1 Corinthians 7
7
About Marriage
1Now I will discuss the things you wrote to me about. It is good for a man not to marry. 2But sexual immorality is a danger. So each man should have his own wife. And each woman should have her own husband. 3The husband should give his wife all that she should have as his wife. And the wife should give her husband all that he should have as her husband. 4The wife does not have power over her own body. Her husband has the power over her body. And the husband does not have power over his own body. His wife has the power over his body. 5Do not refuse to give your bodies to each other. But you might both agree to stay away from intimate relations for a time. You might do this so that you can give your time to prayer. Then come together again. This is so that Satan cannot tempt you in your weakness. 6I say this to give you permission. It is not a command. 7I wish everyone were like me. But each person has his own gift from God. One has one gift, another has another gift.
8Now for those who are not married and for the widows I say this: It is good for them to stay single as I am. 9But if they cannot control their bodies, then they should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with lust.
10Now I give this command for the married people. (The command is not from me; it is from the Lord.) A wife should not leave her husband. 11But if she does leave, she must not marry again. Or she should go back to her husband. Also the husband should not divorce his wife.
12For all the others I say this (I am saying this, not the Lord): A brother in Christ might have a wife who is not a believer. If she will live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And a woman might have a husband who is not a believer. If he will live with her, she must not divorce him. 14The husband who is not a believer is made holy through his believing wife. And the wife who is not a believer is made holy through her believing husband. If this were not true, then your children would not be clean. But now your children are holy.
15But if the person who is not a believer decides to leave, let him leave. When this happens, the brother or sister in Christ is free. God called us# Some Greek copies read “you.” to a life of peace. 16Wives, maybe you will save your husband; and husbands, maybe you will save your wife. You do not know now what will happen later.
Live As God Called You
17But each one should continue to live the way God has given him to live—the way he was when God called him. This is a rule I make in all the churches. 18If a man was already circumcised when he was called, he should not change his circumcision. If a man was without circumcision when he was called, he should not be circumcised. 19It is not important if a man is circumcised or not circumcised. The important thing is obeying God’s commands. 20Each one should stay the way he was when God called him. 21If you were a slave when God called you, do not let that bother you. But if you can be free, then become free. 22The person who was a slave when the Lord called him is free in the Lord. He belongs to the Lord. In the same way, the one who was free when he was called is now Christ’s slave. 23You all were bought for a price. So do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, in your new life with God each one of you should continue the way you were when you were called.
Questions About Getting Married
25Now I write about people who are not married. I have no command from the Lord about this, but I give my opinion. And I can be trusted, because the Lord has given me mercy. 26This is a time of trouble. So I think that it is good for you to stay the way you are. 27If you have a wife, then do not try to become free from her. If you are not married, then do not try to find a wife. 28But if you decide to marry, this is not a sin. And it is not a sin for a girl who has never married to get married. But those who marry will have trouble in this life. And I want you to be free from this trouble.
29Brothers, this is what I mean: We do not have much time left. So starting now, those who have wives should use their time to serve the Lord as if they had no wives. 30Those who are sad should live as if they are not sad. Those who are happy should live as if they are not happy. Those who buy things should live as if they own nothing. 31Those who use the things of the world should live as if those things are not important to them. You should live like this, because this world, the way it is now, will soon be gone.
32I want you to be free from worry. A man who is not married is busy with the Lord’s work. He is trying to please the Lord. 33But a man who is married is busy with things of the world. He is trying to please his wife. 34He must think about two things—pleasing his wife and pleasing the Lord. A woman who is not married or a girl who has never married is busy with the Lord’s work. She wants to give herself fully—body and soul—to the Lord. But a married woman is busy with things of the world. She is trying to please her husband. 35I am saying this to help you. I am not trying to limit you. But I want you to live in the right way. And I want you to give yourselves fully to the Lord without giving your time to other things.
36A man might think that he is not doing the right thing with the girl he is engaged to. The girl might be almost past the best age to marry. So he might feel that he should marry her. He should do what he wants. They should get married. It is no sin. 37But another man might be more sure in his mind. There may be no need for marriage, so he is free to do what he wants. If he has decided in his own heart not to marry, he is doing the right thing. 38So the man who marries his girl does right. And the man who does not marry does even better.
39A woman must stay with her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to marry any man she wants. But she must marry another believer. 40The woman is happier if she does not marry again. This is my opinion, and I believe that I have God’s Spirit.
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1 Corinthians 7: ICB
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