1 Corinthians 7

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BBE WEB

The apostle answers several questions about marriage

Now, as to the things in your letter to me: It is good for a man to have nothing to do with a woman. Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband. But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Let the husband give to the wife what is right; and let the wife do the same to the husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
The wife has not power over her body, but the husband; and in the same way the husband has not power over his body, but the wife. The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife.
Do not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control. Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord. But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.
It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that. Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am. But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.
But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire. But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn.

Married Christians should not seek to part from their unbelieving consorts

But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband
(Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife. (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.
But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her. But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.
And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband. The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.
For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another. Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.
For how may you be certain, O wife, that you will not be the cause of salvation to your husband? or you, O husband, that you may not do the same for your wife? For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Persons, in any fixed station, should usually abide in that

Only, as the Lord has given to a man, and as is the purpose of God for him, so let him go on living. And these are my orders for all the churches. Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.
If any man who is a Christian has had circumcision, let him keep so; and if any man who is a Christian has not had circumcision, let him make no change. Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is nothing, and its opposite is nothing, but only doing the orders of God is of value. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Let every man keep the position in which he has been placed by God. Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called.
If you were a servant when you became a Christian, let it not be a grief to you; but if you have a chance to become free, make use of it. Were you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.
For he who was a servant when he became a Christian is the Lord's free man; and he who was free when he became a Christian is the Lord's servant. For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.
It is the Lord who has made payment for you: be not servants of men. You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men.
My brothers, let every man keep in that condition which is the purpose of God for him. Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

It was most desirable, on account of the then perilous days, for people to sit loose to this world

Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.
In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is. I think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a man to be as he is.
If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife. Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.
If you get married it is not a sin; and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you. But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.
But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not; But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;
And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing; and those who weep, as though they didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t possess;
And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end. and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.
But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord: But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;
But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife. but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.
And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband. There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.
Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord. This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

Great prudence be used in marriage; it should be only in the Lord

But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him; it is no sin; let them be married. But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t sin. Let them marry.
But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin. But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own heart, to keep his own virgin, does well.
So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better. So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better.
It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian. A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.
But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God. But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.
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