哥林多前书 7
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
论婚姻
7 关于你们信上所写的事，我认为男人不亲近女人是好的。 2 不过，为了避免发生淫乱的事，男婚女嫁也合情合理。
3 夫妻双方都应当履行自己的义务，过正常的夫妻生活。 4 妻子无权支配自己的身体，丈夫才有权；丈夫也无权支配自己的身体，妻子才有权。 5 夫妻不可亏负彼此的需要，除非双方同意，才可以暂时分房，以便专心祈祷。以后，二人仍要恢复正常的夫妻生活，免得撒旦趁你们情不自禁的时候引诱你们。 6 我这番话是准许你们结婚，并不是命令你们结婚。 7 虽然我希望人人都像我一样独身，但每个人从上帝所领受的恩赐不同，有的是这样，有的是那样。
8 至于那些未婚的和寡居的，他们若能像我一样就好了。 9 但如果他们不能自制，就应该结婚，因为与其欲火攻心还不如结婚为好。 10 我也吩咐那些已婚的人，其实不是我吩咐，而是主吩咐：妻子不可离开丈夫， 11 若是离开了，妻子不可再嫁别人，只能与丈夫复合。丈夫也不可离弃妻子。
12 至于其他的人，主没有吩咐什么，但我要说，如果某弟兄的妻子不信主，但乐意和他同住，他就不应离弃妻子。 13 同样，如果某姊妹的丈夫不信主，但乐意和她同住，她就不应离弃丈夫。 14 因为不信的丈夫因妻子而得以圣洁了。同样，不信的妻子也因丈夫而得以圣洁了。否则你们的孩子就是不洁净的，但如今他们是圣洁的。 15 倘若不信的一方坚持要离开的话，就让他离开好了。无论是弟兄或姊妹遇到这样的事情都不必勉强。上帝呼召我们，原是要我们和睦相处。 16 你这做妻子的，怎么知道不能救你的丈夫呢？你这做丈夫的，怎么知道不能救你的妻子呢？
17 各人应当依照上帝的呼召和安排生活，这是我对各教会的吩咐。 18 如果蒙召时已经受了割礼，不必消除割礼；如果蒙召时没有受割礼，也不必去受割礼。 19 受不受割礼都算不得什么，最要紧的是遵行上帝的诫命。 20 各人应当保持自己蒙召时的身份。 21 如果你蒙召时是奴隶，不必因此而烦恼。不过如果你可以获得自由，也不要放过机会。 22 因为，如果你蒙召信主时是奴隶，现在则是主的自由人；如果你蒙召时是自由人，现在则是基督的奴仆。 23 你们是主用重价买来的，不要做人的奴隶。 24 弟兄姊妹，你们要在上帝面前保持自己蒙召时的身份。
25 关于独身的问题，主并没有给我任何命令，但我既然深受主恩，成为祂忠心的仆人，就向你们提供一些意见。
26 鉴于目前时势艰难，我认为各人最好是安于现状。 27 已经有妻子的，就不要设法摆脱她；还没有妻子的，就不要想着结婚。 28 男婚女嫁并不是犯罪，只是有家室的人总免不了许多人生的苦恼，我是盼望你们能够免去这些苦恼。
29 弟兄们，我告诉你们，时日不多了，从今以后，那些有妻子的，要像没有妻子的； 30 哭泣的，要像不哭泣的；欢喜的，要像不欢喜的；置业的，要像一无所有的。 31 享用世界之物的，不要沉溺其中，因为现今的世界很快就要过去了。
32 我希望你们无牵无挂。未婚的男子可以专心于主的事，想着怎样讨主的喜悦。 33 但已婚的男子挂虑世上的事，想着如何取悦妻子， 34 难免分心。没有丈夫的妇女和处女可以专心于主的事，叫身体和心灵都圣洁；已婚的妇女挂虑世上的事，想着如何取悦丈夫。 35 我这样说是为了你们的好处，不是要束缚你们，是要鼓励你们做合宜的事，好叫你们殷勤、专心事奉主。
36 若有人觉得对待自己的未婚妻有不合宜之处，女方的年纪也够大，自己又情欲难禁，就成全他的心愿，让他们结婚吧！这并不算犯罪。 37 如果这人心里确信自己没有结婚的需要，又能自己作主，打定主意不结婚，这样做也好。 38 所以，与未婚妻完婚是对的，但不结婚则更好。
39 丈夫还活着的时候，妻子必须忠于丈夫。如果丈夫去世了，她就自由了，可以再婚，只是要嫁给信主的弟兄。 40 然而，照我的意见，她若能不再婚就更有福了。我想自己也是受了上帝的灵感动才说这番话的。
哥林多前書 7
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
論婚姻
7 關於你們信上所寫的事，我認為男人不親近女人是好的。 2 不過，為了避免發生淫亂的事，男婚女嫁也合情合理。
3 夫妻雙方都應當履行自己的義務，過正常的夫妻生活。 4 妻子無權支配自己的身體，丈夫才有權；丈夫也無權支配自己的身體，妻子才有權。 5 夫妻不可虧負彼此的需要，除非雙方同意，才可以暫時分房，以便專心祈禱。以後，二人仍要恢復正常的夫妻生活，免得撒旦趁你們情不自禁的時候引誘你們。 6 我這番話是准許你們結婚，並不是命令你們結婚。 7 雖然我希望人人都像我一樣獨身，但每個人從上帝所領受的恩賜不同，有的是這樣，有的是那樣。
8 至於那些未婚的和寡居的，他們若能像我一樣就好了。 9 但如果他們不能自制，就應該結婚，因為與其慾火攻心還不如結婚為好。 10 我也吩咐那些已婚的人，其實不是我吩咐，而是主吩咐：妻子不可離開丈夫， 11 若是離開了，妻子不可再嫁別人，只能與丈夫復合。丈夫也不可離棄妻子。
12 至於其他的人，主沒有吩咐什麼，但我要說，如果某弟兄的妻子不信主，但樂意和他同住，他就不應離棄妻子。 13 同樣，如果某姊妹的丈夫不信主，但樂意和她同住，她就不應離棄丈夫。 14 因為不信的丈夫因妻子而得以聖潔了。同樣，不信的妻子也因丈夫而得以聖潔了。否則你們的孩子就是不潔淨的，但如今他們是聖潔的。 15 倘若不信的一方堅持要離開的話，就讓他離開好了。無論是弟兄或姊妹遇到這樣的事情都不必勉強。上帝呼召我們，原是要我們和睦相處。 16 你這作妻子的，怎麼知道不能救你的丈夫呢？你這作丈夫的，怎麼知道不能救你的妻子呢？
