1 Corinthians 7
Common English Bible
Marriage and celibacy
7 Now, about what you wrote: “It’s good for a man not to have sex with a woman.” 2 Each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband because of sexual immorality. 3 The husband should meet his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should do the same for her husband. 4 The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Don’t refuse to meet each other’s needs unless you both agree for a short period of time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come back together again so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I’m saying this to give you permission; it’s not a command. 7 I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one.
8 I’m telling those who are single and widows that it’s good for them to stay single like me. 9 But if they can’t control themselves, they should get married, because it’s better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 I’m passing on the Lord’s command to those who are married: A wife shouldn’t leave her husband, 11 but if she does leave him, then she should stay single or be reconciled to her husband. And a man shouldn’t divorce his wife.
12 I’m telling everyone else (the Lord didn’t say this specifically): If a believer has a wife who doesn’t believe, and she agrees to live with him, then he shouldn’t divorce her. 13 If a woman has a husband who doesn’t believe and he agrees to live with her, then she shouldn’t divorce him. 14 The husband who doesn’t believe belongs to God because of his wife, and the wife who doesn’t believe belongs to God because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be contaminated by the world, but now they are spiritually set apart. 15 But if a spouse who doesn’t believe chooses to leave, then let them leave. The brother or sister isn’t tied down in these circumstances. God has called you to peace. 16 How do you know as a wife if you will save your husband? Or how do you know as a husband if you will save your wife?
17 Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one. This is what I teach in all the churches. 18 If someone was circumcised when called, he shouldn’t try to reverse it. If someone wasn’t circumcised when he was called, he shouldn’t be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing; not being circumcised is nothing. What matters is keeping God’s commandments. 20 Each person should stay in the situation they were in when they were called. 21 If you were a slave when you were called, don’t let it bother you. But if you are actually able to be free, take advantage of the opportunity. 22 Anyone who was a slave when they were called by the Lord has the status of being the Lord’s free person. In the same way, anyone who was a free person when they were called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought and paid for. Don’t become slaves of people. 24 So then, brothers and sisters, each of you should stay with God in the situation you were in when you were called.
25 I don’t have a command from the Lord about people who have never been married,[a] but I’ll give you my opinion as someone you can trust because of the Lord’s mercy. 26 So I think this advice is good because of the present crisis: Stay as you are. 27 If you are married, don’t get a divorce. If you are divorced, don’t try to find a spouse. 28 But if you do marry, you haven’t sinned; and if someone who hasn’t been married gets married, they haven’t sinned. But married people will have a hard time, and I’m trying to spare you that. 29 This is what I’m saying, brothers and sisters: The time has drawn short. From now on, those who have wives should be like people who don’t have them. 30 Those who are sad should be like people who aren’t crying. Those who are happy should be like people who aren’t happy. Those who buy something should be like people who don’t have possessions. 31 Those who use the world should be like people who aren’t preoccupied with it, because this world in its present form is passing away.
32 I want you to be free from concerns. A man who isn’t married is concerned about the Lord’s concerns—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the world’s concerns—how he can please his wife. 34 His attention is divided. A woman who isn’t married or who is a virgin is concerned about the Lord’s concerns so that she can be dedicated to God in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the world’s concerns—how she can please her husband. 35 I’m saying this for your own advantage. It’s not to restrict you but rather to promote effective and consistent service to the Lord without distraction.
