Side by side
1 Corinthians 7
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949
KJV
King James Version · 1611
1Now, as to the things in your letter to me: It is good for a man to have nothing to do with a woman.
1Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband.
2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3Let the husband give to the wife what is right; and let the wife do the same to the husband.
3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4The wife has not power over her body, but the husband; and in the same way the husband has not power over his body, but the wife.
4The 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.
5Do not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control.
5Defraud 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.
6But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord.
6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
7It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that.
7For 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.
8But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am.
8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
9But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire.
9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
10But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband
10And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart 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.
11But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
12But 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.
12But 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.
13And 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.
13And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14For 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.
14For 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.
15But 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.
15But 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.
16For 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?
16For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
17Only, 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.
17But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
18If 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.
18Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19Circumcision is nothing, and its opposite is nothing, but only doing the orders of God is of value.
19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20Let every man keep the position in which he has been placed by God.
20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
21If 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.
21Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
22For 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.
22For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
23It is the Lord who has made payment for you: be not servants of men.
23Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
24My brothers, let every man keep in that condition which is the purpose of God for him.
24Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25Now 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.
25Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
26In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is.
26I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.
27If 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.
27Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28If 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.
28But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
29But 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;
29But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30And 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;
30And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31And 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.
31And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
32But 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:
32But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
33But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife.
33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34And 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.
34There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35Now 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.
35And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
36But 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.
36But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
37But 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.
37Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
38So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better.
38So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
39It 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.
39The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.