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1 Corinthians 7:8-40 CEV
(8) Here is my advice for people who have never been married and for widows. You should stay single, just as I am.
(9) But if you don't have enough self-control, then go ahead and get married. After all, it is better to marry than to burn with desire.
(10) I instruct married couples to stay together, and this is exactly what the Lord himself taught. A wife who leaves her husband
(11) should either stay single or go back to her husband. And a husband should not leave his wife.
(12) I don't know of anything else the Lord said about marriage. All I can do is to give you my own advice. If your wife isn't a follower of the Lord, but is willing to stay with you, don't divorce her.
(13) If your husband isn't a follower, but is willing to stay with you, don't divorce him.
(14) Your husband or wife who isn't a follower is made holy by having you as a mate. This also makes your children holy and keeps them from being unclean in God's sight.
(15) If your husband or wife isn't a follower of the Lord and decides to divorce you, then you should agree to it. You are no longer bound to that person. After all, God chose you and wants you to live at peace.
(16) And besides, how do you know if you will be able to save your husband or wife who isn't a follower?
(17) In every church I tell the people to stay as they were when the Lord Jesus chose them and God called them to be his own. Now I say the same thing to you.
(18) If you are already circumcised, don't try to change it. If you are not circumcised, don't get circumcised.
(19) Being circumcised or uncircumcised isn't really what matters. The important thing is to obey God's commands.
(20) So don't try to change what you were when God chose you.
(21) Are you a slave? Don't let that bother you. But if you can win your freedom, you should.
(22) When the Lord chooses slaves, they become his free people. And when he chooses free people, they become slaves of Christ.
(23) God paid a great price for you. So don't become slaves of anyone else.
(24) Stay what you were when God chose you.
(25) I don't know of anything that the Lord said about people who have never been married. But I will tell you what I think. And you can trust me, because the Lord has treated me with kindness.
(26) We are now going through hard times, and I think it is best for you to stay as you are.
(27) If you are married, stay married. If you are not married, don't try to get married.
(28) It isn't wrong to marry, even if you have never been married before. But those who marry will have a lot of trouble, and I want to protect you from that.
(29) My friends, what I mean is that the Lord will soon come, and it won't matter if you are married or not.
(30) It will be all the same if you are crying or laughing, or if you are buying or are completely broke.
(31) It won't make any difference how much good you are getting from this world or how much you like it. This world as we know it is now passing away.
(32) I want all of you to be free from worry. An unmarried man worries about how to please the Lord.
(33) But a married man has more worries. He must worry about the things of this world, because he wants to please his wife.
(34) So he is pulled in two directions. Unmarried women and women who have never been married worry only about pleasing the Lord, and they keep their bodies and minds pure. But a married woman worries about the things of this world, because she wants to please her husband.
(35) What I am saying is for your own good--it isn't to limit your freedom. I want to help you to live right and to love the Lord above all else.
(36) But suppose you are engaged to someone old enough to be married, and you want her so much that all you can think about is getting married. Then go ahead and marry. There is nothing wrong with that.
(37) But it is better to have self-control and to make up your mind not to marry.
(38) It is perfectly all right to marry, but it is better not to get married at all.
(39) A wife should stay married to her husband until he dies. Then she is free to marry again, but only to a man who is a follower of the Lord.
(40) However, I think I am obeying God's Spirit when I say she would be happier to stay single.
1 Corinthians 7:8-40 BBE
(8) But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am.
(9) But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire.
(10) But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband
(11) Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again; and that the husband may not go away from his wife.
(12) But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her.
(13) And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband.
(14) For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy.
(15) But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another.
(16) For how may you be certain, O wife, that you will not be the cause of salvation to your husband? or you, O husband, that you may not do the same for your wife?
(17) Only, as the Lord has given to a man, and as is the purpose of God for him, so let him go on living. And these are my orders for all the churches.
(18) If any man who is a Christian has had circumcision, let him keep so; and if any man who is a Christian has not had circumcision, let him make no change.
(19) Circumcision is nothing, and its opposite is nothing, but only doing the orders of God is of value.
(20) Let every man keep the position in which he has been placed by God.
(21) If you were a servant when you became a Christian, let it not be a grief to you; but if you have a chance to become free, make use of it.
(22) For he who was a servant when he became a Christian is the Lord's free man; and he who was free when he became a Christian is the Lord's servant.
(23) It is the Lord who has made payment for you: be not servants of men.
(24) My brothers, let every man keep in that condition which is the purpose of God for him.
(25) Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him.
(26) In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is.
(27) If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife.
(28) If you get married it is not a sin; and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you.
(29) But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not;
(30) And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing;
(31) And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end.
(32) But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord:
(33) But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife.
(34) And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband.
(35) Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord.
(36) But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him; it is no sin; let them be married.
