.
The Unmarried and Widows
25#1Co 7:6; 4:2Now concerning virgins, I have no command from the Lord. Yet I will give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful. 26#1Co 7:1; 7:8I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be uncommitted. Are you free 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. Nevertheless they will have trouble in this life, but I would spare you that.
29#Ro 13:11–12But this I say, brothers, the time is short. It remains that those who have wives should be as though they had none; 30those who weep, as though they did not weep; those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; those who buy, as though they possessed nothing; 31#1Jn 2:17; Ps 39:6; 1Co 9:18and those who use this world, as though they did not make full use of it. For the form of this world is passing away.
32#1Ti 5:5But I prefer that you have no concern. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. 33But he who is married cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. 34There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35#1Co 7:36I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.
36If any man thinks that he is behaving improperly toward his virgin,#Some versions translate this word as “virgin daughters,” others translate it as “fiancée.” Since the Greek text itself remains unclear, the editors have chosen to keep the literal translation. and if she is past the flower of her youth, and passions so require, let him do what he will. He does not sin. Let them marry. 37Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart without necessity, and has power over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. 38#Heb 13:4So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who gives her not in marriage does better.
39#Ro 7:2–3; 1Co 7:15The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, but only in the Lord. 40But in my judgment she is happier if she so remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God.
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Military Bible Association
1 Corinthians 7
7
Concerning married life
1Now for the matters you wrote about: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.’ 2But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3The husband should fulfil his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
8Now to the unmarried#7:8 Or widowers and the widows I say: it is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): a wife must not separate from her husband. 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Concerning change of status
17Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
21Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you – although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
Concerning the unmarried
25Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
29What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
32I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world – how he can please his wife – 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world – how she can please her husband. 35I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
36If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honourably towards the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong#7:36 Or if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin – this man also does the right thing. 38So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.#7:36-38 Or 36 If anyone thinks he is not treating his daughter properly, and if she is getting along in years (or if her passions are too strong), and he feels she ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. He should let her get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind to keep the virgin unmarried – this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who gives his virgin in marriage does right, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
39A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is – and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
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