1 N ow concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

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

2 B ut because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.

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

3 T he husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

The 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.

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

For 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.

5 S top depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Do 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.

6 B ut this I say by way of concession, not of command.

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

7 Y et I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

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.

8 B ut I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

But 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.

9 B ut if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

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

10 B ut to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband

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

11 ( but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.

But 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.

12 B ut to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.

To 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.

13 A nd a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away.

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

14 F or the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

For 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.

15 Y et if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.

But 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.

16 F or 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?

For, wife, how can you be sure of converting and saving your husband? Husband, how can you be sure of converting and saving your wife?

17 O nly, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.

Only, 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.

18 W as any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised.

Was 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.

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

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

20 E ach man must remain in that condition in which he was called.

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

21 W ere you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.

Were 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.

22 F or he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave.

For 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).

23 Y ou were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

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

24 B rethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

So, 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.

25 N ow concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.

Now 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.

26 I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is.

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.

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

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

28 B ut if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

But 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.

29 B ut this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;

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,

30 a nd those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

And 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,

31 a nd those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.

And 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.

32 B ut I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

My 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;

33 b ut one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,

But the married man is anxious about worldly matters—how he may please his wife—

34 a nd his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

And 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.

35 T his I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

Now 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.

36 B ut if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry.

But 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.

37 B ut he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well.

But 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.

38 S o then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

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

39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

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.

40 B ut in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

But 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.