1 Corinthians 7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Directions concerning Marriage
7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” 2 But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife what is due her and likewise the wife to her husband.(A) 4 For the 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 Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer,[a] and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.(B) 6 This I say by way of concession, not of command.(C) 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.(D)
8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain unmarried as I am.(E) 9 But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.(F)
10 To the married I give this command—not I but the Lord—that the wife should not separate from her husband(G) 11 (but if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband) and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
12 To the rest I say—I and not the Lord—that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.(H) 13 And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce the husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother.[b] Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.(I) 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. It is to peace that God has called us.[c](J) 16 Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.(K)
The Life that the Lord Has Assigned
17 However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the churches.(L) 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.(M) 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying the commandments of God is everything.(N) 20 Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called.(O)
21 Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if you can gain your freedom, make the most of it.[d] 22 For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave belonging to Christ.(P) 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of humans.(Q) 24 In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters, there remain with God.
The Unmarried and the Widows
25 Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.(R) 26 I think that, in view of the impending[e] crisis,[f] it is good for you to remain as you are.(S) 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a virgin marries, she does not sin. Yet those who marry will experience distress in the flesh, and I would spare you that. 29 I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none,(T) 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.(U)
32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord,(V) 33 but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit, but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband.(W) 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.
36 If anyone thinks that he is behaving indecently toward his fiancée,[g] if his passions are strong and so it has to be, let him marry as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry. 37 But if someone stands firm in his resolve, being under no necessity but having his own desire under control, and has determined in his own mind to keep her as his fiancée,[h] he will do well. 38 So then, he who marries his fiancée[i] does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do better.
39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies,[j] she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.(X) 40 But in my opinion she is more blessed if she remains as she is. And I think that I, too, have the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 7
English Standard Version
Principles for Marriage
7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: (A)“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 (B)The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the 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 (C)Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, (D)so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6 Now as a concession, (E)not a command, I say this.[a] 7 (F)I wish that all were (G)as I myself am. But (H)each has his own gift from God, (I)one of one kind and one of another.
8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that (J)it is good for them to remain single, (K)as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, (L)they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 To the married (M)I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): (N)the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, (O)she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and (P)the husband should not divorce his wife.
12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. (Q)Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you[b] (R)to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, (S)whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live as You Are Called
17 Only let each person lead the life[c] (T)that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. (U)This is my rule in (V)all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? (W)Let him not seek circumcision. 19 (X)For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but (Y)keeping the commandments of God. 20 (Z)Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant[d] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is (AA)a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is (AB)a bondservant of Christ. 23 (AC)You were bought with a price; (AD)do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers,[e] (AE)in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
The Unmarried and the Widowed
25 Now concerning[f] the betrothed,[g] (AF)I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as (AG)one who by the Lord's mercy is (AH)trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present[h] distress (AI)it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman[i] marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: (AJ)the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy (AK)as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For (AL)the present form of this world is passing away.
32 I want you to be (AM)free from anxieties. (AN)The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, (AO)not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed,[j] if his[k] passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed (AP)does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.
39 (AQ)A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only (AR)in the Lord. 40 Yet (AS)in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think (AT)that I too have the Spirit of God.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 7:6 Or I say this:
- 1 Corinthians 7:15 Some manuscripts us
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 Or each person walk in the way
- 1 Corinthians 7:21 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verses 22 (twice), 23
- 1 Corinthians 7:24 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 Greek virgins
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 Or impending
- 1 Corinthians 7:28 Greek virgin; also verse 34
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Greek virgin; also verses 37, 38
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or her
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
