1 Corinthians

7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote It were good for a man not to touch a woman;

2 But on account of fornications Let each man have his own wife, And each woman have her own husband:

3 Unto the wife let the husband render what is her due, And in like manner the wife also unto the husband,—

4 The wife over her own body hath not authority but the husband, And in like manner the husband also over his own body hath not authority but the wife.

5 Be not depriving one another—Unless perhaps by consent for a season That ye may have leisure for prayer, And again may be together,—Lest Satan be tempting you by reason of your want of self-control.

6 This however I am saying by way of concession, not of injunction;

7 Besides I desire all men to be even as myself,—But each one hath his personal gift from God, One after this manner and another after that.

8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows Good were it for them that they should abide even as I;

9 But if they have not self-control let them marry, For better is it to marry than to burn.

10 To the married however I give charge—Not I but the Lord,—That a wife from her husband do not depart,—

11 But if she should even depart Let her remain unmarried Or to her husband be reconciled; And let not a husband leave his wife.

12 But unto the rest say I—Not the Lord,—If any brother hath a wife that believeth not And she is well pleased to dwell with him Let him not leave her;

13 And a woman who hath a husband that believeth not And he is well pleased to dwell with her Let her not leave her husband;—

14 For the husband that believeth not is hallowed in the wife, And the wife that believeth not is hallowed in the brother: Else were your children impure, But now are they pure.

15 But if the unbelieving departeth let him depart: The brother or the sister hath not come into bondage in such cases, But in peace hath God called us.

16 For how knowest thou, O woman, whether thy husband thou shalt save? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thy wife thou shalt save?

17 If not—As the Lord hath distributed unto each one As God hath called each one, So let him be walking;—And so in all the assemblies I ordain.

18 After being circumcised was any called? Let him not become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision hath any been called? Let him not be circumcised:

19 The circumcision is nothing And the uncircumcision is nothing,—But keeping the commandments of God.

20 Each one in the calling wherein he was called In the same let him abide:

21 A bond-servant wast thou called? Let it not cause thee concern; But if thou canst even become free Rather use it.

22 For he who in the Lord was called being a bond-servant Is a freed-man of the Lord: In like manner he that was called being a freeman Is Christ’s bond-servant:—

23 With a price have ye been bought,—Do not become bond-servants of men:

24 Each one wherein he was called, brethren In the same let him abide with God.

25 But concerning them who are virgin Injunction of the Lord have I none; Yet a judgment do I give as one who hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful:—

26 I consider this then to be good in the circumstances, by reason of the existing distress,—That it is good for a man so to be:

27 Hast thou become bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed; Hast thou become loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 If however thou shouldst even marry Thou hast not sinned; And if one who is virgin should marry That one hath not sinned;—But tribulation of the flesh shall such have:—Howbeit I spare you.

29 But this I say——The opportunity is contracted for what remaineth——In order that they who have wives May be as though they had none,

30 And they who weep As though they wept not, And they who rejoice As though they rejoiced not, And they who buy As though they possessed not,

31 And they who use the world As though they used it not to the full,—For the fashion of this world passeth away;

32 And I desire you to be without anxiety:—The unmarried man is anxious for the things of the Lord, How he may please the Lord;

33 But he that hath married is anxious for the things of the world, How he may please his wife——

34 and he is divided; And the unmarried woman or the virgin is anxious for the things of the Lord, That she may be holy [both] in her body and in her spirit; But she that hath married is anxious for the things of the world, How she may please her husband.

35 This however with a view to your own profit am I saying,—Not that a snare upon you I may cast, But with a view to what is comely and devoted unto the Lord without distraction.

36 If however anyone considereth it behaving unseemly towards his virginity,—If he should be beyond the bloom of life,—And thus it ought to come about What he chooseth let him do,—he sinneth not: Let them marry!

37 But he that standeth in his heart steadfast, Having no necessity, But hath authority concerning his own will, And this hath determined in his own heart,—To preserve his own virginity Well shall he do.

38 So that he that giveth in marriage his own virginity Doeth well; And he that giveth it not Shall do better.

39 A wife is bound for as long a time as her husband is living; But if the husband have fallen asleep She is free to be married unto whom she pleaseth,—Only in the Lord;

40 But happier is she if so she remain,—In my judgment; For I think I also have the Spirit of God.