1 Corinthians 6:9-7:19

English Standard Version

⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous^[a] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: ^(A)neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,^{[b] 10} nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And ^(B)such were some of you. But ^(C)you were washed, ^(D)you were sanctified, ^(E)you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Flee Sexual Immorality

^12 (F)“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. ^13 (G)“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one ^(H)and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but ^(I)for the Lord, and ^(J)the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ And ^(K)God raised the Lord and ^(L)will also raise us up ^(M)by his power. ¹⁵ Do you not know that ^(N)your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined^[c] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, ^(O)“The two will become one flesh.” ¹⁷ But he who is joined to the Lord ^(P)becomes one spirit with him. ^18 (Q)Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin^[d] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person ^(R)sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or ^(S)do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? ^(T)You are not your own, ^20 (U)for you were bought with a price. ^(V)So glorify God in your body.

Principles for Marriage

7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ^(W)“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 (X)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 (Y)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, ^(Z)so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

⁶ Now as a concession, ^(AA)not a command, I say this.^{[e] 7 (AB)}I wish that all were ^(AC)as I myself am. But ^(AD)each has his own gift from God, ^(AE)one of one kind and one of another.

⁸ To the unmarried and the widows I say that ^(AF)it is good for them to remain single, ^(AG)as I am. ⁹ But if they cannot exercise self-control, ^(AH)they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

¹⁰ To the married ^(AI)I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): ^(AJ)the wife should not separate from her husband ¹¹ (but if she does, ^(AK)she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and ^(AL)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. ^(AM)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^{[f] (AN)}to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, wife, ^(AO)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^{[g] (AP)}that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. ^(AQ)This is my rule in ^(AR)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? ^(AS)Let him not seek circumcision. ^19 (AT)For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but ^(AU)keeping the commandments of God.