1 N ow as to the matters of which you wrote me. It is well for a man not to touch a woman but to remain unmarried.

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

2 B ut because of the temptation to impurity and to avoid immorality, let each have his own wife and let each have her own husband.

Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

3 T he husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights (goodwill, kindness, and what is due her as his wife), and likewise the wife to her husband.

Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

4 F or the wife does not have authority and control over her own body, but the husband; likewise also the husband does not have authority and control over his body, but the wife.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

5 D o not refuse and deprive and defraud each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves unhindered to prayer. But afterwards resume marital relations, lest Satan tempt you through your lack of restraint of sexual desire.

Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 B ut I am saying this more as a matter of permission and concession, not as a command or regulation.

But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.

7 I wish that all men were like I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of this kind and one of another.

For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.

8 B ut to the unmarried people and to the widows, I declare that it is well (good, advantageous, expedient, and wholesome) for them to remain even as I do.

But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

9 B ut if they have not self-control (restraint of their passions), they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame.

but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. Keep Your Marriage Vows

10 B ut to the married people I give charge—not I but the Lord—that the wife is not to separate from her husband.

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband.

11 B ut if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband. And the husband that he should not put away or divorce his wife.

But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

12 T o the rest I declare—I, not the Lord —that if any brother has a wife who does not believe and she consents to live with him, he should not leave or divorce her.

But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

13 A nd if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he consents to live with her, she should not leave or divorce him.

And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.

14 F or the unbelieving husband is set apart (separated, withdrawn from heathen contamination, and affiliated with the Christian people) by union with his consecrated (set-apart) wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart and separated through union with her consecrated husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean (unblessed heathen, outside the Christian covenant), but as it is they are prepared for God.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15 B ut if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him do so; in such brother or sister is not morally bound. But God has called us to peace.

But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

16 F or, wife, how can you be sure of converting and saving your husband? Husband, how can you be sure of converting and saving your wife?

For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? Live as You Are Called

17 O nly, let each one lead the life which the Lord has allotted and imparted to him and to which God has invited and summoned him. This is my order in all the churches.

But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.

18 W as anyone at the time of his summons already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the evidence of circumcision. Was anyone at the time called him uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.

Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.

19 F or circumcision is nothing and counts for nothing, neither does uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

20 E veryone should remain after God calls him in the station or condition of life in which the summons found him.

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

21 W ere you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. But if you are able to gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.

Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.

22 F or he who as a slave was summoned in the Lord is a freedman of the Lord, just so he who was free when he was called is a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah).

For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.

23 Y ou were bought with a price; then do not yield yourselves up to become slaves to men.

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

24 S o, brethren, in whatever station or state or condition of life each one was when he was called, there let him continue with and close to God.

Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. To the Unmarried and Widows

25 N ow concerning the virgins (the marriageable maidens) I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion and advice as one who by the Lord’s mercy is rendered trustworthy and faithful.

Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy.

26 I think then, because of the impending distress, it is well (expedient, profitable, and wholesome) for a person to remain as he or she is.

I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is:

27 A re you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 B ut if you do marry, you do not sin, and if a virgin marries, she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have physical and earthly troubles, and I would like to spare you that.

But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.

29 I mean, brethren, the appointed time has been winding down and it has grown very short. From now on, let even those who have wives be as if they had none,

But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,

30 A nd those who weep and mourn as though they were not weeping and mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not possess anything,

those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,

31 A nd those who deal with this world '> overusing the enjoyments of this life] as though they were not absorbed by it and as if they had no dealings with it. For the outward form of this world (the present world order) is passing away.

and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.

32 M y desire is to have you free from all anxiety and distressing care. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord;

But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord.

33 B ut the married man is anxious about worldly matters—how he may please his wife—

But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife.

34 A nd he is drawn in diverging directions. And the unmarried woman or girl is concerned and anxious about the matters of the Lord, how to be wholly separated and set apart in body and spirit; but the married woman has her cares in earthly affairs—how she may please her husband.

There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.

35 N ow I say this for your own welfare and profit, not to put restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly and in good order and to secure your undistracted and undivided devotion to the Lord.

And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

36 B ut if any man thinks that he is not acting properly toward and in regard to his virgin, in case she is passing the bloom of her youth and if there is need for it, let him do what to him seems right; he does not sin; let them marry.

But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.

37 B ut whoever is firmly established in his heart, not being forced by necessity but having control over his own will and desire, and has resolved this in his heart to keep his own virginity, he is doing well.

Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.

38 S o also then, he who gives his virgin (his daughter) in marriage does well, and he who does not give in marriage does better.

So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.

39 A wife is bound to her husband by law as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord.

A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

40 B ut in my opinion is happier (more blessed and to be envied) if she does not remarry. And also I think I have the Spirit of God.

But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think I also have the Spirit of God.