1 Corinthians 7

1 Corinthians 7, Catholic Public Domain Version

1. Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

   De quibus autem scripsistis mihi: Bonum est homini mulierem non tangere:

2. 2

   But, because of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.†

   propter fornicationem autem unusquisque suam uxorem habeat, et unaquæque suum virum habeat.

3. 3

   A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should also act similarly toward her husband.

   Uxori vir debitum reddat: similiter autem et uxor viro.

4. 4

   It is not the wife, but the husband, who has power over her body. But, similarly also, it is not the husband, but the wife, who has power over his body.

   Mulier sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed vir. Similiter autem et vir sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed mulier.

5. 5

   So, do not fail in your obligations to one another, except perhaps by consent, for a limited time, so that you may empty yourselves for prayer. And then, return together again, lest Satan tempt you by means of your abstinence.

   Nolite fraudare invicem, nisi forte ex consensu ad tempus, ut vacetis orationi: et iterum revertimini in idipsum, ne tentet vos Satanas propter incontinentiam vestram.

6. 6

   But I am saying this, neither as an indulgence, nor as a commandment.†

   Hoc autem dico secundum indulgentiam, non secundum imperium.

7. 7

   For I would prefer it if you were all like myself. But each person has his proper gift from God: one in this way, yet another in that way.

   Volo enim omnes vos esse sicut meipsum: sed unusquisque proprium donum habet ex Deo: alius quidem sic, alius vero sic.

8. 8

   But I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them, if they would remain as they are, just as I also am.

   Dico autem non nuptis, et viduis: bonum est illis si sic permaneant, sicut et ego.

9. 9

   But if they cannot restrain themselves, they should marry. For it is better to marry, than to be burned.†

   Quod si non se continent, nubant. Melius est enim nubere, quam uri.

10. 10

    But to those who have been joined in matrimony, it is not I who commands you, but the Lord: a wife is not to separate from her husband.

    Iis autem qui matrimonio juncti sunt, præcipio non ego, sed Dominus, uxorem a viro non discedere:

11. 11

    But if she has separated from him, she must remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband should not divorce his wife.

    quod si discesserit, manere innuptam, aut viro suo reconciliari. Et vir uxorem non dimittat.

12. 12

    Concerning the rest, I am speaking, not the Lord. If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.†

    Nam ceteris ego dico, non Dominus. Si quis frater uxorem habet infidelem, et hæc consentit habitare cum illo, non dimittat illam.

13. 13

    And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce her husband.

    Et si qua mulier fidelis habet virum infidelem, et hic consentit habitare cum illa, non dimittat virum:

14. 14

    For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through the believing husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, whereas instead they are holy.†

    sanctificatus est enim vir infidelis per mulierem fidelem, et sanctificata est mulier infidelis per virum fidelem: alioquin filii vestri immundi essent, nunc autem sancti sunt.

15. 15

    But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart. For a brother or sister cannot be made subject to servitude in this way. For God has called us to peace.

    Quod si infidelis discedit, discedat: non enim servituti subjectus est frater, aut soror in hujusmodi: in pace autem vocavit nos Deus.

16. 16

    And how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

    Unde enim scis mulier, si virum salvum facies? aut unde scis vir, si mulierem salvam facies?

17. 17

    However, let each one walk just as the Lord has distributed to him, each one just as God has called him. And thus do I teach in all the churches.

    Nisi unicuique sicut divisit Dominus, unumquemque sicut vocavit Deus, ita ambulet, et sicut in omnibus ecclesiis doceo.

18. 18

    Has any circumcised man been called? Let him not cover his circumcision. Has any uncircumcised man been called? Let him not be circumcised.

    Circumcisus aliquis vocatus est? non adducat præputium. In præputio aliquis vocatus est? non circumcidatur.

19. 19

    Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; there is only the observance of the commandments of God.

    Circumcisio nihil est, et præputium nihil est: sed observatio mandatorum Dei.

20. 20

    Let each and every one remain in the same calling to which he was called.

    Unusquisque in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.

21. 21

    Are you a servant who has been called? Do not be concerned about it. But if you ever have the ability to be free, make use of it.

    Servus vocatus es? non sit tibi curæ: sed et si potes fieri liber, magis utere.

22. 22

    For any servant who has been called in the Lord is free in the Lord. Similarly, any free person who has been called is a servant in Christ.

    Qui enim in Domino vocatus est servus, libertus est Domini: similiter qui liber vocatus est, servus est Christi.

23. 23

    You have been bought with a price. Do not be willing to become the servants of men.