17 各人應當依照上帝的呼召和安排生活，這是我對各教會的吩咐。 18 如果蒙召時已經受了割禮，不必消除割禮；如果蒙召時沒有受割禮，也不必去受割禮。 19 受不受割禮都算不得什麼，最要緊的是遵行上帝的誡命。 20 各人應當保持自己蒙召時的身分。 21 如果你蒙召時是奴隸，不必因此而煩惱。不過如果你可以獲得自由，也不要放過機會。 22 因為，如果你蒙召信主時是奴隸，現在則是主的自由人；如果你蒙召時是自由人，現在則是基督的奴僕。 23 你們是主用重價買來的，不要做人的奴隸。 24 弟兄姊妹，你們要在上帝面前保持自己蒙召時的身分。
25 關於獨身的問題，主並沒有給我任何命令，但我既然深受主恩，成為祂忠心的僕人，就向你們提供一些意見。
26 鑒於目前時勢艱難，我認為各人最好是安於現狀。 27 已經有妻子的，就不要設法擺脫她；還沒有妻子的，就不要想著結婚。 28 男婚女嫁並不是犯罪，只是有家室的人總免不了許多人生的苦惱，我是盼望你們能夠免去這些苦惱。
29 弟兄們，我告訴你們，時日不多了，從今以後，那些有妻子的，要像沒有妻子的； 30 哭泣的，要像不哭泣的；歡喜的，要像不歡喜的；置業的，要像一無所有的。 31 享用世界之物的，不要沉溺其中，因為現今的世界很快就要過去了。
32 我希望你們無牽無掛。未婚的男子可以專心於主的事，想著怎樣討主的喜悅。 33 但已婚的男子掛慮世上的事，想著如何取悅妻子， 34 難免分心。沒有丈夫的婦女和處女可以專心於主的事，叫身體和心靈都聖潔；已婚的婦女掛慮世上的事，想著如何取悅丈夫。 35 我這樣說是為了你們的好處，不是要束縛你們，是要鼓勵你們做合宜的事，好叫你們殷勤、專心事奉主。
36 若有人覺得對待自己的未婚妻有不合宜之處，女方的年紀也夠大，自己又情慾難禁，就成全他的心願，讓他們結婚吧！這並不算犯罪。 37 如果這人心裡確信自己沒有結婚的需要，又能自己作主，打定主意不結婚，這樣做也好。 38 所以，與未婚妻完婚是對的，但不結婚則更好。
39 丈夫還活著的時候，妻子必須忠於丈夫。如果丈夫去世了，她就自由了，可以再婚，只是要嫁給信主的弟兄。 40 然而，照我的意見，她若能不再婚就更有福了。我想自己也是受了上帝的靈感動才說這番話的。
1 Corinthians 7
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
III. Answers to the Corinthians’ Questions
A. Marriage and Virginity[a]
Chapter 7
Advice to the Married.[b] 1 Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: “It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman,”[c] 2 but because of cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband. 4 A wife does not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but rather his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control. 6 This I say by way of concession,[d] however, not as a command. 7 Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift from God,[e] one of one kind and one of another.(A)
8 [f](B)Now to the unmarried and to widows I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do, 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire. 10 (C)To the married, however, I give this instruction (not I, but the Lord):[g] A wife should not separate from her husband 11 —and if she does separate she must either remain single or become reconciled to her husband—and a husband should not divorce his wife.
12 To the rest[h] I say (not the Lord): if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to go on living with him, he should not divorce her; 13 and if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to go on living with her, she should not divorce her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, whereas in fact they are holy.(D)
15 If the unbeliever separates,[i] however, let him separate. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases; God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband; or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
