1 Corinthians 7 — Read & Listen Online

The Father's Design for Marriage

Chapter 7.

Now concerning the things you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should give his wife what he owes her, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer; then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all people were as I myself am. But each person has his own gift from our Father — one person this way, another that way. To the unmarried and to the widows I say that it is good for them to remain as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this charge — not I, but the Lord — that a wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does separate, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and a husband should not divorce his wife.

To the rest I say — I, not the Lord — that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to live with him, he should not divorce her. And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to live with her, she should not divorce her husband. For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases. Our Father has called you to 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?

Only let each person live the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which our Father has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo it. Was anyone uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of our Father is what matters. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it trouble you. But if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity. For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave has been set free by the Lord; likewise the one who was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, whatever condition each was in when called, there let him remain with our Father.

Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. ^a Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I would spare you that. This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they owned nothing, and those who use the things of the world as though not engrossed in them. For the present form of this world is passing away.

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote good order and undivided devotion to the Lord.

If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward his fiancée, if his passions are strong and it has to be, let him do as he wishes — let them marry; it is no sin. But whoever is firmly settled in his heart, under no compulsion but in control of his own will, and has resolved in his heart to keep her as his fiancée, he will do well. So then, the one who marries his fiancée does well, and the one who does not marry her will do better.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, only in the Lord. Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of our Father.

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