Chapter 7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me, It is good for a
man not to touch a woman.
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife,
and let every woman have her own husband.
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife
unto the husband.
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband, and likewise also the
husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come together again, that Satan tempt
you not for your incontinency.
But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
For I would that all men were even as I myself, but every man hath his proper gift
of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide
even as I.
But if they cannot contain, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to
burn.
And unto the married I command, Yet not I, but the Lord, let not the wife
depart from her husband.
But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her
husband, and let not the husband put away his wife.
But to the rest speak I, not the Lord.
If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him,
let him not put her away.
And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to
dwell with her, let her not leave him.
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.
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart.
A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God hath called us to
peace.
For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband?
Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called everyone,
so let him walk.
And so ordain I in all churches.
Is any man called being circumcised?
Let him not become uncircumcised.
Is any called in uncircumcision?
Let him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping
of the commandment of God.
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Art thou called being a servant?
Care not for it.
But if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's free man.
Likewise also he that is called being free is Christ's servant.
Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men.
Brethren, let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God.
Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord, yet I give my
judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
I suppose, therefore, that this is good for the present distress.
I say that it is good for a man so to be.
Art thou bound unto a wife?
Seek not to be loosed.
Art thou loosed from a wife?
Seek not a wife.
But, and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned.
And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned.
Nevertheless, such shall have trouble in the flesh, but I spare you.
But this I say, brethren, the time is short.
It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none,
and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they
rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that use this
world as not abusing it.
For the fashion of this world passeth away.
But I would have you without carefulness.
He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please
the Lord.
But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may
please his wife.
There is difference also between a wife and a virgin.
The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in
body and in spirit.
But she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please
her husband.
And this I speak for your own profit, not that I may cast a snare upon you,
but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without
distraction.
But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin,
if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he
will.
He sinneth not, let them marry.
Nevertheless, he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity,
but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he
will keep his virgin, doeth well.
So then he that giveth her in marriage, doeth well.
But he that giveth her not in marriage, doeth better.
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth.
But if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will,
only in the Lord.
But she is happier if she so abide after my judgment.
And I think also that I have the Spirit of God.