1 Samuel 31; 1 Corinthians 7:1–24

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1 Samuel 31

The Death of Saul

uNow the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain von Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down wJonathan and xAbinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. yThe battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. zThen Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these auncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me. But his armor-bearer would not, bfor he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword cand fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, dto carry the good news eto the house of their idols and to the people. 10 fThey put his armor in the temple of gAshtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of hBeth-shan. 11 iBut when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 jall the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh kand burned them there. 13 And they took their bones land buried them under mthe tamarisk tree in Jabesh and nfasted seven days.


1 Corinthians 7:1–24

Principles for Marriage

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: tIt is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. uThe husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. vDo not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, wso that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Now as a concession, xnot a command, I say this.1 yI wish that all were zas I myself am. But aeach has his own gift from God, bone of one kind and one of another.

To the unmarried and the widows I say that cit is good for them to remain single, das I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, ethey should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married fI give this charge (not I, but the Lord): gthe wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, hshe 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. iOtherwise 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 you2 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 life3 lthat the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. mThis is my rule in nall 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? oLet him not seek circumcision. 19 pFor neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but qkeeping the commandments of God. 20 rEach one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant4 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 sa freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is ta bondservant of Christ. 23 uYou were bought with a price; vdo not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers,5 win whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.