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

And concerning the things of which ye wrote to me: good for a man not to touch a woman,

2 N evertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;

3 L et the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

to the wife let the husband the due benevolence render, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;

4 T he wife does not have authority of her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband does not have authority of his own body, but the wife.

the wife over her own body hath not authority, but the husband; and, in like manner also, the husband over his own body hath not authority, but the wife.

5 D o not defraud one another, except it be with mutual consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again, that Satan not tempt you for your incontinency.

Defraud not one another, except by consent for a time, that ye may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that the Adversary may not tempt you because of your incontinence;

6 B ut I speak this by permission, and not by commandment.

and this I say by way of concurrence -- not of command,

7 F or I would that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one after this manner and another after that.

for I wish all men to be even as I myself; but each his own gift hath of God, one indeed thus, and one thus.

8 I say, therefore, to the unmarried men and widowers, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I;

9 B ut if they do not have the gift of continence, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn.

and if they have not continence -- let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;

10 ¶ And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife separate from her husband;

and to the married I announce -- not I, but the Lord -- let not a wife separate from a husband:

11 a nd if she separates, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband, and let not the husband put away his wife.

but and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or to the husband let her be reconciled, and let not a husband send away a wife.

12 B ut to the rest I speak, not the Lord: If any brother has a wife that does not believe, and she consents to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

And to the rest I speak -- not the Lord -- if any brother hath a wife unbelieving, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not send her away;

13 A nd the woman who has a husband that does not believe and if he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;

14 F or 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.

for the unbelieving husband hath been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

15 B ut if the unbelieving spouse separates, let them separate. The brother or the sister is not under slavery in such cases, but God has called us to peace.

And, if the unbelieving doth separate himself -- let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such, and in peace hath God called us;

16 F or what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or what knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

for what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?

17 ¶ But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let them walk. And so I ordain in all the congregations.

if not, as God did distribute to each, as the Lord hath called each -- so let him walk; and thus in all the assemblies do I direct:

18 I s anyone called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is anyone called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

being circumcised -- was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;

19 C ircumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God.

the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing -- but a keeping of the commands of God.

20 L et each abide in the same calling in which he was called.

Each in the calling in which he was called -- in this let him remain;

21 A rt thou called being a slave? care not for it; but if thou may be made free, use it rather.

a servant -- wast thou called? be not anxious; but if also thou art able to become free -- use rather;

22 F or he that is called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord’s freeman; likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s slave.

for he who in the Lord -- having been called a servant -- is the Lord's freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:

23 Y e are bought with a price; do not make yourselves the slaves of men.

with a price ye were bought, become not servants of men;

24 E ach one, brothers, in that state in which he was called, let him abide with God.

each, in that in which he was called, brethren, in this let him remain with God.

25 ¶ Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord, yet I give my advice, as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

And concerning the virgins, a command of the Lord I have not; and I give judgment as having obtained kindness from the Lord to be faithful:

26 I hold, therefore, this to be good because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to be thus:

I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that good for a man that the matter be thus: --

27 A rt thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.

Hast thou been bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; hast thou been loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

28 B ut and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have affliction in the flesh, but I forbear you.

But and if thou mayest marry, thou didst not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I spare you.

29 B ut this I say, brothers, the time is short; for the rest, let those that have wives be as though they had none;

And this I say, brethren, the time henceforth is having been shortened -- that both those having wives may be as not having;

30 a nd those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not;

and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;

31 a nd those that use this world, as not using it as their own, for the fashion of this world passes away.

and those using this world, as not using up; for passing away is the fashion of this world.

32 B ut I would have you without worry. He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;

33 b ut he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he shall please the wife.

34 T here is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

The wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she shall please the husband.

35 A nd this I speak for your own profit, not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is honourable and that ye may attend upon the Lord without impediment.

And this for your own profit I say: not that I may cast a noose upon you, but for the seemliness and devotedness to the Lord, undistractedly,

36 ¶ But if anyone thinks it uncomely regarding his daughter, if she passes the bloom of life, and need so requires, let him do what he will, he does not sin: let them marry.

and if any one doth think to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought so to be, what he willeth let him do; he doth not sin -- let him marry.

37 N evertheless, he that stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has liberty regarding his own, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his daughter, does well.

And he who hath stood stedfast in the heart -- not having necessity -- and hath authority over his own will, and this he hath determined in his heart -- to keep his own virgin -- doth well;

38 S o then he that gives her in marriage does well, but he that does not give her in marriage does better.

so that both he who is giving in marriage doth well, and he who is not giving in marriage doth better.

39 ¶ The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free and may be married to whom she will, if it is in the Lord.

A wife hath been bound by law as long time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will -- only in the Lord;

40 B ut she shall be more blessed if she so abides, after my counsel, and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

and she is happier if she may so remain -- according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.