1 Corinthians 7:1-22 ▼

1 And concerning the things of which you wrote to me: [it is] good for a man not to touch a woman,

2 and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;

3 to the wife let the husband render the due benevolence, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;

4 the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and in like manner also, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

5 Do not defraud one another, except by consent for a time, that you may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that Satan may not tempt you because of your self-indulgence;

6 and this I say by way of concurrence—not of command,

7 for I wish all men to be even as I myself [am]; but each has his own gift of God, one indeed thus and one thus.

8 And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I [am];

9 and if they do not have continence—let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;

10 and to the married I announce—not I, but the LORD—do not let a wife separate from a husband:

11 but, and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to the husband, and do not let a husband send a wife away.

12 And to the rest I speak—not the LORD—if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to dwell with him, do not let him send her away;

13 and a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is pleased to dwell with her, do not let her send him away;

14 for the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

15 And if the unbelieving separates himself—let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace has God called us;

16 for what, have you known, O wife, whether you will save the husband? Or what, have you known, O husband, whether you will save the wife?

17 If not, as God distributed to each, as the LORD has called each—so let him walk; and thus I direct in all the assemblies:

18 being circumcised—was anyone called? Do not let him become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was anyone called? Do not let him be circumcised;

19 the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing—but a keeping of the commands of God.

20 Each in the calling in which he was called—in this let him remain;

21 a servant—were you called? Do not be anxious; but if also you are able to become free—use [it] rather;

22 for he who [is] in the LORD—having been called a servant—is the LORD’s freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ: