1 Corinthians 7
1 Now concerning what you wrote: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 But because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
3 The husband should fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does; likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but his wife does.
5 Do not deprive one another, except by mutual agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer; then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.
7 I wish everyone were as I am; but each person has their own gift from God, one in this way and another in that.
8 I say to the unmarried and the widows: it is good for them to remain as I am.
9 But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with desire.
10 To those who are married I give this command—not I, but the Lord: a wife must not separate from her husband.
11 But if she does separate, she should remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not leave his wife.
12 To the rest I say—I, not the Lord: if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her.
13 And if a woman has an unbelieving husband, and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband.
14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her brother; otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15 But if the unbeliever separates, let them separate. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases; God has called you to live 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 In any case, each person should live as the Lord has assigned to them, as God has called them. This is the rule I give in all the churches.
18 Was someone called while circumcised? Let him not undo his circumcision. Was someone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; what matters is keeping God's commandments.
20 Each person should remain in the condition in which they were called.
21 Were you called while a slave? Do not let it trouble you. But if you can become free, make use of the opportunity.
22 For the one who was called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freed person; likewise, the one who was called while free is Christ's slave.
23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of people.
24 Each of you, brothers and sisters, should remain before God in the condition in which you were called.
25 Concerning virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who, by the Lord's mercy, is trustworthy.
26 I think, then, that this is good because of the present distress: it is good for a person to remain as they are.
27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
28 But if you marry, you do not sin; and if a virgin marries, she does not sin. Yet those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you.
29 I mean this, brothers and sisters: the time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as if they had none;
30 those who weep as if they were not weeping, those who rejoice as if they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as if they owned nothing;
31 and those who use the world as if they were not making full use of it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
32 I want you to be free from worry. The unmarried man is concerned with the things of the Lord, with how to please the Lord.
33 But the married man is concerned with the things of the world, with how to please his wife,
34 and he is divided. The unmarried woman and the virgin are concerned with the things of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is concerned with the things of the world, with how to please her husband.
35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote what is proper and devotion to the Lord without distraction.
36 If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the bloom of youth and it ought to be this way, let him do as he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.
37 But whoever stands firm in his heart, feels no necessity, has authority over his own will, and has decided in his heart to keep his virgin, will do well.
38 So the one who gives his virgin in marriage does well, and the one who does not give her in marriage will do better.
39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, as long as it is in the Lord.
40 But she will be happier if she remains as she is, in my judgment; and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
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