1 Corinthians 7 CSB NLT Parallel

◄ 1 Corinthians 7 ►

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1Now in response to the matters you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to use a woman for sex."

1Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations.

2But because sexual immorality is so common, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman should have sexual relations with her own husband.

2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

3A husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband.

3The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs.

4A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does.

4The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

5Do not deprive one another--except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

5Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6I say this as a concession, not as a command.

7I wish that all people were as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one person has this gift, another has that.

7But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.

8I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am.

8So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am.

9But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, since it is better to marry than to burn with desire.

9But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

10To the married I give this command--not I, but the Lord--a wife is not to leave her husband.

10But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband.

11But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband--and a husband is not to divorce his wife.

11But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.

12But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: If any brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

12Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her.

13Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce her husband.

13And if a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him.

14For the unbelieving husband is made holy by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy.

14For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.

15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

15(But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the believing husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.)

16Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.

16Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?

17Let each one live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called him. This is what I command in all the churches.

17Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches.

18Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised.

18For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now.

19Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God's commands is what matters.

19For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments.

20Let each of you remain in the situation in which he was called.

20Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you.

21Were you called while a slave? Don't let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.

21Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it.

22For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ's slave.

22And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of people.

23God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.

24Brothers and sisters, each person is to remain with God in the situation in which he was called.

24Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.

25Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is faithful.

25Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you.

26Because of the present distress, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.

26Because of the present crisis, I think it is best to remain as you are.

27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

27If you have a wife, do not seek to end the marriage. If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married.

28However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

28But if you do get married, it is not a sin. And if a young woman gets married, it is not a sin. However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems.

29This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none,

29But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage.

30those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they didn't own anything,

30Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions.

31and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.

31Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.

32I want you to be without concerns. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord.

32I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him.

33But the married man is concerned about the things of the world--how he may please his wife--

33But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.

34and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world--how she may please her husband.

34His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband.

35I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

35I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.

36If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage, and he feels he should marry--he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married.

36But if a man thinks that he’s treating his fianc�e improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin.

37But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will) and has decided in his heart to keep her as his fianc�, will do well.

37But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry.

38So then he who marries his fianc� does well, but he who does not marry will do better.

38So the person who marries his fianc�e does well, and the person who doesn’t marry does even better.

39A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants--only in the Lord.

39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the Lord.

40But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

40But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

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