I Corinthians 7
1 Now concerning what you wrote, [it is] good for [a] man not to be touching1 [a] woman. 2 But on account of fornication let2 each be having his own wife, and let2 each be having one's own husband. 4 The wife does not authority over her own body, but the husband [does]; so likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife [does]. 5 Be not depriving each other, except by agreement for [an] opportune-time3 in order that you be devoted in prayer, and again be [brought] together, in order that Satan not be testing you on account [of your] lack of self control. 6 But this I say as [a] concession, not as [a] command. 7 But I want all men to be even as myself; but each has his own gift4 from God, one thus, another thus. 8 So I say to the unmarried and to the widows, [it is] good for them if they remain as I, 9 but if they cannot have self-control, let2 them marry. For it is better to be marrying than to be burning. 10 So I call upon those married, not I but the Lord, that [the] wife not be separated from [her] husband 11 —but if she be separated, let2 her be remaining unmarried or let2 her be being reconciled to her husband—and the husband not be putting away [his] wife. 12 But to the rest I myself say, not the Lord, if any brother has [a] non-believing wife, and this [woman] consents to be living with him, let2 him not be putting her away. 13 And if any wife has [a] non-believing [husband], and this [man] consents to be living with her, let2 her not be putting away [her] husband. 14 For the non-believing husband is made holy by the wife, and the non-believing wife is made holy by the brother. 15 But if the non-believing [one] separates, let2 him be separating, the brother or sister is not enslaved in such [cases]; but God has called us to peace. 16 For what do you know, O wife, if you will save [your] husband? Or what do you know, O husband, if you will save your wife?17 Except to each as God has distributed, each as God has called [him], thus let2 him be walking. And thus do I command in all the assemblies5 . 18 Is anyone called being circumcised? Let2 him not be becoming as uncircumcised. Is anyone called in uncircumcision? Let2 him not be becoming circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 Each in the calling in which he was called, in this let2 him be abiding. 21 Were you called [a] slave? Let2 it not be [a] care to you. But if you are able to become free, rather make use of [it]. 22 For the [one] having been called in the Lord [a] slave is [a] freeman of the Lord; likewise the [one] having been called free is [a] slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with [a] price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Each in which he was called, brothers, in this let2 him be abiding with God.
25 Now concerning virgins, I do not have [a] command from the Lord, so I give knowledge as [one] having received mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy. 26 I therefore think this to be good on account of the present distress. 27 Are you bound to [a] wife? Do not seek release. Are you loosed from [a] wife? Do not seek [a] wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned. But such will have tribulation in the flesh, but I [would] spare you. 29 So this I say, brothers, the opportune-time3 is shortened, the remainder [is] that those having wives be as not having, 30 and those weeping as not weeping, and those rejoicing as not rejoicing, and those buying as not possessing, 31 and those making use of the world as though not making full use of [it]; for the form of this world passes away. 32 But I wish you to be without anxiety. The unmarried is anxious for the [things] of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but the [one] having married is anxious for the [things] of the world, how he may please [his] wife, 34 and he is anxious. And the unmarried woman and virgin is anxious for the [things] of the Lord, in order that she be holy both in body and in spirit. But the [one] having married is anxious for the [things] of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 But I say this [thing] to your profit, not in order that I throw [a] snare6, but towards propriety and consistency to the Lord undistracted. 36 But if anyone thinks he behaves indecently toward his virgin7, if she be past the flower [of you]th, and he ought to become thus, what he wishes, let2 him be doing, he does not sin, let2 them marry. 37 But who stands firm in his heart not having necessity, but has authority concerning his own wants, and has judged in his own heart, to be keeping his own virgin, he will do well. 38 So that the [one] marrying his own virgin does well, and the [one] not marrying will do better. 39 [A] woman is bound for as much time as her husband zoe-lives8 . But if the husband sleep9 she is free to marry whom she wants, only in the Lord. 40 But she is more blessed if she remains thus, according to my knowledge; but I seem10 to be also having [the] spirit of God.
1or "holding", "grasping"
2imperative
3KAIROS (καιρoς ) `opportune time', `proper time', `season'
4from GRACE
5EKKLESIA (εκκλησια) from "called out". Appears 114 times in the N.T., but only in two places in the Gospels ( Matt.16:18 (twice) and Matt.18:17 (twice)). It's worth noting that when Jesus uses the term EKKLESIA, Christian community as we know it didn't yet exist—there were only the disciples. EKKLESIA is apparently different from 'synagogue' (SYNAGOGE (συναγωγη) which occurs 56 times in the N.T.) EKKLESIA is used in secular Greek literature of a popular assembly 'called to assemble', and also of those 'called' to a cult. EKKLESIA is used frequently in the N.T. outside of the Gospels to refer to Christian communities, but in Acts.7:38 it is used of the people of Israel led through the desert by Moses, and in Acts.19:32 ff. of a secular assembly. Thus, all told, the common translation of EKKLESIA as 'church' doesn't really reflect 1st century usage—it seems to mean more like 'a group of people assembled for some specific purpose'.
6or "noose"
7"fiancé", "daughter"?
8from ZOE "ZOH-ay" (ζωη)—Life 'collectively', interdependent, interconnected. Although it means 'life' in the conventional sense (for example: Matt.9:18, Matt.27:63, Luke.2:36, Acts.25:24, Rom.7:2, 2Cor.1:8, 1Thes.4:17, 1Tim.5:10, Rev.19:20), Jesus uses ZOE exclusively of 'life eternal' (with the possible exceptions of Luke.15:13, Luke.16:25). The other N.T. writers use ZOE in both senses—temporal and eternal, generally clear from the context. The Father is the 'zoe-living God' (see Matt.16:16). The Septuagint (LXX) in Gen.2:7 has "...[God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of zoe-life, and the man became a zoe-living psyche-life" (and see 1Cor.15:45); and Gen.3:20 (LXX) "And Adam called his wife's name ZOE, because she was the mother of all zoe-living." Contrast PSYCHE (ψυχη): an individual manifestation of life/consciousness. See John.12:25 where both ZOE and PSYCHE occur. Greek also has the word BIOS (βιoς ) for 'life' in the sense of biological processes.
9i.e. "die"
10or "suppose"