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
About Marriage
1Now I will discuss the things you wrote me about. You asked if it is better for a man not to have any sexual relations at all. 2But sexual sin is a danger, so each man should enjoy his own wife, and each woman should enjoy her own husband. 3The husband should give his wife what she deserves as his wife. And the wife should give her husband what he deserves as her husband. 4The wife does not have power over her own body. Her husband has the power over her body. And the husband does not have power over his own body. His wife has the power over his body. 5Don’t refuse to give your bodies to each other. But you might both agree to stay away from sex for a while so that you can give your time to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not be able to tempt you in your weakness. 6I say this only to give you permission to be separated for a time. It is not a rule. 7I wish everyone could be like me. But God has given each person a different ability. He makes some able to live one way, others to live a different way.
8Now for those who are not married and for the widows I say this: It is good for you to stay single like me. 9But if you cannot control your body, then you should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire.
10Now, I have a command for those who are married. Actually, it is not from me; it is what the Lord commanded. A wife should not leave her husband. 11But if a wife does leave, she should remain single or get back together with her husband. And a husband should not divorce his wife.
12The advice I have for the others is from me. The Lord did not give us any teaching about this. If you have a wife who is not a believer, you should not divorce her if she will continue to live with you. 13And if you have a husband who is not a believer, you should not divorce him if he will continue to live with you. 14The husband who is not a believer is set apart for God through his believing wife. And the wife who is not a believer is set apart for God through her believing husband. If this were not true, your children would be unfit for God’s use. But now they are set apart for him.
15But if the husband or wife who is not a believer decides to leave, let them leave. When this happens, the brother or sister in Christ is free. God chose you to have a life of peace. 16Wives, maybe you will save your husband; and husbands, maybe you will save your wife. You don’t know now what will happen later.
Live as God Called You
17But each one of you should continue to live the way the Lord God has given you to live—the way you were when God chose you. I tell people in all the churches to follow this rule. 18If a man was already circumcised when he was chosen, he should not change his circumcision. If a man was without circumcision when he was chosen, he should not be circumcised. 19It is not important if anyone is circumcised or not. What is important is obeying God’s commands. 20Each one of you should stay the way you were when God chose you. 21If you were a slave when God chose you, don’t let that bother you. But if you can be free, then do it. 22If you were a slave when the Lord chose you, you are now free in the Lord. You belong to the Lord. In the same way, if you were free when you were chosen, you are now Christ’s slave. 23God paid a high price for you, so don’t be slaves to anyone else. 24Brothers and sisters, in your new life with God, each one of you should continue the way you were when God chose you.
Questions About Getting Married
25Now I write about people who are not married.#7:25 people who are not married Literally, “virgins.” I have no command from the Lord about this, but I give my opinion. And I can be trusted, because the Lord has given me mercy. 26This is a time of trouble. So I think it is good for you to stay the way you are. 27If you have a wife, don’t try to get free from her. If you are not married, don’t try to find a wife. 28But if you decide to marry, that is not a sin. And it is not a sin for a girl who has never married to get married. But those who marry will have trouble in this life, and I want you to be free from this trouble.
29Brothers and sisters, this is what I mean: We don’t have much time left. So starting now, those who have wives should be the same as those who don’t. 30It should not be important whether you are sad or whether you are happy. If you buy something, it should not matter to you that you own it. 31You should use the things of the world without letting them become important to you. This is how you should live, because this world, the way it is now, will soon be gone.
32I want you to be free from worry. A man who is not married is busy with the Lord’s work. He is trying to please the Lord. 33But a man who is married is busy with things of the world. He is trying to please his wife. 34He must think about two things—pleasing his wife and pleasing the Lord. A woman who is not married or a girl who has never married is busy with the Lord’s work. She wants to give herself fully—body and spirit—to the Lord. But a married woman is busy with things of the world. She is trying to please her husband. 35I am saying this to help you. I am not trying to limit you, but I want you to live in the right way. And I want you to give yourselves fully to the Lord without giving your time to other things.
36A man might think that he is not doing the right thing with his fiancée. She might be almost past the best age to marry.#7:36 She … to marry Or “He may have trouble controlling his desires.” So he might feel that he should marry her. He should do what he wants. It is no sin for them to get married. 37But another man might be more sure in his mind. There may be no need for marriage, so he is free to do what he wants. If he has decided in his own heart not to marry his fiancée, he is doing the right thing. 38So the man who marries his fiancée does right, and the man who does not marry does better.
39A woman should stay with her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, the woman is free to marry any man she wants, but he should belong to the Lord. 40The woman is happier if she does not marry again. This is my opinion, and I believe that I have God’s Spirit.
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