Parallel Bible results for "1 corinthians 7"

1 Corinthians 7

Common English Bible CEB

1 Now, about what you wrote: "It's good for a man not to have sex with a woman."

2 Each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband because of sexual immorality.

3 The husband should meet his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should do the same for her husband.

4 The wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

5 Don't refuse to meet each other's needs unless you both agree for a short period of time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come back together again so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 I'm saying this to give you permission; it's not a command.

7 I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one.

8 I'm telling those who are single and widows that it's good for them to stay single like me.

9 But if they can't control themselves, they should get married, because it's better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 I'm passing on the Lord's command to those who are married: A wife shouldn't leave her husband,

11 but if she does leave him, then she should stay single or be reconciled to her husband. And a man shouldn't divorce his wife.

12 I'm telling everyone else (the Lord didn't say this specifically): If a believer has a wife who doesn't believe, and she agrees to live with him, then he shouldn't divorce her.

13 If a woman has a husband who doesn't believe and he agrees to live with her, then she shouldn't divorce him.

14 The husband who doesn't believe belongs to God because of his wife, and the wife who doesn't believe belongs to God because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be contaminated by the world, but now they are spiritually set apart.

15 But if a spouse who doesn't believe chooses to leave, then let them leave. The brother or sister isn't tied down in these circumstances. God has called you to peace.

16 How do you know as a wife if you will save your husband? Or how do you know as a husband if you will save your wife?

17 Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one. This is what I teach in all the churches.

18 If someone was circumcised when called, he shouldn't try to reverse it. If someone wasn't circumcised when he was called, he shouldn't be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing; not being circumcised is nothing. What matters is keeping God's commandments.

20 Each person should stay in the situation they were in when they were called.

21 If you were a slave when you were called, don't let it bother you. But if you are actually able to be free, take advantage of the opportunity.

22 Anyone who was a slave when they were called by the Lord has the status of being the Lord's free person. In the same way, anyone who was a free person when they were called is Christ's slave.

23 You were bought and paid for. Don't become slaves of people.

24 So then, brothers and sisters, each of you should stay with God in the situation you were in when you were called.

25 I don't have a command from the Lord about people who have never been married, but I'll give you my opinion as someone you can trust because of the Lord's mercy.

26 So I think this advice is good because of the present crisis: Stay as you are.

27 If you are married, don't get a divorce. If you are divorced, don't try to find a spouse.

28 But if you do marry, you haven't sinned; and if someone who hasn't been married gets married, they haven't sinned. But married people will have a hard time, and I'm trying to spare you that.

29 This is what I'm saying, brothers and sisters: The time has drawn short. From now on, those who have wives should be like people who don't have them.

30 Those who are sad should be like people who aren't crying. Those who are happy should be like people who aren't happy. Those who buy something should be like people who don't have possessions.

31 Those who use the world should be like people who aren't preoccupied with it, because this world in its present form is passing away.

32 I want you to be free from concerns. A man who isn't married is concerned about the Lord's concerns—how he can please the Lord.

33 But a married man is concerned about the world's concerns—how he can please his wife.

34 His attention is divided. A woman who isn't married or who is a virgin is concerned about the Lord's concerns so that she can be dedicated to God in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the world's concerns—how she can please her husband.

35 I'm saying this for your own advantage. It's not to restrict you but rather to promote effective and consistent service to the Lord without distraction.

36 If someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward an unmarried woman whom he knows, and if he has strong feelings and it seems like the right thing to do, he should do what he wants—he's not sinning—they should get married.

37 But if a man stands firm in his decision, and doesn't feel the pressure, but has his own will under control, he does right if he decides in his own heart not to marry the woman.

38 Therefore, the one who marries the unmarried woman does right, and the one who doesn't get married will do even better.

39 A woman is obligated to stay in her marriage as long as her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only it should be a believer in the Lord.

40 But in my opinion, she will be happier if she stays the way she is. And I think that I have God's Spirit too.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 Now, concerning the things that you wrote about: It's good for men not to get married.

2 But in order to avoid sexual sins, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

3 Husbands and wives should satisfy each other's [sexual] needs.

4 A wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but his wife does.

5 Don't withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so for a set time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should get back together so that Satan doesn't use your lack of self-control to tempt you.

6 What I have just said is not meant as a command but as a suggestion.

7 I would like everyone to be like me. However, each person has a special gift from God, and these gifts vary from person to person.

8 I say to those who are not married, especially to widows: It is good for you to stay single like me.

9 However, if you cannot control your desires, you should get married. It is better for you to marry than to burn [with sexual desire].

10 I pass this command along (not really I, but the Lord): A wife shouldn't leave her husband.

11 If she does, she should stay single or make up with her husband. Likewise, a husband should not divorce his wife.

12 I (not the Lord) say to the rest of you: If any Christian man is married to a woman who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to live with him, he should not divorce her.

13 If any Christian woman is married to a man who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to live with her, she should not divorce her husband.

14 Actually, the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and an unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise, their children would be unacceptable [to God], but now they are acceptable to him.

15 But if the unbelieving partners leave, let them go. Under these circumstances a Christian man or Christian woman is not bound [by a marriage vow]. God has called you to live in peace.

16 How do you as a wife know whether you will save your husband? How do you as a husband know whether you will save your wife?

17 Everyone should live the life that the Lord gave him when God called him. This is the guideline I use in every church.

18 Any man who was already circumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn't undo his circumcision. Any man who was uncircumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn't get circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and the lack of it is nothing. But keeping what God commands is everything.

20 All people should stay as they were when they were called.

21 Were you a slave when you were called? That shouldn't bother you. However, if you have a chance to become free, take it.

22 If the Lord called you when you were a slave, you are the Lord's free person. In the same way, if you were free when you were called, you are Christ's slave.

23 You were bought for a price. Don't become anyone's slaves.

24 Brothers and sisters, you should remain in whatever circumstances you were in when God called you. God is with you in those circumstances.

25 Concerning virgins: Even though I don't have any command from the Lord, I'll give you my opinion. I'm a person to whom the Lord has shown mercy, so I can be trusted.

26 Because of the present crisis I believe it is good for people to remain as they are.

27 Do you have a wife? Don't seek a divorce. Are you divorced from your wife? Don't look for another one.

28 But if you do get married, you have not sinned. If a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will have trouble, and I would like to spare them from that.

29 This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time has been shortened. While it lasts, those who are married should live as though they were not.

30 Those who have eyes filled with tears should live as though they have no sorrow. Those who are happy should live as though there was nothing to be happy about. Those who buy something should live as though they didn't own it.

31 Those who use the things in this world should do so but not depend on them. It is clear that this world in its present form is passing away.

32 So I don't want you to have any concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, [that is,] about how he can please the Lord.

33 But the married man is concerned about earthly things, [that is,] about how he can please his wife.

34 His attention is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the Lord's things so that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about earthly things, [that is,] about how she can please her husband.

35 I'm saying this for your benefit, not to restrict you. I'm showing you how to live a noble life of devotion to the Lord without being distracted by other things.

36 No father would want to do the wrong thing when his virgin daughter is old enough to get married. If she wants to get married, he isn't sinning by letting her get married.

37 However, a father may have come to a decision about his daughter. If his decision is to keep her [at home] because she doesn't want to get married, that's fine.

38 So it's fine for a father to give his daughter in marriage, but the father who doesn't give his daughter in marriage does even better.

39 A married woman must remain with her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if the man is a Christian.

40 However, she will be more blessed if she stays as she is. That is my opinion, and I think that I, too, have God's Spirit.