1 Corinthians 7 - Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Principles of Marriage

7 Now in response to the matters you wrote^[a] about: “It is good for a man not to have relations with^[b] a woman.”^{[c] 2} But because sexual immorality is so common,^[d](A) each man should have his own wife,^(B) and each woman should have her own husband. ³ A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility^(C) to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. ⁴ A 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. ⁵ Do not deprive^(D) one another sexually—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to^[e] prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ I say the following^[f] as a concession, not as a command. ⁷ I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift^(E) from God, one person in this way and another in that way.

A Word to the Unmarried

⁸ I say to the unmarried and to widows:^(F) It is good for them if they remain as I am. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control,^(G) they should marry, for it is better to marry^(H) than to burn with desire.

About Married People

¹⁰ I command the married^(I)—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave^[g] her husband. ¹¹ But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to leave his wife.^{(J) 12} But I (not the Lord)^[h] say to the rest: If any brother^(K) has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her. ¹³ Also, if any 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 set apart for God^(L) by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart for God by the husband.^[i] Otherwise your children would be corrupt, but now they are set apart for God. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you^[j] to live in peace. ¹⁶ For you, wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Or you, husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?

Various Situations of Life

¹⁷ However, each one must live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called^(M) him.^[k] This is what I command in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God’s commands does. ²⁰ Each person should remain in the life situation^[l] in which he was called. ²¹ Were you called while a slave? It should not be a concern to you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.^{[m] 22} For he who is called by the Lord as a slave^(N) is the Lord’s freedman.^[n] Likewise he who is called as a free man^[o] is Christ’s slave. ²³ You were bought^(O) at a price; do not become slaves of men. ²⁴ Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called.

About the Unmarried and Widows

²⁵ About virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy^(P) is trustworthy.^{(Q) 26} Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ However, if you do get married,^(R) you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life,^[p] and I am trying to spare you. ²⁹ And I say this, brothers: The time is limited,^(S) so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, ³⁰ those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice^(T) as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, ³¹ and 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.^(U)

³² I want you to be without concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord—how he may please^(V) the Lord. ³³ But a married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife— ³⁴ and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord,^(W) so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. ³⁵ Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

³⁶ But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin,^[q] if she is past marriageable age,^[r] and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. ³⁷ But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will^(X)) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin, will do well. ³⁸ So then he who marries^[s] his virgin does well, but he who does not marry^[t] will do better.

³⁹ A wife is bound^[u] 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.^{[v] 40} But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 7:1 Other mss add to me
2. 1 Corinthians 7:1 Lit not to touch
3. 1 Corinthians 7:1 The words in quotation marks are a principle that the Corinthians wrote to Paul about to ask for his view.
4. 1 Corinthians 7:2 Lit because of immoralities
5. 1 Corinthians 7:5 Other mss add fasting and to
6. 1 Corinthians 7:6 Lit say this; some interpret the word as referring to v. 2, vv. 2-5, v. 5 (wholly or in part), or v. 6
7. 1 Corinthians 7:10 Or separate from, or divorce
8. 1 Corinthians 7:12 Jesus did not address the situation of a marriage in the Gentile world where only one person is a believer.
9. 1 Corinthians 7:14 Lit the brother
10. 1 Corinthians 7:15 Other mss read us
11. 1 Corinthians 7:17 Lit called each
12. 1 Corinthians 7:20 Lit in the calling
13. 1 Corinthians 7:21 Or But even though you can become free, make the most of your position as a slave.
14. 1 Corinthians 7:22 A former slave
15. 1 Corinthians 7:22 A man who was never a slave
16. 1 Corinthians 7:28 Lit in the flesh
17. 1 Corinthians 7:36 = a man’s fiancée, or his daughter, or his Levirate wife, or a celibate companion
18. 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or virgin, if his passions are strong,
19. 1 Corinthians 7:38 Or marries off
20. 1 Corinthians 7:38 Or marry her off
21. 1 Corinthians 7:39 Other mss add by law
22. 1 Corinthians 7:39 Only a believer

Cross references

1. 7:2 : 1Th 4:3
2. 7:2 : Mt 1:6; 1Pt 3:1
3. 7:3 : Rm 13:7
4. 7:5 : Mk 10:19
5. 7:7 : 2Co 1:11
6. 7:8 : Jms 1:27
7. 7:9 : 1Co 9:25
8. 7:9 : 1Tm 5:14
9. 7:10 : 1Tm 5:14
10. 7:11 : Dt 22:19
11. 7:12 : Ac 9:30
12. 7:14 : Lk 11:2
13. 7:17 : Col 3:15
14. 7:22 : Rm 1:1; 2Tm 2:24
15. 7:23 : 2Pt 2:1
16. 7:25 : Mt 5:7; Mk 5:19; Lk 1:50
17. 7:25 : Nm 12:7
18. 7:28 : 1Tm 5:14
19. 7:29 : Rm 13:11
20. 7:30 : Php 1:18
21. 7:31 : Mk 13:7; 1Jn 2:8
22. 7:32 : 1Th 4:1
23. 7:34 : 1Tm 5:5
24. 7:37 : Jn 1:13