1 Corinthians 7:1-24 - Concerning Christian Marriage

¹ Now concerning the things of which you wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ² Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. ³ Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. ⁴ The wife has not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not power over his own body, but the wife. ⁵ Deprive not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your lack of self-control. ⁶ But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. ⁷ For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man has his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

⁸ I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. ⁹ But if they cannot have self-control, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

¹⁰ And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: ¹¹ But if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. ¹² But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother has a wife that believes not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. ¹³ And the woman who has a husband that believes not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? or how do you know, O man, whether you shall save your wife?

¹⁷ But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. ¹⁸ Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. ²⁰ Let every man abide in the same calling in which he was called. ²¹ Are you called being a servant? care not for it: but if you may be made free, use it rather. ²² For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. ²³ You are bought with a price; be not the servants of men. ²⁴ Brethren, let every man, however he is called, therein abide with God.