1 Corinthians 7
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Answers To Your Questions:
7 Now concerning the things which you wrote—
Concerning Marriage And Singleness: Live According To Your Gift From God
It is good[a] for a man not to touch[b] a woman. 2 But because of sexual-immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband give-back to his wife her due[c], and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have-authority[d] over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise also the husband does not have-authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not be depriving one another— except perhaps by agreement, for a time, in order that you may devote-yourselves to prayer and [then] be together again— in order that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack-of-self-control. 6 But I am saying this by way of concession, not by way of command. 7 And I wish that all people were as[e] indeed myself! But each has his own gift from God— one in this manner and another in this manner. 8 And I say to the unmarried and the widows— it is good for them if they remain as I also am. 9 But if they do not have-self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burning[f].
But Do Not Divorce Your Christian Spouse
10 But to the ones having married I command (not I, but the Lord), that a wife not be separated from her husband— 11 but if indeed she is separated, let her remain unmarried or let her be reconciled to her husband— and that a husband not leave[g] his wife.
Do Not Divorce an Unbelieving Spouse Who Chooses To Stay
12 But to the rest I say, not[h] the Lord— if any brother has an unbelieving wife and this one consents to dwell with him, let him not leave her. 13 And if any woman has an unbelieving husband and this one consents to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified[i] by his wife. And the unbelieving wife has been sanctified by the brother. Otherwise then your children are unclean, but now[j] they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving one separates, let such a one separate. The brother or the sister has not been enslaved by such[k] things, but God has called you in 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? 17 Except that[l] as the Lord apportioned[m] to each one, as God has called each one, in this manner let him be walking. And thus I am directing[n] in all the churches.
In General, Remain With God In The Life Context In Which You Were Saved
18 Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not conceal[o] it. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 Each in the calling in which he was called— in this let him remain. 21 Were you called as a slave? Do not let it be a concern to you. But if also[p] you are able to become free, rather make-use-of the opportunity. 22 For the one having been called in the Lord as a slave is a freedperson of the Lord. Likewise the one having been called as a free one is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves[q] of people. 24 Each in what he was called, brothers— in this let him remain with God.
Concerning The Unmarried: In General, It Is Good To Remain As You Are In Life
25 Now concerning virgins, I do not have a command from the Lord, but I am giving an opinion as one having been shown-mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy. 26 I think then that this[r] is good because of the present necessity[s], that it is good for a person to be so[t]. 27 Have you been bound[u] to a woman? Do not be seeking a release[v]. Have you been released[w] from a woman? Do not be seeking a wife. 28 But even if you marry, you did not sin. And if the virgin marries, she did not sin. But such ones will have affliction in the flesh, and I am sparing[x] you.
We All Must Keep Our Earthly Life In Eternal Perspective
29 And this I say, brothers— the time[y] is shortened, so that henceforth even the ones having wives should be as-though not having, 30 and the ones weeping as-though not weeping, and the ones rejoicing as-though not rejoicing, and the ones buying as-though not holding-on-to[z], 31 and the ones making-use-of the world as-though not making-full-use-of it. For the form[aa] of this world is passing away.
Single People Can Be Solely Devoted To God; The Married Have a Dual Concern
32 Now I want you to be free-from-concern. The unmarried man is concerned-about the things of the Lord— how he may please the Lord. 33 But the man having married is concerned-about the things of the world— how he may please his wife, 34 and he has been divided[ab]. And the unmarried woman[ac], and the virgin, is concerned-about the things of the Lord— that she may be holy both in the body and in the spirit. But the woman having married is concerned-about the things of the world— how she may please her husband.
Do What You Think Is Honorable For Your Virgin Daughter
35 Now I am saying this[ad] for the benefit of you yourselves— not that I may throw a noose[ae] on you, but toward good-order and devotion[af] to the Lord, undistractedly. 36 But if one[ag] thinks that he is behaving-dishonorably[ah] toward his virgin daughter— if she is beyond-the-bloom-of-youth[ai], and it ought[aj] to be so— let him do what he wants. He is not sinning. Let them marry. 37 But he who stands steadfast[ak] in his heart, not having a necessity[al], and has authority[am] concerning[an] his own will, and has determined this in his own heart, to keep[ao] his virgin daughter— he will do well[ap]. 38 So then, both the one giving his virgin daughter in marriage is doing well, and the one not giving-in-marriage will do better.
Widows Are Free To Remarry, But May Be Happier Remaining As They Are
39 A wife has been bound for as much time as her husband lives. But if her husband falls-asleep, she is free to be married to whom she wishes— only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains thus[aq], according to my opinion; and I also think that I have the Spirit of God.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 7:1 Or, commendable, praiseworthy.
