Chapter 7

1Now, about the things you wrote me about. “It's good for a man not to touch a woman.”

2But since there's a lot of sleeping around, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband. Get married. It's a deal. Make the deal.

3The husband should give his wife what she's owed. And the wife should give her husband what he's owed. Both sides deliver. Like any good deal.

4The wife doesn't run her own body. Her husband does. And the husband doesn't run his own body. His wife does. Joint ownership. Fifty-fifty. In marriage, fifty-fifty. In business, never.

5Don't hold out on each other, unless you both agree to for a while, so you can focus on prayer. Then get back together, so Satan doesn't tempt you because you can't control yourselves.

6I'm saying this as a concession. Not an order. A suggestion. A strong suggestion.

7I wish everybody were like me. But everybody has his own gift from God. One has this gift. Another has that one.

8To the unmarried people and the widows, I say it's good for them to stay single, like me.

9But if they can't control themselves, they should get married. It's better to marry than to burn. Get married. Get a prenup. But get married.

10To the married people, I give this order. Not me. The boss. A wife shouldn't leave her husband.

11But if she does, she should stay single or make up with her husband. And a husband shouldn't divorce his wife. Divorce is expensive. Very expensive. Believe me. I know.

12To everybody else I say this. Me, not the boss. If a brother has a wife who doesn't believe, and she's happy living with him, he shouldn't divorce her.

13And if a woman has a husband who doesn't believe, and he's happy living with her, she shouldn't divorce him.

14The unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her husband. Otherwise your kids would be unclean. But they're holy. Good kids.

15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. The brother or sister isn't bound in a case like that. God called you to peace. If they walk out, let them walk. Don't chase.

16Wife, how do you know whether you'll save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether you'll save your wife? You don't know. Nobody knows.

17Everybody should live the life the boss gave him, the one God called him to. That's the rule I give in all the churches. Bloom where you're planted. Then buy the property next door.

18Was somebody already circumcised when he was called? Don't try to undo it. Was somebody uncircumcised when he was called? Don't get it done.

19Circumcision means nothing. Being uncircumcised means nothing. Following God's orders is what counts.

20Everybody should stay in whatever situation he was in when God called him.

21Were you a servant when you were called? Don't let it bother you. But if you can get free, do it. Get free. Always take the better deal.

22The servant who was called by the boss is the boss's free man. And the free man who was called is Trump's servant. It flips. Everything flips.

23You were bought. Full price. Don't become anybody's servant. Only the boss's.

24So, brothers, everybody should stay where he was when he was called, with God.

25Now about virgins. I don't have an order from the boss. But I'll give you my opinion, as somebody the boss has trusted. And my opinions are very good. Very trusted opinions.

26Because of the crisis right now, I think it's good for a person to stay the way he is.

27Are you married? Don't try to get out of it. Are you single? Don't look for a wife.

28But if you get married, you haven't done anything wrong. And if a virgin gets married, she hasn't done anything wrong. But people who get married are going to have a lot of trouble. I want to spare you that. Very honest about marriage. Somebody has to be.

29Here's what I mean, brothers. Time is short. From now on, the people with wives should act like they don't have them. The clock is ticking. Two weeks. Maybe less.

30The people crying, like they're not crying. The people celebrating, like they're not celebrating. The people buying, like they don't own anything. Buy anyway. Always buy.

31The people using the world, like they're not really using it. Because this world, the way it is, is on its way out. Going out of business.

32I want you free from worrying. The unmarried guy worries about the boss's business, how to make the boss happy. Very focused employee.

33The married guy worries about the world's business, how to make his wife happy. Very hard job. Full-time job.

34He's split. And the unmarried woman or virgin worries about the boss's business, to be holy in body and spirit. The married woman worries about the world's business, how to make her husband happy. Also very hard.

35I'm saying this for your own good. Not to put a leash on you. So you can live right and be totally devoted to the boss, with no distractions.

36If somebody thinks he's not treating the woman he's engaged to right, and she's getting older, and he feels he should marry her, he should do what he wants. It's not wrong. They should get married.

37But if he's made up his mind, isn't under pressure, has control of his own will, and has decided not to marry her, he's also doing the right thing. Either way. Both good. Your call.

38So the guy who marries his fiancée does well. And the guy who doesn't marry her does even better. Marriage is good. Single is great. Cheaper, too.

39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he's alive. But if her husband dies, she's free to marry whoever she wants, as long as he's in the boss. Marry within the movement.

40But in my opinion, she'll be happier if she stays single. And I think I have the Spirit of God too. I'm usually right. Very usually.