The Life That the Lord Has Assigned.[j] 17 Only, everyone should live as the Lord has assigned, just as God called each one. I give this order in all the churches. 18 Was someone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision. Was an uncircumcised person called? He should not be circumcised.(E) 19 Circumcision means nothing, and uncircumcision means nothing; what matters is keeping God’s commandments.(F) 20 Everyone should remain in the state in which he was called.
21 Were you a slave when you were called? Do not be concerned but, even if you can gain your freedom, make the most of it. 22 For the slave called in the Lord is a freed person in the Lord, just as the free person who has been called is a slave of Christ.(G) 23 You have been purchased at a price. Do not become slaves to human beings.(H) 24 Brothers, everyone should continue before God in the state in which he was called.
Advice to Virgins and Widows. 25 Now in regard to virgins I have no commandment from the Lord,[k] but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 So this is what I think best because of the present distress: that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.(I) 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation. Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife. 28 If you marry, however, you do not sin, nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries; but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life, and I would like to spare you that.
29 [l]I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,(J) 30 those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, 31 those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.
32 I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. 33 But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,(K) 34 and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.(L) 35 I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.(M)
36 [m]If anyone thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, and if a critical moment has come[n] and so it has to be, let him do as he wishes. He is committing no sin; let them get married. 37 The one who stands firm in his resolve, however, who is not under compulsion but has power over his own will, and has made up his mind to keep his virgin, will be doing well. 38 So then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better.
