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1 Corinthians 7:36-38
Good News Translation
1 Corinthians 7:36-38
Good News Translation
36 In the case of an engaged couple who have decided not to marry: if the man feels that he is not acting properly toward the young woman and if his passions are too strong and he feels that they ought to marry, then they should get married, as he wants to.[a] There is no sin in this. 37 But if a man, without being forced to do so, has firmly made up his mind not to marry,[b] and if he has his will under complete control and has already decided in his own mind what to do—then he does well not to marry the young woman.[c] 38 So the man who marries[d] does well, but the one who doesn't marry[e] does even better.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 an engaged couple … as he wants to; or a man and his unmarried daughter: if he feels that he is not acting properly toward her, and if she is at the right age to marry, then he should do as he wishes and let her get married.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 not to marry; or not to let his daughter get married.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37 marry the young woman; or let her get married.
- 1 Corinthians 7:38 marries; or lets his daughter get married.
- 1 Corinthians 7:38 doesn't marry; or doesn't let her get married.
1 Corinthians 7:36-38
New International Version
1 Corinthians 7:36-38
New International Version
36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong[a] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning.(A) They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right,(B) but he who does not marry her does better.[b]
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage
- 1 Corinthians 7:38 Or 36 If anyone thinks he is not treating his daughter properly, and if she is getting along in years (or if her passions are too strong), and he feels she ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. He should let her get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind to keep the virgin unmarried—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who gives his virgin in marriage does right, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.