1Cor 7 | NASB1995 | STEP | Now concerning the things about which you wrote , it is good for a man not to touch a woman .

‏ 1 Corinthians 7

Teaching on Marriage

1 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is ^agood for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. 3 The husband must ^{▼▼ Lit render}fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 ^cStop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and ^{▼▼ Lit be}come together again so that ^eSatan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 But this I say by way of concession, ^fnot of command. 7 ^{▼▼ One early ms reads For}Yet I wish that all men were ^heven as I myself am. However, ⁱeach man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is ^jgood for them if they remain ^keven as I. 9 But if they do not have self-control, ^llet them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 But to the married I give instructions, ^mnot I, but the Lord, that the wife should not ^{▼▼ Lit depart from}leave her husband 11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not ^{▼▼ Or leave his wife}divorce his wife.

12 But to the rest ^pI say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not ^{▼▼ Or leave her}divorce her. 13 And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not ^{▼▼ Or leave her husband}send her husband away. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through ^{▼▼ Lit the brother}her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are ^tholy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called ^{▼▼ One early ms reads you}us ^{▼▼ Lit in
,} ^wto peace. 16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will ^xsave your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

17 Only, ^yas the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And ^zso I direct in ^aaall the churches. 18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? ^abHe is not to be circumcised. 19 ^acCircumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is ^adthe keeping of the commandments of God. 20 ^aeEach man must remain in that ^{▼▼ Lit calling}condition in which he was called.

21 Were you called while a slave? ^{▼▼ Lit Let it not be a care to you}Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather ^{▼▼ Lit use}do that. 22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is ^aithe Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is ^ajChrist’s slave. 23 ^akYou were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, ^aleach one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

25 Now concerning virgins I have ^amno command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who ^{▼▼ Lit has had mercy shown on him by the Lord to be trustworthy
,} ^aoby the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26 I think then that this is good in view of the ^{▼▼ Or impending}present ^aqdistress, that ^arit is good for a man ^{▼▼ Lit so to be}to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have ^{▼▼ Lit tribulation in the flesh}trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 29 But this I say, brethren, ^authe time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; 30 and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 31 and those who use the world, as though they did not ^avmake full use of it; for ^awthe form of this world is passing away.

32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is ^axunmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but ^{▼▼ Lit for what is seemly}to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

36 But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let ^{▼▼ Lit them}her marry. 37 But he who stands firm in his heart, ^{▼▼ Lit having no necessity}being under no constraint, but has authority ^{▼▼ Lit pertaining to}over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. 38 So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

39 ^bcA wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband ^{▼▼ Lit falls asleep}is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only ^bein the Lord. 40 But ^bfin my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.