1 Corinthians 7 Now with respect to those matters about which you wrote to me, it is well for a man not to marry:

Thomson⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Now with respect to those matters about which you wrote to me, it is well for a man not to marry: ² but to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife; and every woman her own husband. ³ Let the husband render due benevolence to the wife; and in like manner the wife to the husband. ⁴ The wife hath not the power over her own body; but the husband: And in like manner the husband hath not the power over his own body; but the wife. ⁵ Withdraw not from each other, unless by mutual consent for a time, that you may devote yourselves to fasting and prayer. Then come together again that satan may not tempt you through your incontinence. ⁶ Now this I say by way of counsel, not of command; ⁷ for I wish all men to be as I myself am. But every one hath his peculiar gift from God, some of one kind; and some, of another. ⁸ I say then to unmarried men and to widows, it is well for them if they continue as I do. ⁹ But if they have not the gift of continency, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. ¹⁰ And to them who are married I give this injunction; not I but the Lord: That a wife separate not herself from her husband; ¹¹ but if she hath actually separated, let her continue unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and that a husband put not away a wife. ¹² And to the rest I say, not the Lord; if any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is well satisfied to live with him, let him not divorce her: ¹³ and if any woman hath an unbelieving husband, and he is well satisfied to live with her, let her not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is hallowed by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is hallowed by the husband; else your children would be unclean; whereas they are now holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving withdraw; let him or her withdraw, the brother or the sister is not in such cases enslaved: But God hath called us to peace. ¹⁶ For how knowest thou, O wife, but thou mayst save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O husband, but thou mayst save thy wife? ¹⁷ But as God hath distributed to every one; as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And thus I enjoin in all the congregations. ¹⁸ Hath any one been called, being circumcised, let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in a state of uncircumcision, let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ The circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing, in comparison with keeping the commandments of God. ²⁰ In whatever state any one hath been called, in that let him abide. ²¹ Hast thou been called being a slave, let it not give thee concern. But if thou canst be made free, chuse that rather. ²² For he who is called by the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord's freedman; and in like manner he who is called being free, is the vassal of Christ. ²³ You have been bought with a price, become not slaves of men. ²⁴ Brethren, in whatever state any one hath been called, in that let him continue with God. ²⁵ Now with respect to the virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give an opinion as one who hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. ²⁶ I think then this to be good on account of the impending distress; that it is well for a man to be as he is. ²⁷ Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be disengaged: Art thou disengaged from a wife, seek not a wife. ²⁸ But if thou shouldst actually marry, thou hast not sinned; and if the virgin marry she hath not sinned. But such will have affliction in the flesh: But I spare you ²⁹ and say this, brethren, that the time with regard to what remaineth, is shortened, so that they who have wives should be as if they had them not; ³⁰ and they who weep, as if they wept not; and they who rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they who buy, as not possessing; and they ³¹ who use this world, as not using it immoderately. For the scenery of this world is shifting; ³² and I wish you to be free from anxious cares. He who is unmarried careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord; ³³ but he who is married careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. ³⁴ There is the like difference between the wife and the virgin. The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but she who is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. ³⁵ Now this I say for your own benefit, not with a view to lay a snare for you; but for that which is becoming and best adapted to a steady, uninterrupted adherence to the Lord. ³⁶ But if any man thinketh that he bringeth reproach on his virgin; if she be past the prime, this then should be the rule, What she willeth, let him do, he doth not sin; let them marry: ³⁷ but whoever hath come to a. fixed determination in his heart, using no constraint, but hath power with respect to his own will and hath determined in his heart to keep his virgin, he doth well. ³⁸ So that he who giveth in marriage doth well, but he who giveth not in marriage doth better. ³⁹ A wife is bound by law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die; she is at liberty to many whom she will; only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But she is happier, if she continue as she is. This is my opinion, and I think I have a spirit of God.