1 Corinthians 7
1. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote * unto me: It is good for a man not to touch * a woman.
2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication,let * every man have * his own wife, and let * every woman have * her own husband.
3. Let * the husband render * unto the wife due * benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4. The wife hath * not power * of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath * not power * of his own body, but the wife.
5. Defraud ye * not one the other,except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves * to fasting and prayer; and come * together again, that * Satan tempt * you not for your incontinency.
6. But I speak * this by permission, and not of commandment.
7. For I would * that all men were * even as I myself. But every man hath * his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8. I say * therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is * good for them if they abide * even * as I.
9. But if they * cannot contain * , let them marry * : for it is * better to marry * than to burn * .
10. And unto the married * I command * , yet not I, but the Lord, Let * not the wife depart * from her husband:
11. But and if she depart * , let her remain * unmarried, or be reconciled * to her husband: and let * not the husband put away * his wife.
12. But to the rest speak * I,not the Lord: If any brother hath * a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased * to dwell * with him, let him * not put * her away * .
13. And the woman which hath * an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased * to dwell * with her, let her * not leave * him.
14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified * by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified * by the husband: else were * your children unclean; but now are they * holy.
15. But if the unbelieving depart * , let him depart * . A brother or a sister is * not under bondage * in such cases: but God hath called * us to peace.
16. For what knowest thou * , O wife, whether thou shalt save * thy husband? or how knowest thou * , O man, whether thou shalt save * thy wife?
17. But as God hath distributed * to every man, as the Lord hath called * every one, so let him walk * . And so ordain I * in all churches.
18. Is * any man called * being circumcised * ? let him * not become uncircumcised * . Is * any called * in uncircumcision? let him * not be circumcised * .
19. Circumcision is * nothing, and uncircumcision is * nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20. Let * every man abide * in the same calling wherein he was called * .
21. Art thou called * being a servant? care * not for it * : but if thou mayest * be made * free, use * it rather.
22. For he that is called * in the Lord, being a servant, is * the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called * , being free, is * Christ's servant.
23. Ye are bought * with a price; be * not ye * the servants of men.
24. Brethren, let * every man, wherein he is called * , therein abide * with God.
25. Now concerning virgins I have * no commandment of the Lord: yet I give * my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy * of the Lord to be * faithful.
26. I suppose * therefore that this is * good for the present * distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be * .
27. Art thou bound * unto a wife? seek * not to be loosed * . Art thou loosed from a wife? seek * not a wife.
28. But and if thou marry * , thou hast * not sinned * ; and if a virgin marry * , she hath * not sinned * . Nevertheless such shall have * trouble in the flesh: but I spare * you.
29. But this I say * , brethren,the time is short * : it remaineth * , that both they that have * wives be * as though they had * none;
30. And they that weep * , as though they wept * not; and they that rejoice * , as though they rejoiced * not; and they that buy * , as though they possessed * not;
31. And they that use * this world, as not abusing * it: for the fashion of this world passeth away * .
32. But I would have * you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth * for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please * the Lord:
33. But he that is married * careth * for the things that are of the world, how he may please * his wife.
34. There is difference also between * a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for * the things of the Lord,that she may be * holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married * careth * for the things of the world, how she may please * her husband.
35. And this I speak * for your own profit * ; not that I may cast * a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
36. But if any man think * that he behaveth himself uncomely * toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age * , and need * so require * , let him do * what he will * , he sinneth * not: let them marry * .
37. Nevertheless he that standeth * stedfast in his heart, having * no necessity, but hath * power over his own will, and hath * so decreed * in his heart that he will keep * his virgin, doeth * well.
38. So then he that giveth her in marriage * doeth * well; but he that giveth her * not in marriage * doeth * better.
39. The wife is bound * by the law as long as her husband liveth * ; but if her husband be dead * , she is * at liberty to be married * to whom she will * ; only in the Lord.
40. But she is * happier if she * so abide * , after my judgment: and I think * also that I have * the Spirit of God.
