1 Corinthians 7:1-24 - Concerning Christian Marriage

¹ Now concerning the things of which ye wrote to me. It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ² But because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ³ Let the husband render the goodwill owed to the wife, and likewise also the wife to the husband. ⁴ The wife has not the right of her private body, but the husband, and likewise also the husband has not the right of his private body, but the wife. ⁵ Do not defraud each other except from agreement for a time, so that ye may have time for fasting and prayer. And come together again for the same thing, so that Satan not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ But I say this from concession not from commandment. ⁷ For I wish all men to be even as myself. However each man has his own gift from God, one in this way, and another after that.

⁸ But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I. ⁹ But if they have no self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn.

¹⁰ And to those who are married, I do not command but the Lord. The wife is not to separate from her husband. ¹¹ But even if she separates, she shall remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to leave his wife. ¹² But to the rest I say, not the Lord. If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and this woman consents to dwell with him, he should not leave her. ¹³ And whichever woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, she should not leave him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified by the husband, then otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever separates, he shall separate. The brother or the sister has not been bound in such things. And God has called us to peace. ¹⁶ For how do thou know, O wife, whether thou will save thy husband? Or how will thou know, O husband, whether thou will save thy wife?

¹⁷ Except, as God has distributed to each man, as the Lord has called each, so let him walk. And so I command in all the congregations. ¹⁸ Was any man called circumcised? He should not become uncircumcised. Was any man called in uncircumcision? He should not be circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, instead, the keeping of God's commandments. ²⁰ Each man, in the situation in which he was called, in this he should remain. ²¹ Were thou called being a bondman? It should not concern thee. However if also thou are able to become free, take advantage of it instead. ²² For he who was called in Lord a bondman is a freedman of Lord. Likewise also he who was called a free man is a bondman of Christ. ²³ Ye were bought with a price, become not bondmen of men. ²⁴ Brothers, each man, in what he was called, should remain in this before God.