1 ¶ En cuanto a las cosas de que me escribisteis, bien es al hombre no tocar mujer.

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

2 M as por evitar las fornicaciones, cada uno tenga su mujer, y cada una tenga su marido.

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

3 E l marido pague a la mujer la debida benevolencia; y asimismo la mujer al marido.

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

4 L a mujer no tiene potestad de su propio cuerpo, sino el marido; e igualmente tampoco el marido tiene potestad de su propio cuerpo, sino la mujer.

The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife.

5 N o os defraudéis el uno al otro, a no ser por algún tiempo de mutuo consentimiento, para ocuparos en ayuno y oración; y volved a juntaros en uno, para que no os tiente Satanás a causa de vuestra incontinencia.

Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 M as esto digo por permiso, no por mandamiento.

But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

7 Q uisiera más bien que todos los hombres fueran como yo; pero cada uno tiene su propio don de Dios; uno a la verdad así, y otro así.

Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.

8 D igo, pues, a los por casar y a los viudos, que bueno les es si se quedaren como yo.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

9 Y si no tienen don de continencia, cásense; que mejor es casarse que quemarse.

But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn.

10 ¶ Mas a los que están juntos en matrimonio, denuncio, no yo, sino el Señor; Que la mujer no se aparte del marido;

But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband

11 y si se apartare, que se quede sin casar, o reconcíliese con su marido; y que el marido no despida a su mujer.

(but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.

12 Y a los demás yo digo, no el Señor: si algún hermano tiene mujer incrédula, y ella consiente para habitar con él, no la despida.

But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

13 Y la mujer que tiene marido incrédulo, y él consiente para habitar con ella, no lo deje.

The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

14 P orque el marido incrédulo es santificado en la mujer (fiel), y la mujer incrédula en el marido (fiel); de otra manera ciertamente vuestros hijos serían inmundos; pero ahora son santos.

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

15 P ero si el incrédulo se aparta, apartese; que el hermano o la hermana no está sujeto a servidumbre en semejante caso; antes a paz nos llamó Dios.

Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.

16 P orque ¿de dónde sabes, oh mujer, si quizá harás salvo a tu marido? ¿O de dónde sabes, oh marido, si quizá harás salva a tu mujer?

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

17 ¶ Sino que cada uno como el Señor le repartió, y como Dios llamó a cada uno, así ande; y así ordeno en todas las Iglesias.

Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

18 ¿ Es llamado alguno circuncidado? Quédese circunciso. ¿Es llamado alguno incircuncidado? Que no se circuncide.

Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

19 L a circuncisión nada es, y la incircuncisión nada es; sino la observancia de los mandamientos de Dios.

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

20 C ada uno en la vocación en que fue llamado, en ella se quede.

Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called.

21 ¿ Eres llamado siendo siervo? No te dé cuidado; mas también si puedes hacerte libre, procúralo más.

Were you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.

22 P orque el que en el Señor es llamado siendo siervo, liberto es del Señor; asimismo también el que es llamado siendo libre, siervo es del Cristo.

For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.

23 P or precio sois comprados; no os hagáis siervos de los hombres.

You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men.

24 C ada uno, hermanos, en lo que fue llamado, en esto se quede para con Dios.

Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

25 ¶ Pero de las vírgenes no tengo mandamiento del Señor; mas doy mi parecer, como hombre que ha alcanzado misericordia del Señor para ser fiel.

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

26 T engo, pues, esto por bueno a causa de la necesidad que apremia, por lo cual bueno es al hombre estarse así:

I think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a man to be as he is.

27 ¿ Estás ligado a mujer? No procures soltarte. ¿Estáis suelto de mujer? No procures mujer.

Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.

28 M as también si tomares mujer, no pecaste; y si la virgen se casare, no peca; pero aflicción de carne tendrán los tales; mas yo os dejo.

But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.

29 P ero esto digo, hermanos, que el tiempo es corto; para los demás es, que los que tienen mujer sean como los que no la tienen,

But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

30 y los que lloran, como los que no lloran; y los que se regocijan, como los que no se regocijan; y los que compran, como los que no poseen;

and those who weep, as though they didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t possess;

31 y los que usan de este mundo, como los que no lo usan como si fuera propio; porque la apariencia de este mundo se pasa.

and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

32 Q uisiera, pues, que estuvierais sin congoja. El soltero tiene cuidado de las cosas que son del Señor, cómo ha de agradar al Señor;

But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

33 p ero el que se casó tiene cuidado de las cosas que son del mundo, cómo ha de agradar a su mujer.

but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

34 H ay diferencia entre la mujer casada y la virgen, La mujer no casada tiene cuidado de las cosas del Señor, para ser santa así en el cuerpo como en el espíritu; mas la casada tiene cuidado de las cosas que son del mundo, cómo ha de agradar a su marido.

There is also 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 E sto, sin embargo, digo para vuestro provecho; no para echaros lazo, sino para lo honorable, y para que sin impedimento os sirváis al Señor.

This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

36 ¶ Mas, si a alguno parece cosa fea en su hija, que pase ya de edad, y que así conviene que se haga, haga lo que quisiere, no peca; cásese.

But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t sin. Let them marry.

37 P ero el que está firme en su corazón, y no tiene necesidad, sino que tiene libertad de su voluntad, y determinó en su corazón esto, el guardar su hija, bien hace.

But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own heart, to keep his own virgin, does well.

38 A sí que, el que la da en casamiento, bien hace; y el que no la da en casamiento, hace mejor.

So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better.

39 ¶ La mujer casada está atada a la ley, mientras vive su marido; mas si su marido muriere, libre es; cásese con quien quisiere, con tal que sea en el Señor.

A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord.

40 P ero más bienaventurada será si se quedare así, según mi consejo; y pienso que también yo tengo el Espíritu de Dios.

But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.