1 Corinthians 7:1-24 - Concerning Christian Marriage

¹ CONCERNING what you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman; ² but on account of fornications, let each man have his wife, and each woman have her husband. ³ Let the husband render to the wife her due, and in like manner also the wife the husband. ⁴ The wife has not the right to her body, but the husband; and in like manner the husband has not the right to his body, but the wife. ⁵ Withhold not yourselves from one another, except by agreement for a time that you may be at leisure for prayer, and come together again, that Satan may not tempt you by your incontinence. ⁶ But this I say by suggestion, not by command. ⁷ For I wish that all men were even as I am; but each one has his gift from God, and one is of one kind and another of another.

⁸ And I say to the unmarried and to the widows, that it is good for them to continue as I am; ⁹ but if they have not self-control, let them marry; it is better to marry than to be incontinent.

¹⁰ But the married I charge, not I, but the Lord, Let not a wife separate from her husband, ¹¹ and also if she is separated let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to the husband, and let not a husband leave his wife. ¹² But to the rest I speak, not the Lord, If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to live with him, let him not leave her; ¹³ and if any wife has an unbelieving husband and he is pleased to live with her, let her not leave the husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the brother; else were your children impure, but now are they holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving companion departs, let him depart; the brother or the sister is not bound in such cases; but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, wife, that you will not save your husband? or how do you know, husband, that you will not save your wife?

¹⁷ Unless as the Lord has imparted to each one, as God has called each one, so let him walk; and so I appoint in all the churches. ¹⁸ Is any one called being circumcised, let him not be uncircumcised; is any one called in uncircumcision, let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping God's commandments. ²⁰ Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called; ²¹ were you called being a servant, care not for it; but if you can be free, use it rather. ²² For the servant called in the Lord is the Lord's freeman; in like manner the called freeman is Christ's servant. ²³ You are bought with a price; be not servants of men. ²⁴ Let each one continue, brothers, in the calling in which he was called under God.