1Cor 4:17, 7:11-33, 36 | ESV | STEP | That is why I sent you Timothy , my beloved and faithful child in the Lord , to remind you of my ways in Christ , as I teach them everywhere in every church .

17 That is why ^aI sent ^{▼▼Or am sending} you Timothy, ^cmy beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts add Jesus} ^eas I teach them everywhere in every church.

1 Corinthians 7:11-33

11 (but if she does, ^fshe should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and ^gthe husband should not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. ^hOtherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you ^{▼▼Some manuscripts us} ^jto peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, ^kwhether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

17 Only let each person lead the life ^{▼▼Or each person walk in the way} ^mthat the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. ⁿThis is my rule in ^oall the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? ^pLet him not seek circumcision. 19 ^qFor neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but ^rkeeping the commandments of God. 20 ^sEach one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant ^{▼▼Or slave; also twice in verse 22 (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)} when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is ^ua freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is ^va bondservant of Christ. 23 ^wYou were bought with a price; ^xdo not become bondservants ^{▼▼Or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)} of men. 24 So, brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29} ^aain whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

The Unmarried and the Widowed

25 Now concerning ^{▼▼The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1} the betrothed, ^{▼▼Greek virgins} ^adI have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as ^aeone who by the Lord’s mercy is ^aftrustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present ^{▼▼Or impending} distress ^ahit is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman ^{▼▼Greek virgin; also verse 34} marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: ^ajthe appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy ^akas though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For ^althe present form of this world is passing away.

32 I want you to be ^amfree from anxieties. ^anThe unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,

1 Corinthians 7:36

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, ^{▼▼Greek virgin; also verses 37, 38} if his ^{▼▼Or her} passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.