1Cor.7.1

Now, getting down to the questions you asked in your letter to me. First, Is it a good thing to have sexual relations?

1Cor.7.1

Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.

1Cor.7.1

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

1Cor.7.1

Now about the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life.

1Cor.7.2

Certainly--but only within a certain context. It's good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder.

1Cor.7.2

But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

1Cor.7.2

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

1Cor.7.2

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

1Cor.7.3

The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality--the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband.

1Cor.7.3

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

1Cor.7.3

Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

1Cor.7.3

The husband should not deprive his wife of sexual intimacy, which is her right as a married woman, nor should the wife deprive her husband.

1Cor.7.4

Marriage is not a place to "stand up for your rights." Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out.

1Cor.7.4

The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.

1Cor.7.4

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

1Cor.7.4

The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband also gives authority over his body to his wife.

1Cor.7.5

Abstaining from sex is permissible for a period of time if you both agree to it, and if it's for the purposes of prayer and fasting--but only for such times. Then come back together again. Satan has an ingenious way of tempting us when we least expect it.

1Cor.7.5

Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

1Cor.7.5

Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

1Cor.7.5

So do not deprive each other of sexual relations. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time, so they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterward they should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control.

1Cor.7.6

I'm not, understand, commanding these periods of abstinence--only providing my best counsel if you should choose them.

1Cor.7.6

I say this as a concession, not as a command.

1Cor.7.6

But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.

1Cor.7.6

This is only my suggestion. It's not meant to be an absolute rule.

1Cor.7.7

Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me--a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.

1Cor.7.7

I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

1Cor.7.7

For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.

1Cor.7.7

I wish everyone could get along without marrying, just as I do. But we are not all the same. God gives some the gift of marriage, and to others he gives the gift of singleness.

1Cor.7.8

I do, though, tell the unmarried and widows that singleness might well be the best thing for them, as it has been for me.

1Cor.7.8

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.

1Cor.7.8

But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

1Cor.7.8

Now I say to those who aren't married and to widows--it's better to stay unmarried, just as I am.

1Cor.7.9

But if they can't manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single.

1Cor.7.9

But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1Cor.7.9

but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1Cor.7.9

But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It's better to marry than to burn with lust.

1Cor.7.10

And if you are married, stay married. This is the Master's command, not mine.

1Cor.7.10

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.

1Cor.7.10

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband.

1Cor.7.10

Now, for those who are married I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband.

1Cor.7.11

If a wife should leave her husband, she must either remain single or else come back and make things right with him. And a husband has no right to get rid of his wife.

1Cor.7.11

But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

1Cor.7.11

But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

1Cor.7.11

But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else go back to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.

1Cor.7.12

For the rest of you who are in mixed marriages--Christian married to nonChristian--we have no explicit command from the Master. So this is what you must do. If you are a man with a wife who is not a believer but who still wants to live with you, hold on to her.

1Cor.7.12

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

1Cor.7.12

But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

1Cor.7.12

Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a Christian man has a wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her.

1Cor.7.13

If you are a woman with a husband who is not a believer but he wants to live with you, hold on to him.

1Cor.7.13

And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

1Cor.7.13

And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.

1Cor.7.13

And if a Christian woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him.

1Cor.7.14

The unbelieving husband shares to an extent in the holiness of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is likewise touched by the holiness of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be left out; as it is, they also are included in the spiritual purposes of God.

1Cor.7.14

For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

1Cor.7.14

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

1Cor.7.14

For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not have a godly influence, but now they are set apart for him.

1Cor.7.15

On the other hand, if the unbelieving spouse walks out, you've got to let him or her go. You don't have to hold on desperately. God has called us to make the best of it, as peacefully as we can.

1Cor.7.15

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.

1Cor.7.15

But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

1Cor.7.15

(But if the husband or wife who isn't a Christian insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is not required to stay with them, for God wants his children to live in peace.)

1Cor.7.16

You never know, wife: The way you handle this might bring your husband not only back to you but to God. You never know, husband: The way you handle this might bring your wife not only back to you but to God.

1Cor.7.16

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

1Cor.7.16

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

1Cor.7.16

You wives must remember that your husbands might be converted because of you. And you husbands must remember that your wives might be converted because of you.