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1 CORINTHIANS 7
VI. Dealing with Marriage Life
A. Concerning the Gift Not to Marry

1. Now concerning the things of which you wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2. But because of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
3. Let the husband render to his wife that which is due, and likewise also the wife to the husband.
4. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
5. Do not deprive each other, except by agreement for a time that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and then be together again, that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6. But this I say by way of concession, not by way of command.
7. Yet I wish all men to be even as I am myself; but each has his own gift from God, one in this way, the other in that.

B. Concerning the Unmarried
and the Widows

8. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I am.
9. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with desire.

C. Concerning the Married

10. But to the married I charge, not I but the Lord, A wife must not be separated from her husband
11. (But if indeed she is separated, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband), and a husband must not leave his wife.
12. But to the rest I say, I, not the Lord, If any brother has an unbelieving wife and she consents to dwell with him, he must not leave her;
13. And a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and if he consents to dwell with her, must not leave her husband.
14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the brother; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
15. But if the unbelieving one separates, let him separate; the brother or the sister is not enslaved in such cases, but God has called us in peace.
16. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

D. Remaining in
the Status of One’s Calling

17. However as the Lord has apportioned to each one, as God has called each one, so let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.
18. Was anyone called having been circumcised? He need not efface it. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He need not be circumcised.
19. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of Gods commandments is what counts.
20. Each one, in the calling in which he was called, in this let him remain.
21. Were you called as a slave? Let it not concern you; but even if you are able to become free, use your status as a slave rather.
22. For the slave who has been called in the Lord is the Lords freedman; likewise the free man who has been called is Christs slave.
23. You were bought with a price; do not be slaves of men.
24. Each one, brothers, in what status he was called, in this let him remain with God.