    Pretio empti estis: nolite fieri servi hominum.

24. 24

    Brothers, let each one, in whatever state he was called, remain in that state with God.

    Unusquisque in quo vocatus est, fratres, in hoc permaneat apud Deum.

25. 25

    Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord. But I give counsel, as one who has obtained the mercy of the Lord, so as to be faithful.

    De virginibus autem præceptum Domini non habeo: consilium autem do, tamquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino, ut sim fidelis.

26. 26

    Therefore, I consider this to be good, because of the present necessity: that it is good for a man to be such as I am.

    Existimo ergo hoc bonum esse propter instantem necessitatem, quoniam bonum est homini sic esse.

27. 27

    Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be freed. Are you free of a wife? Do not seek a wife.

    Alligatus es uxori? noli quærere solutionem. Solutus es ab uxore? noli quærere uxorem.

28. 28

    But if you take a wife, you have not sinned. And if a virgin has married, she has not sinned. Even so, such as these will have the tribulation of the flesh. But I would spare you from this.

    Si autem acceperis uxorem, non peccasti. Et si nupserit virgo, non peccavit: tribulationem tamen carnis habebunt hujusmodi. Ego autem vobis parco.

29. 29

    And so, this is what I say, brothers: The time is short. What remains of it is such that: those who have wives should be as if they had none;

    Hoc itaque dico, fratres: tempus breve est: reliquum est, ut et qui habent uxores, tamquam non habentes sint:

30. 30

    and those who weep, as though they were not weeping; and those who rejoice, as if they were not rejoicing; and those who buy, as if they possessed nothing;

    et qui flent, tamquam non flentes: et qui gaudent, tamquam non gaudentes: et qui emunt, tamquam non possidentes:

31. 31

    and those who use the things of this world, as if they were not using them. For the figure of this world is passing away.

    et qui utuntur hoc mundo, tamquam non utantur: præterit enim figura hujus mundi.

32. 32

    But I would prefer you to be without worry. Whoever is without a wife is worried about the things of the Lord, as to how he may please God.

    Volo autem vos sine sollicitudine esse. Qui sine uxore est, sollicitus est quæ Domini sunt, quomodo placeat Deo.

33. 33

    But whoever is with a wife is worried about the things of the world, as to how he may please his wife. And so, he is divided.

    Qui autem cum uxore est, sollicitus est quæ sunt mundi, quomodo placeat uxori, et divisus est.

34. 34

    And the unmarried woman and the virgin think about the things that are of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But she who is married thinks about the things that are of the world, as to how she may please her husband.

    Et mulier innupta, et virgo, cogitat quæ Domini sunt, ut sit sancta corpore, et spiritu. Quæ autem nupta est, cogitat quæ sunt mundi, quomodo placeat viro.

35. 35

    Furthermore, I am saying this for your own benefit, not in order to cast a snare over you, but toward whatever is honest and whatever may provide you with the ability to be without hindrance, so as to worship the Lord.

    Porro hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico: non ut laqueum vobis injiciam, sed ad id, quod honestum est, et quod facultatem præbeat sine impedimento Dominum obsecrandi.

36. 36

    But if any man considers himself to seem dishonorable, concerning a virgin who is of adult age, and so it ought to be, he may do as he wills. If he marries her, he does not sin.†

    Si quis autem turpem se videri existimat super virgine sua, quod sit superadulta, et ita oportet fieri: quod vult faciat: non peccat, si nubat.

37. 37

    But if he has decided firmly in his heart, and he does not have any obligation, but only the power of his free will, and if he has judged this in his heart, to let her remain a virgin, he does well.

    Nam qui statuit in corde suo firmus, non habens necessitatem, potestatem autem habens suæ voluntatis, et hoc judicavit in corde suo, servare virginem suam, bene facit.

38. 38

    And so, he who joins with his virgin in matrimony does well, and he who does not join with her does better.

    Igitur et qui matrimonio jungit virginem suam, bene facit: et qui non jungit, melius facit.

39. 39

    A woman is bound under the law for as long as her husband lives. But if her husband has died, she is free. She may marry whomever she wishes, but only in the Lord.

    Mulier alligata est legi quanto tempore vir ejus vivit, quod si dormierit vir ejus, liberata est: cui vult nubat, tantum in Domino.

40. 40

    But she will be more blessed, if she remains in this state, in accord with my counsel. And I think that I, too, have the Spirit of God.

    Beatior autem erit si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium: puto autem quod et ego Spiritum Dei habeam.

Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain · Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592)