1 Corinthians 7

Marriage and Singleness

1 Now let us get into the stuff you all wrote me about. Yeah, it can be good for somebody to stay single and avoid sexual relations.

2 But because sexual sin is everywhere and folks be wilding, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband.

3 Husbands need to take care of their wives the right way, and wives must do the same for their husbands.

4 The wife’s body is not just hers alone; her husband got rights too. Same thing for the husband, his body is not just his either, but belongs to his wife.

5 Do not be cutting each other off unless you all both agree to step away for a little while to focus on prayer. Then come back together so Satan does not tempt you all because of weak self-control.

6 I am saying this as advice though, not as some command.

7 Honestly, I wish everybody could live single like me, but everybody got their own gift from God. One person got one gift, another person got another.

8 To the unmarried and widows, I am saying it is good if you all can stay single like me.

9 But if you all cannot control yourselves, then get married. Better to marry than stay burning up with passion.

10 Now to the married folks, this is not coming from me but from the Lord: A wife should not leave her husband.

11 But if she does leave, she should either stay single or reconcile with him. And husbands should not divorce their wives either.

12 Now this next part is me speaking, not a direct command from the Lord: If a believer got a spouse who does not believe, but they still want to stay together, do not leave them.

13 Same for a believing woman with an unbelieving husband. If he is willing to stay, do not leave him.

14 The unbelieving spouse is set apart because of the believing one, and the children are considered holy too. Otherwise the kids would be unclean.

15 But if the unbelieving spouse wants to bounce, let them go. The believer is not trapped in that situation, because God called us to peace.

16 Wife, how do you know whether God might use you to save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether your wife might end up saved through your walk?

Live the Life God Called You To

17 Everybody should keep walking in the life God assigned them when He called them. That is the standard I teach everywhere in the churches.

18 If somebody was circumcised when God called them, do not try to undo it. If somebody was not circumcised, do not rush trying to become circumcised.

19 Circumcision is not what matters, and uncircumcision is not what matters either. What matters is obeying God’s commands.

20 Everybody should stay faithful in the situation they were in when God called them.

21 Were you a slave when God called you, Do not let it consume you. But if you get a chance to become free, take it.

22 The slave who belongs to the Lord is actually free in Him. And the free person who comes to Christ is now Christ’s servant.

23 You all were bought with a price, so do not become slaves to people.

24 Fam, wherever you all were when God called you, stay there with God and walk faithfully.

About the Unmarried

25 Now about virgins and unmarried folks: I do not have a direct command from the Lord, but I am giving my judgment as somebody God showed mercy to and made trustworthy.

26 Because times are rough right now, I think it is better for folks to stay how they are.

27 If you married, do not try to get out of it. If you single, do not go chasing marriage.

28 But if you do get married, you are not sinning. And if a virgin gets married, she is not sinning either. I am just saying marriage comes with extra struggles, and I am trying to spare you all some stress.

29 Hear me, fam: Time is short. From now on, even married folks must stay focused on God above everything else.

30 Those crying should not stay consumed by grief. Those celebrating should not get lost in pleasure. Those buying stuff should not act like possessions own them.

31 And those using the world should not become attached to it, because this world in its current form is passing away.

32 I want you all free from distractions. A single man can stay focused on the Lord and think about how to please Him.

33 But a married man must think about worldly responsibilities too, like taking care of his wife.

34 His focus gets divided. Same thing with women. An unmarried woman can focus on the Lord and being holy in body and spirit, but a married woman must think about household responsibilities and pleasing her husband too.

35 I am saying this to help you all, not to trap you all. I want you all devoted to the Lord without distractions pulling you everywhere.

36 If a man thinks he is not treating his fiancée right, and his passions are strong, and marriage needs to happen, then let them marry. He is not sinning.

37 But if somebody settled it in their heart, is not pressured into marriage, and got self-control, they can stay single, and that is good too.

38 So then, the one who marries does good, but the one who stays single does even better.

39 A wife is tied to her husband as long as he is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whoever she wants, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

40 But in my opinion, she will be happier if she stays single. And I believe I got the Spirit of God in what I am saying too.