1 Corinthians 7:1-16
Advice for Those Who Are Married
Now I want to deal with the things you wrote me about. Some of you say, “It is good for a man not to sleep with a woman.” But since sexual sin is happening, each man should sleep with his own wife. And each woman should sleep with her own husband. A husband should satisfy his wife’s needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband’s needs. The wife’s body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife. You shouldn’t stop giving yourselves to each other. You might possibly do this when you both agree to it. And you should only agree to it to give yourselves time to pray. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can’t control yourselves. I say those things to you as my advice, not as a command. I wish all of you were single like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift, and another has that one.
I speak now to those who are not married. I also speak to widows. It is good for you to stay single like me. But if you can’t control yourselves, you should get married. It is better to get married than to burn with desire.
I give a command to those who are married. It is a direct command from the Lord, not from me. A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does, she must not get married again. Or she can go back to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
I also have something to say to everyone else. It is from me, not a direct command from the Lord. Suppose a brother has a wife who is not a believer. If she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And suppose a woman has a husband who is not a believer. If he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. The unbelieving husband has been made holy through his wife. The unbelieving wife has been made holy through her believing husband. If that were not the case, your children would not be pure and “clean.” But as it is, they are holy.
But if the unbeliever leaves, let that person go. In that case, the believer does not have to stay married to the unbeliever. God wants us to live in peace. Wife, how do you know if you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know if you will save your wife?
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