1 Corinthians 7:10-24

New International Version

¹⁰To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.^(A) ¹¹But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.^(B) And a husband must not divorce his wife.

¹²To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord):^(C) If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.^(D)

¹⁵But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.^(E) ¹⁶How do you know, wife, whether you will save^(F) your husband?^(G) Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status

¹⁷Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.^(H) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.^(I) ¹⁸Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.^(J) ¹⁹Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.^(K) Keeping God’s commands is what counts. ²⁰Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(L)

²¹Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. ²²For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;^(M) similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.^(N) ²³You were bought at a price;^(O) do not become slaves of human beings. ²⁴Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(P)

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Proverbs 7

New International Version

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

7 My son,^(A) keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
²Keep my commands and you will live;^(B)
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
³Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.^(C)
⁴Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”
⁵They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.^(D)

⁶At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
⁷I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.^(E)
⁸He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
⁹at twilight,^(F) as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.

¹⁰Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
¹¹(She is unruly^(G) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
¹²now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)^(H)
¹³She took hold of him^(I) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:^(J)

¹⁴“Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering^(K) at home.
¹⁵So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷I have perfumed my bed^(L)
    with myrrh,^(M) aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!^(N)
¹⁹My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

²¹With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.^(O)
²²All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer^[a] stepping into a noose^[b]^(P)
²³    till an arrow pierces^(Q) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.^(R)

²⁴Now then, my sons, listen^(S) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
²⁵Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.^(T)
²⁶Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
²⁷Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.^(U)