1 Corinthians 7-8

1. Let Each Man Have His Own Wife

First Corinthians 7 and 8. Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 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. 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.

2. A Wife Is Not to Depart From Her Husband

But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. 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. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn with passion. Now to the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, a wife is not to depart from her husband. 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. 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.

3. Remain in the Same Calling in Which He Was Called

And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 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. But if an unbeliever departs, let him depart. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. 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? But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk, and so I ordained in all the churches.

4. Concerning Virgins: The Time Is Short

Was any one called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing. But keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it, but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise, he who is called while free is Christ slave. You were bought at a price. Do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in his mercy has made trustworthy.

I suppose therefore that it is good because of this present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry you have not sinned, and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless, such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as those who had none, those who weep as those they did not weep, and those who rejoice as those they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it.

For the form of this present world is passing away. But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord, but he who is married cares about the things of the world, how he may please his wife. There’s 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 spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, that you may serve the Lord without distraction. But if any one thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she’s past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes.

5. Things Offered to Idols: Knowledge Puffs Up, Love Edifies

He does not sin, let them marry. Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity but has power over his will and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin does well. So then he who gives her in marriage does well but he who does not give her in marriage does better. A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains as she is according to my judgment and I think I also have the Spirit of God now concerning things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

And if any one thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing, yet as he ought to know. But if any one loves God, this one is known by him. Therefore, concerning the things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. However, there is not in every one that knowledge, for some with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

But food does not commend us to God, for neither if we eat are we better, nor if we do not eat will we be worse. But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.