The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

Nowe concerning the thinges whereof ye wrote vnto mee, It were good for a man not to touche a woman.

Neuertheles, to auoide fornication, let euery man haue his wife, and let euery woman haue her owne husband.

Let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence, and likewise also the wife vnto the husband.

The wife hath not the power of her owne bodie, but ye husband: and likewise also the husband hath not ye power of his own body, but the wife.

Defraude not one another, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may giue your selues to fasting and praier, and againe come together that Satan tempt you not for your incontinecie.

But I speake this by permission, not by commandement.

For I woulde that all men were euen as I my selfe am: but euery man hath his proper gift of God, one after this maner, and another after that.

Therefore I say vnto the vnmaried, and vnto the widowes, It is good for them if they abide euen as I doe.

But if they cannot abstaine, let them marrie: for it is better to marrie then to burne.

And vnto ye maried I comand, not I, but ye Lord, Let not ye wife depart from her husband.

But and if shee depart, let her remaine vnmaried, or be reconciled vnto her husband, and let not the husband put away his wife.

But to ye remnant I speake, and not ye Lord, If any brother haue a wife, ye beleeueth not, if she be content to dwell with him, let him not forsake her.

And the woman which hath an husband that beleeueth not, if he be content to dwell with her, let her not forsake him.

For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified to the wife, and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified to the husband, els were your children vncleane: but nowe are they holie.

But if the vnbeleeuing depart, let him depart: a brother or a sister is not in subiection in such things: but God hath called vs in peace.

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt saue thine husband? Or what knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt saue thy wife?

Live Your Calling

But as God hath distributed to euery man, as the Lord hath called euery one, so let him walke: and so ordaine I, in all Churches.

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not gather his vncircumcision: is any called vncircumcised? let him not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing, and vncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandements of God.

Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called.

Art thou called being a seruant? care not for it: but if yet thou maiest be free, vse it rather.

For he that is called in the Lord, being. a seruant, is the Lords freeman: likewise also he that is called being free, is Christes seruant.

Yee are bought with a price: be not the seruants of men.

Brethren, let euery man, wherein hee was called, therein abide with God.

The Unmarried and Widowed

Nowe concerning virgines, I haue no commandement of the Lord: but I giue mine aduise, as one that hath obtained mercie of the Lord to be faithfull.

I suppose then this to bee good for the present necessitie: I meane that it is good for a man so to be.

Art thou bounde vnto a wife? seeke not to be loosed: art thou loosed from a wife? seeke not a wife.

But if thou takest a wife, thou sinnest not: and if a virgine marrie, shee sinneth not: neuerthelesse, such shall haue trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

And this I say, brethren, because the time is short, hereafter that both they which haue wiues, be as though they had none:

And they that weepe, as though they wept not: and they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: and they that bye, as though they possessed not:

And they that vse this worlde, as though they vsed it not: for the fashion of this worlde goeth away.

And I would haue you without care. The vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord, howe he may please the Lord.

But hee that is maried, careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is difference also betweene a virgine and a wife: the vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirite: but shee that is maried, careth for the things of the worlde, howe shee may please her husband.

And this I speake for your owne commoditie, not to tangle you in a snare, but that yee follow that, which is honest, and that yee may cleaue fast vnto the Lord without separation.

But if any man thinke that it is vncomely for his virgine, if shee passe the flower of her age, and neede so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them be maried.

Neuerthelesse, hee that standeth firme in his heart, that hee hath no neede, but hath power ouer his owne will, and hath so decreed in his heart, that hee will keepe his virgine, hee doeth well.

So then hee that giueth her to mariage, doeth well, but he that giueth her not to mariage, doeth better.

The wife is bounde by the Lawe, as long as her husband liueth: but if her husband bee dead, shee is at libertie to marie with whome she will, onely in the Lord.

But shee is more blessed, if she so abide, in my iudgement: and I thinke that I haue also the Spirite of God.

Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her,(a) and likewise also the wife her husband.

The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

Yet I wish that all men were like me. However, each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn with passion.

But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband

(but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.

But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.

For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live Your Calling

Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments.

Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called.

Were you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.

You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men.

Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

The Unmarried and Widowed

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

Therefore I think that because of the distress that is on us, it’s good for a man to remain as he is.

Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.

But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.

But I say this, brothers: the time is short. From now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

and those who weep, as though they didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t possess;

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.

This I say for your own benefit, not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t sin. Let them marry.

But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his own virgin, does well.

So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better.

A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.

Footnotes

(a)7:3 NU and TR have “what is owed her” instead of “the affection owed her”.