36 If someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward an unmarried woman whom he knows, and if he has strong feelings and it seems like the right thing to do, he should do what he wants—he’s not sinning—they should get married. 37 But if a man stands firm in his decision, and doesn’t feel the pressure, but has his own will under control, he does right if he decides in his own heart not to marry the woman. 38 Therefore, the one who marries the unmarried woman does right, and the one who doesn’t get married will do even better. 39 A woman is obligated to stay in her marriage as long as her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only it should be a believer in the Lord. 40 But in my opinion, she will be happier if she stays the way she is. And I think that I have God’s Spirit too.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 Or virgins
1 Corinthians 7
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
7 Now de concerning peri the matters hos you wrote graphō about . Yes, “It is good kalos for a man anthrōpos not mē to have sexual contact haptō with a woman gynē.” 2 But de because dia of cases ho of sexual porneia immorality , each hekastos man should have echō · ho his heautou own wife gynē and kai each hekastos woman · ho her idios own husband anēr. 3 The ho husband anēr should fulfill apodidōmi his ho marital responsibility opheilē to his ho wife gynē, and de likewise homoiōs · kai the ho wife gynē to her ho husband anēr. 4 For the ho wife gynē does exousiazō not ou have authority exousiazō over ho her idios own body sōma, but alla the ho husband anēr does. In the same homoiōs way , · de · kai the ho husband anēr does exousiazō not ou have authority exousiazō over ho his idios own body sōma, but alla the ho wife gynē does. 5 Do not mē deprive apostereō one allēlōn another , except ei perhaps mēti an by ek agreement symphōnos for pros a set time kairos, so hina that you may devote scholazō yourselves to ho prayer proseuchē; then kai come eimi together epi again palin, · ho so that hina Satan Satanas may not mē tempt peirazō you hymeis · ho because dia of · ho your hymeis lack of self-control akrasia. 6 This houtos · de I say legō by kata way of concession syngnōmē, not ou of kata command epitagē. 7 I wish thelō · de that all pas men anthrōpos were eimi as hōs · kai I myself emautou am. But alla each hekastos has echō his own idios gift charisma from ek God theos, one ho of one kind houtōs and de one ho of another houtōs.
8 Now de to the ho unmarried agamos and kai to the ho widows chēra I say legō that it is good kalos for them autos if ean they remain menō single, as hōs I kagō am. 9 But de if ei they are not ou practicing self-control enkrateuomai, they should marry gameō; for gar it is eimi better kreittōn to marry gameō than ē to burn pyroō with sexual passion.
10 To the ho · de married gameō I give this command parangellō ( not ou I egō, but alla the ho Lord kyrios): a wife gynē should chōrizō not mē separate chōrizō from apo her husband anēr 11 ( however de if ean · kai she does chōrizō, let her remain menō unmarried agamos or ē else be reconciled katallassō to her ho husband anēr), and kai a husband anēr should aphiēmi not mē divorce aphiēmi his wife gynē.
12 To the ho · de rest loipos I say legō ( I egō, not ou the ho Lord kyrios): If ei some tis brother adelphos has echō a wife gynē who is not a believer apistos, and kai she houtos is willing syneudokeō to live oikeō with meta him autos, he should not mē divorce aphiēmi her autos. 13 And kai if ei some tis woman gynē has echō a husband anēr who is not a believer apistos, and kai he houtos is willing syneudokeō to live oikeō with meta her autos, she should not mē divorce aphiēmi · ho him anēr. 14 For gar the ho unbelieving apistos husband anēr is consecrated hagiazō · ho through union with en his ho wife gynē, and kai the ho unbelieving apistos wife gynē is consecrated hagiazō · ho through union with en her ho husband adelphos. Otherwise epei ara · ho your hymeis children teknon would be eimi defiled akathartos, but de as it is nyn, they are eimi holy hagios. 15 But de if ei the ho unbelieving apistos partner separates chōrizō, let it be so chōrizō. In en such cases toioutos the ho brother adelphos or ē the ho sister adelphē is not ou bound douloō. · ho It is to en · de peace eirēnē that God theos has called kaleō us hymeis. · ho 16 For gar how tis do you know oida, wife gynē, whether ei you will save sōzō your ho husband anēr? Or ē how tis do you know oida, husband anēr, whether ei you will save sōzō your ho wife gynē?
17 Only ei mē, as hōs the ho Lord kyrios has assigned merizō to each hekastos person , as hōs God theos has called kaleō each hekastos one , · ho so houtōs let that person conduct peripateō his life . And kai thus houtōs I prescribe diatassō in en all pas the ho churches ekklēsia. 18 If a man tis was already circumcised peritemnō when he was called kaleō, he should not mē conceal his circumcision epispaomai. If a man tis was not circumcised en when he was called kaleō, he should not mē submit to circumcision peritemnō. 19 · ho Circumcision peritomē is eimi nothing oudeis and kai · ho uncircumcision akrobystia is eimi nothing oudeis. Rather alla, it is keeping tērēsis God’ s theos commandments entolē that counts. 20 Let menō each hekastos person continue menō in en that condition houtos · ho in which hos he was called kaleō.
