1CO 7:1-16

Principles of Marriage

1Now concerning the things you wrote about: it is good for a man not to touch a woman, not to touch.

2But because of the sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

3Let the husband render to the wife the debt due, and likewise also the wife to the husband.

4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

5Do not deprive one another, except by agreement for a season, that you may have leisure for prayer, and again be together, that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6But this I say by way of concession, not by way of command.

7Yet I wish all men to be even as also myself; but each has his own gift from God, one indeed of one kind, another of another.

8But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they remain as I am.

9But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.

10But to those married I command — not I, but the Lord — a wife is not to be separated from her husband

11(but if also she should be separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband), and a husband is not to send away his wife.

12But to the rest I say — I, not the Lord — if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to dwell with him, let him not send her away.

13And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not send away the husband.

14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the brother; otherwise indeed your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15But if the unbelieving one separates, let him separate; the brother or the sister has not been bound in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

16For what do you know, wife, whether you will save the husband? Or what do you know, husband, whether you will save the wife?

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Corinth, marriage was deeply embedded in Greco-Roman social and economic structures. Marriage was not merely a private arrangement but a public institution tied to family honor, inheritance, and social stability. Sexual ethics were a significant concern, especially in a city like Corinth, known for its temple of Aphrodite and associated sexual practices. The term (porneia) encompassed a wide range of sexual behaviors considered illicit, including adultery, prostitution, and other forms of sexual immorality. Paul’s instruction to avoid reflects a concern for maintaining marital fidelity in a culture where extramarital relationships were often normalized. The reciprocal obligation to fulfill the 'debt' within marriage underscores the mutual responsibility of spouses, countering the patriarchal norms of the time where women’s autonomy was often limited. The call for temporary abstinence by mutual agreement aligns with Jewish practices of fasting and prayer, suggesting a balance between marital duties and spiritual devotion.

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How other translations render this

1CO 7:1

KJV: Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
BSB: Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.
Koinōnos: Now concerning the things you wrote about: it is good for a man not to touch a woman, not to touch.

1CO 7:2

KJV: Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
BSB: But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
Koinōnos: But because of the sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

1CO 7:3

KJV: Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
BSB: The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
Koinōnos: Let the husband render to the wife the debt due, and likewise also the wife to the husband.

1CO 7:4

KJV: The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
BSB: The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.
Koinōnos: The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

1CO 7:5

KJV: Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
BSB: Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.
Koinōnos: Do not deprive one another, except by agreement for a season, that you may have leisure for prayer, and again be together, that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

1CO 7:6

KJV: But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
BSB: I say this as a concession, not as a command.
Koinōnos: But this I say by way of concession, not by way of command.

1CO 7:7

KJV: For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
BSB: I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
Koinōnos: Yet I wish all men to be even as also myself; but each has his own gift from God, one indeed of one kind, another of another.

1CO 7:8

KJV: I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
BSB: Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.
Koinōnos: But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they remain as I am.

1CO 7:9

KJV: But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
BSB: But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Koinōnos: But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.

1CO 7:10

KJV: And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
BSB: To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.
Koinōnos: But to those married I command — not I, but the Lord — a wife is not to be separated from her husband

1CO 7:11

KJV: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
BSB: But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
Koinōnos: (but if also she should be separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband), and a husband is not to send away his wife.

1CO 7:12

KJV: But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
BSB: To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.
Koinōnos: But to the rest I say — I, not the Lord — if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to dwell with him, let him not send her away.

1CO 7:13

KJV: And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
BSB: And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
Koinōnos: And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not send away the husband.

1CO 7:14

KJV: For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
BSB: For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
Koinōnos: For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the brother; otherwise indeed your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

1CO 7:15

KJV: But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
BSB: But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.
Koinōnos: But if the unbelieving one separates, let him separate; the brother or the sister has not been bound in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

1CO 7:16

KJV: For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
BSB: How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Koinōnos: For what do you know, wife, whether you will save the husband? Or what do you know, husband, whether you will save the wife?

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

1CO 7:2

sexual immorality:The word translated 'sexual immorality' is a broad term encompassing various illicit sexual acts, including prostitution, fornication, and adultery, and was often used metaphorically for idolatry.

1CO 7:3

good will:The word translated 'good will' literally means to give back or render what is due, implying a reciprocal obligation within the marital relationship.

1CO 7:5

you may be devoted:The word translated 'you may be devoted' literally means to have leisure or spare time, suggesting that the purpose of temporary abstinence is to free up time for prayer.
Satan:The word translated 'Satan' is a mistranslation; the actual word here refers to a lack of self-control or self-indulgence, not the devil.