- 1 Corinthians 7:1 That is, to have sexual contact with, and thus, to marry. Paul extols singleness, in contradiction to the views of his day.
- 1 Corinthians 7:3 That is, what is due her, physically and otherwise.
- 1 Corinthians 7:4 Or, have-the-right.
- 1 Corinthians 7:7 That is, single and pure, devoting themselves fully to God.
- 1 Corinthians 7:9 That is, with sexual desire.
- 1 Corinthians 7:11 Or, abandon, divorce.
- 1 Corinthians 7:12 That is, this was not spoken of by the Lord, as was the last case.
- 1 Corinthians 7:14 Or, consecrated, made holy. Rather than the believer being defiled by the unbeliever (who is probably an idolater), the reverse is true.
- 1 Corinthians 7:14 Or, as-it-is. The children also are sanctified by the presence of the believer.
- 1 Corinthians 7:15 Or, by such ones. Or, in such cases.
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 That is, you are not enslaved... except that. Paul provides perspective. This is the general rule of Christian living of which the preceding is an exception.
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 Or, distributed, assigned.
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 Or, commanding, ordering.
- 1 Corinthians 7:18 Lit, pull-over the foreskin (a medical term). Do not hide your heritage.
- 1 Corinthians 7:21 That is, if also (while not being concerned about it, but serving the Lord)... the opportunity. Or, if indeed... your freedom. Or, even if... your present state; that is, do not wait to be free to serve Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 7:23 That is, sell yourselves as slaves; or, become slaves of the opinions of people regarding your status in life.
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 That is, being a virgin; remaining unmarried.
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 Or, constraint, pressure, distress.
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 That is, unmarried. Or, as-follows.
- 1 Corinthians 7:27 That is, promised, betrothed, in an arrangement usually made between the parents, according to their custom; or, bound (in marriage) to a wife.
- 1 Corinthians 7:27 Or, unbinding, untying. That is, a release from your pledge, your commitment to marry; or, a release from your marriage, a divorce.
- 1 Corinthians 7:27 Or, unbound, untied. That is, released from your commitment to marry; or, released from your wife; unbound from your marriage by any circumstance.
- 1 Corinthians 7:28 That is, trying to spare you from the problems that will result due to the ‘present necessity’.
- 1 Corinthians 7:29 That is, the time remaining to serve Christ before you die or He comes is in a state of shortness.
- 1 Corinthians 7:30 Or, retaining.
- 1 Corinthians 7:31 Or, outward appearance.
- 1 Corinthians 7:34 The divided interests are not sinful, but can dilute and distract (v 35) a person’s service to the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 7:34 That is, the widowed, divorced, or abandoned.
- 1 Corinthians 7:35 That is, that the unmarried should remain so.
- 1 Corinthians 7:35 Or, halter, restraint, choke-chain.
- 1 Corinthians 7:35 Or, service, attending.
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 That is, a father who must decide what to do with his daughter.
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or, behaving improperly, disgracefully, indecently. That is, by not permitting his daughter to wed.
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 That is, she is of marriageable age.
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 That is, if the marriage is right and ought to take place, all things considered.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 That is, believing it is best for his daughter to remain single.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 Or, constraint, obligation, compulsion. That is, outside forces, including his daughter’s wishes, are not compelling the father to do otherwise.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 That is, freedom to act as he thinks best in the case of his daughter.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 Or, in relation to, with regard to.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 That is, keep her in his household, keep her as she is.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 That is, he is doing a good and commendable thing.
- 1 Corinthians 7:40 That is, unmarried.
1 Corinzi 7
La Nuova Diodati
7 Ora, riguardo alle cose di cui mi avete scritto, sarebbe bene per l'uomo non toccare donna.
2 Ma, a motivo della fornicazione, ogni uomo abbia la propria moglie e ogni donna il proprio marito.
3 Il marito renda alla moglie il dovere coniugale, e ugualmente la moglie al marito.
4 La moglie non ha potestà sul proprio corpo, ma il marito; nello stesso modo anche il marito non ha potestà sul proprio corpo, ma la moglie.
5 Non privatevi l'uno dell'altro, se non di comune accordo per un tempo, per dedicarvi al digiuno e alla preghiera, poi di nuovo tornate a stare insieme, affinché Satana non vi tenti a causa della vostra mancanza di autocontrollo.
6 Or io dico questo per concessione, non per comandamento
7 perché vorrei che tutti gli uomini fossero come me, ma ciascuno ha il proprio dono da Dio, chi in un modo, chi in un altro.
8 Or a quelli che non sono sposati e alle vedove dico che è bene per loro che se ne stiano come sto anch'io
9 ma se non hanno autocontrollo, si sposino, perché è meglio sposarsi che ardere.