21 If you were a slave when called kaleō, do not mē be concerned melei about it. However alla, if ei · kai you are able dynamai to gain ginomai your freedom eleutheros, make the most mallon of the opportunity chraomai. 22 For gar the ho one who was called kaleō by en the Lord kyrios as a slave is eimi a freedman apeleutheros of the Lord kyrios. Likewise homoiōs, the ho one who was called kaleō as a free eleutheros person is eimi a slave of Christ Christos. 23 You were bought agorazō with a price timē; do not mē become ginomai slaves of men anthrōpos. 24 Each hekastos one in the condition in en which hos he was called kaleō, brothers adelphos, in en that houtos condition let him remain menō with para God theos.
25 Now de concerning peri · ho virgins parthenos: I have echō no ou command epitagē from the Lord kyrios, but de I give didōmi my opinion gnōmē as hōs one who has been shown mercy eleeō by hypo the Lord kyrios and is eimi trustworthy pistos. 26 I think nomizō, then oun, that this houtos is hyparchō good kalos because dia of the ho present enistēmi distress anankē— that hoti it is good kalos for a man anthrōpos · ho to remain houtōs as he is eimi. 27 If you are married deō to a wife gynē, do not mē seek zēteō to be set free lysis; if you are free lyō from apo a wife gynē, do not mē seek zēteō a wife gynē. 28 But de if ean · kai you do marry gameō, you have not ou sinned hamartanō, and kai if ean a virgin parthenos marries gameō, · ho she has not ou sinned hamartanō. However de those toioutos who do marry will have echō worldly sarx trouble thlipsis, · ho · ho and de I egō am trying to spare pheidomai you hymeis. 29 And de I say phēmi this houtos, my brothers adelphos: the ho time kairos has eimi grown short systellō. From now on ho those ho who have echō wives gynē should hina · kai be eimi as hōs though they had echō none mē, 30 and kai those ho who mourn klaiō as hōs though they were not mē mourning klaiō, and kai those ho who rejoice chairō as hōs though they were not mē rejoicing chairō, and kai those ho who buy agorazō as hōs though they had no mē possessions katechō, 31 and kai those ho who use chraomai the ho world kosmos as hōs though they were not mē absorbed katachraomai in it. For gar the ho form schēma of ho this houtos world kosmos is passing away paragō.
32 I want thelō · de you hymeis to be eimi free from concern amerimnos. An ho unmarried man agamos is concerned merimnaō about the ho things of the ho Lord kyrios, how pōs to please areskō the ho Lord kyrios. 33 But de a ho married gameō man is concerned merimnaō about the ho things of the ho world kosmos, how pōs to please areskō his ho wife gynē, 34 and kai he is divided merizō. · kai An ho unmarried agamos woman gynē · ho or kai a ho virgin parthenos is concerned merimnaō about the ho things of the ho Lord kyrios, that hina she may be eimi holy hagios both kai in ho body sōma and kai · ho spirit pneuma. But de a ho married gameō woman is concerned merimnaō about the ho things of the ho world kosmos, how pōs to please areskō her ho husband anēr. 35 I am saying legō this houtos · de for pros · ho your hymeis autos benefit symphoros, not ou to hina put epiballō a restraint brochos on epiballō you hymeis, but alla to promote pros · ho propriety euschēmōn and kai undivided aperispastōs devotion euparedros to the ho Lord kyrios.
36 If ei · de someone tis believes nomizō he is not treating aschēmoneō · ho his autos virgin parthenos in an appropriate manner , if ean his passions are eimi strong hyperakmos, and kai so houtōs it has opheilō to be ginomai, he should do poieō what hos he desires thelō, it is no ou sin hamartanō— let them marry gameō. 37 However de, the man who hos stands histēmi firm hedraios in en · ho his autos resolve kardia is under echō no mē compulsion anankē but de has echō control exousia over peri · ho his idios desire thelēma, and kai has determined krinō this houtos in en · ho his idios heart kardia to keep tēreō her ho as his heautou virgin parthenos, he will do poieō well kalōs. 38 So then hōste · kai the ho one who marries gamizō · ho his heautou virgin parthenos does poieō well kalōs, and kai the ho one who does not mē marry gamizō will do poieō even better kreittōn.
39 A wife gynē is bound deō for epi such hosos a time chronos as her autos husband anēr is alive zaō. · ho But de if ean her ho husband anēr should die koimaō, she is eimi free eleutheros to marry gameō whom hos she wishes thelō, only monon in en the Lord kyrios. 40 But de in kata my emos opinion gnōmē she will be eimi happier makarios if ean she remains menō as she is houtōs. · ho And de I believe dokeō that I too kagō have echō the Spirit pneuma of God theos.
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