#ScriptureReflection - 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 (1.18.22)

 III. Answers to the Corinthians’ Questions

A. Marriage and Virginity

Advice to the Married.
¹  Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: “It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman,” ²  but because of cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. ³  The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband. ⁴  A wife does not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but rather his wife. ⁵  Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control. ⁶  This I say by way of concession, however, not as a command. ⁷  Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

⁸  Now to the unmarried and to widows I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do, ⁹  but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire. ¹⁰  To the married, however, I give this instruction (not I, but the Lord): A wife should not separate from her husband ¹¹  —and if she does separate she must either remain single or become reconciled to her husband—and a husband should not divorce his wife.

¹²  To the rest I say (not the Lord): if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to go on living with him, he should not divorce her; ¹³  and if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to go on living with her, she should not divorce her husband. ¹⁴  For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, whereas in fact they are holy.

¹⁵  If the unbeliever separates, however, let him separate. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases; God has called you to peace. ¹⁶  For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband; or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Source: NABRE (New American Bible Revised Edition)