1 Corinthians 7-9

American Standard Version

7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ² But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ³ Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. ⁴ The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife. ⁵ Defraud ye not one the other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency. ⁶ But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment. ^7 [a]Yet I would that all men were even as I myself. Howbeit each man hath his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.

⁸ But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. ⁹ But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. ¹⁰ But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband ¹¹ (but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife. ¹² But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. ¹³ And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. ¹⁵ Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called ^[b]us in peace. ¹⁶ For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife? ¹⁷ Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God. ²⁰ Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called. ²¹ Wast thou called being a bondservant? care not for it: ^[c]nay, even if thou canst become free, use it rather. ²² For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ’s bondservant. ²³ Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men. ²⁴ Brethren, let each man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.

²⁵ Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be trustworthy. ²⁶ I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a man ^[d]to be as he is. ²⁷ Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. ²⁸ But shouldest thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I would spare you. ²⁹ But this I say, brethren, the time ^[e]is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none; ³⁰ and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not; ³¹ and those that use the world, as not using it to the full: for the fashion of this world passeth away. ³² But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord: ³³ but he that is married is careful for the things of the world, how he may please his ^[f]wife, ³⁴ and is divided. So also the woman that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. ³⁵ And this I say for your own profit; not that I may cast a ^[g]snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. ³⁶ But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his ^[h]virgin daughter, if she be past the flower of her age, and if need so requireth, let him do what he will; he sinneth not; let them marry. ³⁷ But he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power as touching his own will, and hath determined this in his own heart, to keep his own ^[i]virgin daughter, shall do well. ³⁸ So then both he that giveth his own ^[j]virgin daughter in marriage doeth well; and he that giveth her not in marriage shall do better. ³⁹ A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be ^[k]dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But she is happier if she abide as she is, after my judgment: and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

8 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love ^[l]edifieth. ² If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know; ³ but if any man loveth God, the same is known by him. ⁴ Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one. ⁵ For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; ⁶ yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him. ⁷ Howbeit there is not in all men that knowledge: but some, being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. ⁸ But food will not ^[m]commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, ^[n]are we the worse; nor, if we eat, ^[o]are we the better. ⁹ But take heed lest by any means this ^[p]liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak. ¹⁰ For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, ^[q]be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ For ^[r]through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died. ¹² And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ. ¹³ Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble.

9 Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? ² If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. ³ My defence to them that examine me is this. ⁴ Have we no right to eat and to drink? ⁵ Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a ^[s]believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶ Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working? ⁷ What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? ⁸ Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, ^[t]Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth, ¹⁰ or saith he it ^[u]assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. ¹¹ If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things? ¹² If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the ^[v]gospel of Christ. ¹³ Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar? ¹⁴ Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the ^[w]gospel should live of the ^[x]gospel. ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. ¹⁶ For if I ^[y]preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I ^[z]preach not the gospel. ¹⁷ For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? That, when I ^[aa]preach the gospel, I may make the ^[ab]gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the ^[ac]gospel. ¹⁹ For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. ²⁰ And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; ²¹ to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. ²³ And I do all things for the ^[ad]gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. ²⁴ Know ye not that they that run in a ^[ae]race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. ²⁵ And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. ²⁶ I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so ^[af]fight I, as not beating the air: ²⁷ but I ^[ag]buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I ^[ah]have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.