1 Corinthians 7:10-24

Principles for Marriage

10 To the married f I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): g the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, h she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and g the 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. i Otherwise 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 1 j to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, k whether 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 l that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. m This is my rule in n all 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? o Let him not seek circumcision. 19 p For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but q keeping the commandments of God. 20 r Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a slave 2 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 slave is s a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is t a slave of Christ. 23 u You were bought with a price; v do not become slaves of men. 24 So, brothers, 3 w in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

  1. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 7:6
    Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.
  2. Cross References
    Malachi 2:16
    "For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."
    Matthew 5:32
    But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
  3. Cross References
    Mark 10:12
    And if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.
  4. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 7:10
    To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband
  5. Cross References
    Ezra 9:2
    For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost.
    Malachi 2:15
    Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
  6. Cross References
    Colossians 3:15
    And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
    Romans 14:19
    So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
  7. Cross References
    1 Peter 3:1
    Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.
    Romans 11:14
    In order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.
  8. Cross References
    Romans 12:3
    For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
  9. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 4:17
    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.
  10. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 8:18
    With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.
    2 Corinthians 11:28
    And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
  11. Cross References
    Acts 15:1
    But some men came down from Judea and were teac...
    Acts 15:5
    But some believers who belonged to the party of...
    Acts 15:19
    Therefore my judgment is that we should not tro...
    Acts 15:24
    Since we have heard that some persons have gone...
    Acts 15:28
    For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and t...
    Galatians 5:2
    Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept ci...
  12. Cross References
    Galatians 3:28
    There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
    Galatians 5:6
    For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
    Galatians 6:15
    For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
    Colossians 3:11
    Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
  13. Cross References
    1 John 2:3
    And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
  14. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 7:24
    So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
  15. Cross References
    Colossians 3:24
    Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
    Philemon 1:16
    No longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother - especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
    John 8:36
    So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
  16. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 9:21
    To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
    1 Peter 2:16
    Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
  17. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 6:20
    For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
  18. Cross References
    Leviticus 25:42
    For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves.
    Leviticus 25:55
    For it is to me that the people of Israel are servants. They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
  19. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 7:20
    Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.