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1 Corinthians 7:1-40 (AMP)

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¹ NOW AS to the matters of which you wrote me. It is well for a man not to touch a woman but to remain unmarried. ² But because of the temptation to impurity and to avoid immorality, let each have his own wife and let each have her own husband. ³ The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights (goodwill, kindness, and what is due her as his wife), and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴ For the wife does not have authority and control over her own body, but the husband ; likewise also the husband does not have authority and control over his body, but the wife . ⁵ Do not refuse and deprive and defraud each other , except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves unhindered to prayer. But afterwards resume marital relations, lest Satan tempt you through your lack of restraint of sexual desire. ⁶ But I am saying this more as a matter of permission and concession, not as a command or regulation. ⁷ I wish that all men were like I myself am . But each has his own special gift from God, one of this kind and one of another. ⁸ But to the unmarried people and to the widows, I declare that it is well (good, advantageous, expedient, and wholesome) for them to remain even as I do. ⁹ But if they have not self-control (restraint of their passions), they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame . ¹⁰ But to the married people I give charge--not I but the Lord--that the wife is not to separate from her husband. ¹¹ But if she does , let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband. And the husband that he should not put away or divorce his wife. ¹² To the rest I declare--I, not the Lord --that if any brother has a wife who does not believe and she consents to live with him, he should not leave or divorce her. ¹³ And if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he consents to live with her, she should not leave or divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is set apart (separated, withdrawn from heathen contamination, and affiliated with the Christian people) by union with his consecrated (set-apart) wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart and separated through union with her consecrated husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean (unblessed heathen, outside the Christian covenant), but as it is they are prepared for God . ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him do so; in such brother or sister is not morally bound. But God has called us to peace. ¹⁶ For, wife, how can you be sure of converting and saving your husband? Husband, how can you be sure of converting and saving your wife? ¹⁷ Only, let each one lead the life which the Lord has allotted and imparted to him and to which God has invited and summoned him. This is my order in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone at the time of his summons already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the evidence of circumcision. Was anyone at the time called him uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ For circumcision is nothing and counts for nothing, neither does uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. ²⁰ Everyone should remain after God calls him in the station or condition of life in which the summons found him. ²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. But if you are able to gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. ²² For he who as a slave was summoned in the Lord is a freedman of the Lord, just so he who was free when he was called is a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah). ²³ You were bought with a price ; then do not yield yourselves up to become slaves to men . ²⁴ So, brethren, in whatever station or state or condition of life each one was when he was called, there let him continue with and close to God. ²⁵ Now concerning the virgins (the marriageable maidens) I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion and advice as one who by the Lord's mercy is rendered trustworthy and faithful. ²⁶ I think then, because of the impending distress , it is well (expedient, profitable, and wholesome) for a person to remain as he or she is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ But if you do marry, you do not sin , and if a virgin marries, she does not sin . Yet those who marry will have physical and earthly troubles, and I would like to spare you that. ²⁹ I mean, brethren, the appointed time has been winding down and it has grown very short. From now on, let even those who have wives be as if they had none, ³⁰ And those who weep and mourn as though they were not weeping and mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not possess anything, ³¹ And those who deal with this world as though they were not absorbed by it and as if they had no dealings with it. For the outward form of this world (the present world order) is passing away. ³² My desire is to have you free from all anxiety and distressing care. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord; ³³ But the married man is anxious about worldly matters--how he may please his wife-- ³⁴ And he is drawn in diverging directions . And the unmarried woman or girl is concerned and anxious about the matters of the Lord, how to be wholly separated and set apart in body and spirit; but the married woman has her cares in earthly affairs--how she may please her husband. ³⁵ Now I say this for your own welfare and profit, not to put restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly and in good order and to secure your undistracted and undivided devotion to the Lord. ³⁶ But if any man thinks that he is not acting properly toward and in regard to his virgin , in case she is passing the bloom of her youth and if there is need for it, let him do what to him seems right; he does not sin; let them marry. ³⁷ But whoever is firmly established in his heart , not being forced by necessity but having control over his own will and desire, and has resolved this in his heart to keep his own virginity, he is doing well. ³⁸ So also then, he who gives his virgin (his daughter) in marriage does well, and he who does not give in marriage does better. ³⁹ A wife is bound to her husband by law as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But in my opinion is happier (more blessed and to be envied) if she does not remarry. And also I think I have the Spirit of God.


This passage relates to the following topic(s):
(v. 19) Obedience - Keeping God's commands is what counts

This passage relates to the following question(s):
(v. 1) Is marriage approved or dissaproving?
(v. 6) Is all scripture inspired? I say this as a concession, not as a command.
(v. 7) Is marriage approved or dissaproving?
(v. 12) Is all scripture inspired? I say this (I, not the Lord)

This passage is referenced in the following quiet time(s):
(v. 21) Kingdom First - Above and Beyond (part 2) (2010-01-16)
(v. 22) Kingdom First - Above and Beyond (part 2) (2010-01-16)
(v. 22) Names of the Believers (part XIII) (2011-05-13)
(v. 23) Kingdom First - Above and Beyond (part 2) (2010-01-16)
(v. 31) Purpose Driven Life - Becoming a World-Class Christian (part 3) (2008-07-17)

Definition(s):
Satan (Seh-tan): contrary; adversary; enemy; accuser
So (Soh):