39 [o]A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whomever she wishes, provided that it be in the Lord.(N) 40 She is more blessed, though, in my opinion, if she remains as she is, and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.(O)
Footnotes
- 7:1–40 Paul now begins to answer questions addressed to him by the Corinthians (1 Cor 7:1–11:1). The first of these concerns marriage. This chapter contains advice both to the married (1–16) and to the unmarried (1 Cor 7:25–38) or widowed (1 Cor 7:39–40); these two parts are separated by 1 Cor 7:17–24, which enunciate a principle applicable to both.
- 7:1–16 It seems that some Christians in Corinth were advocating asceticism in sexual matters. The pattern it is a good thing…, but occurs twice (1 Cor 7:1–2, 8–9; cf. 1 Cor 7:26), suggesting that in this matter as in others the Corinthians have seized upon a genuine value but are exaggerating or distorting it in some way. Once again Paul calls them to a more correct perspective and a better sense of their own limitations. The phrase it is a good thing (1 Cor 7:1) may have been the slogan of the ascetic party at Corinth.
- 7:1–7 References to Paul’s own behavior (1 Cor 7:7–8) suggest that his celibate way of life and his preaching to the unmarried (cf. 1 Cor 7:25–35) have given some the impression that asceticism within marriage, i.e., suspension of normal sexual relations, would be a laudable ideal. Paul points to their experience of widespread immorality to caution them against overestimating their own strength (1 Cor 7:2); as individuals they may not have the particular gift that makes such asceticism feasible (1 Cor 7:7) and hence are to abide by the principle to be explained in 1 Cor 7:17–24.
- 7:6 By way of concession: this refers most likely to the concession mentioned in 1 Cor 7:5a: temporary interruption of relations for a legitimate purpose.
- 7:7 A particular gift from God: use of the term charisma suggests that marriage and celibacy may be viewed in the light of Paul’s theology of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 7:12–14).
- 7:8 Paul was obviously unmarried when he wrote this verse. Some interpreters believe that he had previously been married and widowed; there is no clear evidence either for or against this view, which was expressed already at the end of the second century by Clement of Alexandria.
- 7:10–11 (Not I, but the Lord): Paul reminds the married of Jesus’ principle of nonseparation (Mk 10:9). This is one of his rare specific references to the teaching of Jesus.
- 7:12–14 To the rest: marriages in which only one partner is a baptized Christian. Jesus’ prohibition against divorce is not addressed to them, but Paul extends the principle of nonseparation to such unions, provided they are marked by peacefulness and shared sanctification.
- 7:15–16 If the unbeliever separates: the basis of the “Pauline privilege” in Catholic marriage legislation.
- 7:17–24 On the ground that distinct human conditions are less significant than the whole new existence opened up by God’s call, Paul urges them to be less concerned with changing their states of life than with answering God’s call where it finds them. The principle applies both to the married state (1 Cor 7:1–16) and to the unmarried (1 Cor 7:25–38).
- 7:25–28 Paul is careful to explain that the principle of 1 Cor 7:17 does not bind under sin but that present earthly conditions make it advantageous for the unmarried to remain as they are (1 Cor 7:28). These remarks must be complemented by the statement about “particular gifts” from 1 Cor 7:7.
- 7:29–31 The world…is passing away: Paul advises Christians to go about the ordinary activities of life in a manner different from those who are totally immersed in them and unaware of their transitoriness.
- 7:36–38 The passage is difficult to interpret, because it is unclear whether Paul is thinking of a father and his unmarried daughter (or slave), or of a couple engaged in a betrothal or spiritual marriage. The general principles already enunciated apply: there is no question of sin, even if they should marry, but staying as they are is “better” (for the reasons mentioned in 1 Cor 7:28–35). Once again the charisma of 1 Cor 7:7 which applies also to the unmarried (1 Cor 7:8–9), is to be presupposed.
- 7:36 A critical moment has come: either because the woman will soon be beyond marriageable age, or because their passions are becoming uncontrollable (cf. 1 Cor 7:9).
- 7:39–40 Application of the principles to the case of widows. If they do choose to remarry, they ought to prefer Christian husbands.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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