10 Agli sposati invece ordino, non io ma il Signore, che la moglie non si separi dal marito,
11 e qualora si separasse, rimanga senza maritarsi, o si riconcili col marito. E il marito non mandi via la moglie.
12 Ma agli altri dico io, non il Signore: se un fratello ha una moglie non credente, e questa acconsente di abitare con lui, non la mandi via.
13 Anche la donna che ha un marito non credente, se questi acconsente di abitare con lei, non lo mandi via,
14 perché il marito non credente è santificato nella moglie, e la moglie non credente è santificata nel marito, altrimenti i vostri figli sarebbero immondi; ora invece sono santi.
15 Se il non credente si separa, si separi pure; in tal caso il fratello o la sorella non sono piú obbligati; ma Dio ci ha chiamati alla pace.
16 Infatti che ne sai tu, moglie, se salverai il marito? Ovvero che ne sai tu, marito, se salverai la moglie?
17 Negli altri casi, ciascuno continui a vivere nella condizione che Dio gli ha assegnato e come il Signore lo ha chiamato, e cosí ordino in tutte le chiese.
18 Qualcuno è stato chiamato quando era circonciso? Non diventi incirconciso; qualcuno è stato chiamato quando era incirconciso? Non si faccia circoncidere.
19 La circoncisione, è nulla e l'incirconcisione è nulla, ma quel che importa è l'osservanza dei comandamenti di Dio.
20 Ciascuno rimanga nella condizione nella quale è stato chiamato.
21 Sei tu stato chiamato quando eri schiavo? Non ti affliggere; se però puoi divenire libero, è meglio che lo fai.
22 Perché chi è chiamato nel Signore da schiavo è un liberto del Signore; parimenti anche colui che è chiamato da libero, è schiavo di Cristo.
23 Voi siete stati comprati a prezzo, non diventate schiavi degli uomini.
24 Fratelli, ognuno rimanga presso Dio nella condizione in cui è stato chiamato.
25 Or riguardo alle vergini, non ho alcun comando dal Signore, ma do un parere come avendo ottenuto misericordia dal Signore per essere fedele.
26 A motivo della imminente avversità, ritengo dunque che sia bene per un uomo di rimanere cosí.
27 Sei legato ad una moglie? Non cercare di esserne sciolto. Sei sciolto da una moglie? Non cercare moglie.
28 Tuttavia, anche se prendi moglie, tu non pecchi; e se una vergine si marita, non pecca; ma tali persone avranno tribolazione nella carne; ora io vorrei risparmiarvi ciò.
29 Ma questo vi dico, fratelli, che il tempo è ormai abbreviato; cosí d'ora in avanti anche quelli che hanno moglie, siano come se non l'avessero;
30 e quelli che piangono, come se non piangessero; e quelli che si rallegrano, come se non si rallegrassero; e quelli che comprano, come se non possedessero;
31 e quelli che usano di questo mondo, come se non ne usassero, perché la forma attuale di questo mondo passa.
32 Or io desidero che voi siate senza sollecitudine. Chi non è sposato, si preoccupa delle cose del Signore, come possa piacere al Signore;
33 ma chi è sposato si preoccupa delle cose del mondo, come possa piacere alla moglie.
34 Vi è differenza tra la donna sposata e la vergine; quella che non è sposata, si preoccupa delle cose del Signore per essere santa nel corpo e nello spirito, ma la sposata si preoccupa delle cose del mondo, del come possa piacere al marito.
35 Ora dico questo per il vostro vantaggio, non per tendervi un laccio, ma per indirizzarvi a ciò che è decoroso e perché possiate darvi assiduamente al Signore senza esserne distratti.
36 Ma, se alcuno pensa di fare cosa sconveniente verso la propria figlia vergine se essa oltrepassa il fiore dell'età, e che cosí bisogna fare, faccia ciò che vuole; egli non pecca; la dia a marito.
37 Ma chi sta fermo nel suo cuore senza sottostare ad alcuna costrizione, ma è padrone della sua volontà ed ha determinato questo nel cuor suo, di conservare cioè la sua figlia vergine, fa bene.
38 Perciò, chi dà la sua propria figlia a marito fa bene e chi non la dà a marito fa meglio.
39 La moglie è vincolata per legge per tutto il tempo che vive suo marito; ma se il marito muore, essa è libera di maritarsi a chi vuole, purché nel Signore.
40 Tuttavia, secondo il mio avviso, essa sarà piú felice se rimane cosí, or penso di avere anch'io lo Spirito di Dio.
1 Corinthians 7
King James Version
7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.
27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
Copyright © 1991 by La Buona Novella s.c.r.l.