1 Corinthians 7
7
Counsel About Marriage
1Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2But because of much immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
3Let the husband fulfill his obligation to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
4The wife does not have the rights to her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband does not have the rights to his own body, but the wife.
5Do not deprive one another—except by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6But this I say as a concession, not as a command.
7Yet I wish that all men were like me. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this way and another that.
8But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them to remain as I am.
9But if they do not have self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with desire.
10But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to be separated from her husband
11(but if she gets separated, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband is not to divorce his wife.
12But to the rest I say—I, not the Lord—if any brother has a wife who is not a believer, and she agrees to live with him, he must not divorce her.
13And if any woman has a husband who is not a believer, and he agrees to live with her, she must not divorce him.
14For the unbelieving husband is made holy through the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15But if the unbeliever separates, let him be separated. The brother or the sister is not bound in such cases, but God has called you to shalom.
16For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Remain As You Were Called
17Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, let him walk in this way. I give this rule in all of Messiah’s communities.
18Was anyone called when he already had been circumcised? Let him not make himself uncircumcised. Has anyone been called while uncircumcised? Let him not allow himself to be circumcised.
19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing—but keeping God’s commandments matters.
20Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called.
21Were you called as a slave? Don’t let that bother you—but if indeed you can become free, make the most of the opportunity.
22For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise the one who was called while free is Messiah’s slave.
23You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
24Brothers and sisters, let each one—in whatever way he was called—remain that way with God.
25Now concerning virgins I have no command from the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
26I think then, because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is.
27Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek a divorce. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.
28But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people will have trouble in this fleshly life, and I am trying to spare you.
29But this I say, brothers and sisters—the time is short. From now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;
30and those who weep, as though not weeping; and those who rejoice, as though not rejoicing; and those who buy, as though not possessing;
31and those who use the world, as though not using it to the fullest. For the present form of this world is passing away.
32But I want you to be free from cares. An unmarried man cares about the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord;
33but the married man cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife—
34and he is divided. The unmarried woman, as well as the virgin, cares about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.
35Now I say this for your own benefit—not to put a restraint on you, but to promote proper and constant service to the Lord without distraction.
36But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if the time is ripe and it is meant to be, let him do what he decides. He does not sin. Let them marry.
37But he who stands firm in his heart—who has no pressure, but has power over his own will and has so determined in his own heart to keep her a virgin—he will do well.
38So then both he who marries the virgin does well, and he who doesn’t marry her does better.
39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wishes—only in the Lord.
40But in my judgment she is happier if she stays as she is—and I also think that I have the Ruach Elohim.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Corinthians 7
7
Advice for Those Who Are Married
1Now I want to deal with the things you wrote me about. Some of you say, “It is good for a man not to sleep with a woman.” 2But since sexual sin is happening, each man should sleep with his own wife. And each woman should sleep with her own husband. 3A husband should satisfy his wife’s needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband’s needs. 4The wife’s body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife. 5You shouldn’t stop giving yourselves to each other. You might possibly do this when you both agree to it. And you should only agree to it to give yourselves time to pray. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can’t control yourselves. 6I say those things to you as my advice, not as a command. 7I wish all of you were single like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift, and another has that one.
8I speak now to those who are not married. I also speak to widows. It is good for you to stay single like me. 9But if you can’t control yourselves, you should get married. It is better to get married than to burn with desire.
10I give a command to those who are married. It is a direct command from the Lord, not from me. A wife must not leave her husband. 11But if she does, she must not get married again. Or she can go back to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12I also have something to say to everyone else. It is from me, not a direct command from the Lord. Suppose a brother has a wife who is not a believer. If she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And suppose a woman has a husband who is not a believer. If he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14The unbelieving husband has been made holy through his wife. The unbelieving wife has been made holy through her believing husband. If that were not the case, your children would not be pure and “clean.” But as it is, they are holy.
15But if the unbeliever leaves, let that person go. In that case, the believer does not have to stay married to the unbeliever. God wants us to live in peace. 16Wife, how do you know if you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know if you will save your wife?
Stay as You Were When God Chose You
17But each believer should live in whatever situation the Lord has given them. Stay as you were when God chose you. That’s the rule all the churches must follow. 18Was a man already circumcised when God chose him? Then he should not become uncircumcised. Was he uncircumcised when God chose him? Then he should not be circumcised. 19Being circumcised means nothing. Being uncircumcised means nothing. Doing what God commands is what counts. 20Each of you should stay as you were when God chose you.
21Were you a slave when God chose you? Don’t let it trouble you. But if you can get your master to set you free, do it. 22The person who was a slave when the Lord chose them is now the Lord’s free person. The one who was free when God chose them is now a slave of Christ. 23Christ has paid the price for you. Don’t become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, each person is accountable to God. So each person should stay as they were when God chose them.
Advice for Those Who Are Not Married
25Now I want to say something about virgins. I have no direct command from the Lord. But I give my opinion. Because of the Lord’s mercy, I give it as one who can be trusted. 26Times are hard for you right now. So I think it’s good for a man to stay as he is. 27Are you engaged to a woman? Then don’t try to get out of it. Are you free from such a promise? Then don’t look for a wife. 28But if you do marry someone, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries someone, she has not sinned. But those who marry someone will have many troubles in this life. I want to save you from this.
29Brothers and sisters, what I mean is that the time is short. From now on, those who have a husband or wife should live as if they did not. 30Those who mourn should live as if they did not. Those who are happy should live as if they were not. Those who buy something should live as if it were not theirs to keep. 31Those who use the things of the world should not become all wrapped up in them. The world as it now exists is passing away.
32I don’t want you to have anything to worry about. A single man is concerned about the Lord’s matters. He wants to know how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the matters of this world. He wants to know how he can please his wife. 34His concerns pull him in two directions. A single woman or a virgin is concerned about the Lord’s matters. She wants to serve the Lord with both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the matters of this world. She wants to know how she can please her husband. 35I’m saying those things for your own good. I’m not trying to hold you back. I want you to be free to live in a way that is right. I want you to give yourselves completely to the Lord.
36Suppose someone is worried that he is not acting with honor toward the virgin he has promised to marry. Suppose his desires are too strong, and he feels that he should marry her. He should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37But suppose the man has decided not to marry the virgin. And suppose he has no compelling need to get married and can control himself. If he has made up his mind not to get married, he also does the right thing. 38So then, the man who marries the virgin does the right thing. But the man who doesn’t marry her does a better thing.
39A woman has to stay married to her husband as long as he lives. If he dies, she is free to marry anyone she wants to. But the one she marries must belong to the Lord. 40In my opinion, she is happier if she stays single. And I also think that I am led by the Spirit of God in saying this.
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