(37) But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin.
(38) So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better.
(39) It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian.
(40) But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 7:8-40 ALT
(8) Now I say to the unmarried [ones] and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I [am].
(9) But if they are not exercising self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to continue being inflamed [with lust].
(10) Now to the ones having married I am giving strict orders [or, instructing] (not I, but the Lord): do not let a wife separate from a husband.
(11) But if she is separated, let her be remaining unmarried or let her be reconciled to the husband. And stop letting a husband divorce a wife. [cp. Matt 19:3-9]
(12) But to the rest I speak (not the Lord): if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is willing to be living with him, stop letting him divorce her.
(13) And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is willing to be living with her, stop letting her divorce him.
(14) For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified [or, set apart to God] by the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified by the husband; for otherwise indeed yourp children are unclean [or, defiled], but now they are holy [or, set apart to God].
(15) But if the unbelieving [spouse] separates himself, let him be separating himself: the brother or the sister has not been bound in such [cases], but God has called us in peace.
(16) For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save the husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save the wife?
(17) Otherwise, as God distributed to each, as the Lord has called each, in this manner let him be walking about [fig., conducting himself]; and in this manner I instruct in all the assemblies.
(18) Was anyone called having been circumcised? Stop letting him become uncircumcised. Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Stop letting him be circumcised.
(19) Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but [what matters is] keeping [the] commandments of God.
(20) Each [one] in the calling in which he was called, in this let him remain.
(21) Were you called [as] a slave? Stop letting it be a concern to you, but if also you are able to become free, rather make use of [it].
(22) For the [one] in the Lord having been called [as] a slave, is [the] Lord's freedman. Likewise also the free person having been called, is a slave of Christ.
(23) Youp were bought [or, redeemed] with a price; stop becoming slaves of people.
(24) Each [one] in [the circumstance] in which he was called, brothers [and sisters], in this [circumstance] let him remain with God.
(25) Now concerning the virgins, I do not have a commandment of [or, from] the Lord, but I give an opinion as one having been shown mercy from [the] Lord to be faithful [or, trustworthy].
(26) So I consider this to be good because of the present distress, that [it is] good for a man to be in this manner:
(27) Have you been bound to a wife? Stop seeking to be loosed [or, divorced]. Have you been loosed from a wife? Stop seeking a wife.
(28) But even if you do marry, you did not sin; and if the virgin marries, she did not sin. But such will have tribulation in the flesh, and I [am trying to] spare youp.
(29) But this I say, brothers [and sisters], the time has been shortened; from now on, it is that even the ones having wives should be as not having,
(30) and the ones weeping as not weeping, and the ones rejoicing as not rejoicing, and the buying as not possessing,
(31) and the ones making use of this world as not making full use of [it], for the form of this world is passing away.
(32) But I want youp to be free from anxiety; the unmarried [man] is anxious for [or, concerned about] the [things] of the Lord, how he will please the Lord.
(33) But the married [man] is anxious for [or, concerned about] the [things] of the world, how he will please the wife.
(34) The wife and the virgin have been distinguished [or, have different interests]: the unmarried [woman] is anxious for [or, concerned about] the [things] of the Lord, so that she should be holy both in body and in spirit, but the married [woman] is anxious for [or, concerned about] the [things] of the world, how she will please the husband.
(35) Now this I say for yourp own profit [or, benefit], not so that I should cast a noose [fig., a restriction] on youp, but for the proper behavior and devotion to the Lord, without distraction.
(36) Now if anyone thinks [he is] acting shamefully [or, behaving improperly] towards his virgin, if she is past marriageable age, and it is obligated to happen, what he desires let him do; he does not sin, let him marry.
(37) But [he] who has stood steadfast in the heart [fig., is convinced in his inner self], not having necessity, and has authority [or, control] over his own desire, and this he has determined in his heart [fig., inner self], to be keeping his own virgin, he does well.
(38) Accordingly, also the one giving in marriage [or, getting married] does well, but the one not giving in marriage [or, not getting married] does better.
(39) A wife has been bound by [the] law as long as her husband lives, but if also the husband sleeps [fig., dies], she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in [the] Lord.
(40) But she is happier if she remains in this manner, according to my opinion. And I think I also to be having [the] Spirit of God.
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The Translations we quote are:
ALT - Analytical Literal Translation
ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).
BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English
Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible
CEV - Contemporary English Version
Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible
Darby - 1889 Darby Bible
DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible
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GNB - Good News Bible
GW - God's Word Bible
ISV - International Standard Version
KJV - King James Version
LitNT - Literal New Testament
LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
MKJV - Modern King James Version
Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament
NWT - New World Translation
RV - Revised Version
Webster - 1833 Webster Bible
WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament
Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible
YLT - Young's Literal Translation 1889
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