1 Corinthians, 7

1. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: [It is] good for a man not to touch a woman.

1. Now I will answer the questions in your letter. It is good for a man not to have sex with a woman.

2. Nevertheless, [to avoid] fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

2. But the appeal of sex is there. Let each man have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

3. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

3. Let the husband fulfill his duty of husband and likewise the wife.

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.

4. The wife is not the owner of her own body: the husband is. Similarly, the husband is not the owner of his own body: the wife is.

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.

5. Do not refuse each other, except by mutual consent and only for a time in order to dedicate yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, lest you fall into Satan's trap by lack of self-control.

6. But I speak this by permission, [and] not of commandment.

6. I approve of this abstention, but I do not order it.

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.

7. I would like everyone to be like me, but each has from God a particular gift, some in one way, others differently.

8. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

8. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it would be good for them to remain as I am,

9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

9. but if they cannot control themselves, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10. And unto the married I command, [yet] not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from [her] husband:

10. I command married couples - not I but the Lord - that the wife should not separate 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.

11. If she separates from him, let her not marry again, or let her make peace with her husband. Similarly the husband should not divorce 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.

12. To the others I say - from me and not from the Lord - if a brother has a wife who is not a believer but she agrees to live with him, let him not separate from her.

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.

13. In the same manner, if a woman has a husband who is not a believer but he agrees to live with her, let her not separate from her husband.

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.

14. Because the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband who believes. Otherwise, your children also would be apart from God; but as it is, they are consecrated to God.

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.

15. Now, if the unbelieving husband or wife wants to separate, let them do so. In this case, the Christian partner is not bound, for the Lord has 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?

16. Besides, are you sure, wife, that you could save your husband, and you, husband, that you could save your 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.

17. Except for this, let each one continue living as he was when God called him, as was his lot set by the Lord. This is what I order 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.

18. Let the circumcised Jew not remove the marks of the circumcision when he is called by God, and let the non-Jew not be circumcised when he is called.

19. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

19. For the important thing is not to be circumcised or not, but to keep the commandments of God.

20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

20. Let each of you, therefore, remain in the state in which you were called by God.

21. Art thou called [being] a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use [it] rather.

21. If you were a slave when called, do not worry, yet if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

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.

22. The slave called to believe in the Lord is a freed person belonging to the Lord just as whoever who has been called while free, becomes a slave of Christ.

23. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

23. You have been bought at a very great price; do not become slaves of a human being.

24. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

24. So then, brothers and sisters, continue living in the state you were before God at the time of his call.

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.

25. With regard to those who remain virgins, I have no special commandment from the Lord, but I give some advice, hoping that I am worthy of trust by the mercy of the Lord.

26. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, [I say], that [it is] good for a man so to be.

26. I think this is good in these hard times in which we live. It is good for someone to remain as he is.

27. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

27. If you are married, do not try to divorce your wife; if you are not married, do not marry.

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.

28. He who marries does not sin, nor does the young girl sin who marries. Yet they will face disturbing experiences, and I would like to 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;

29. I say this, brothers and sisters: time is running out, and those who are married must live as if not married;

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;

30. those who weep as if not weeping; those who are happy as if they were not happy; those buying something as if they had not bought it, and those enjoying the present life as if they were not enjoying it.

31. And they that use this world, as not abusing [it]: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

31. For the order of this world is vanishing.

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:

32. I would like you to be free from anxieties. He who is not married is concerned about the things of the Lord and how to please the Lord.

33. But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please [his] wife.

33. While he who is married is taken up with the things of the world and how to please his wife, and he is divided in his interests.

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.

34. Likewise, the unmarried woman and the virgin are concerned with the service of the Lord, to be holy in body and spirit. The married woman, instead, worries about the things of the world and how to 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.

35. I say this for your own good. I do not wish to lay traps for you but to lead you to a beautiful life, entirely united with the Lord.

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.

36. If anyone is not sure whether he is behaving correctly with his fiancee because of the ardor of his passion, and considers it is better to get married, let him do so; he commits no sin.

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.

37. But if another, of firmer heart, thinks that he can control his passion and decides not to marry so that his fiancee may remain a virgin, he does better.

38. So then he that giveth [her] in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth [her] not in marriage doeth better.

38. So then, he who marries does well, and he who does not marry does 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.

39. The wife is bound as long as her husband lives. If he dies, she is free to be married to whomsoever she wishes, provided that she does so in the Christian way.

40. But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

40. However, she will be happier if, following my advice, she remains as she is, and I believe that I also have the Spirit of God.