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

You asked me some questions in your letter. This is my answer. It is good if a man does not get married.

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 being tempted to sex sins, each man should get married and have his own wife. Each woman should get married and 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 please his wife as a husband. The wife should please her husband as a wife.

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.

The wife is not the boss of her own body. It belongs to the husband. And in the same way, the husband is not the boss of his own body. It belongs to 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 keep from each other that which belongs to each other in marriage unless you agree for awhile so you can use your time to pray. Then come together again or the devil will tempt you to do that which you know you should not do.

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

This is what I think. I am not saying you must do it.

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 everyone were as I am, but each has his own gift from God. One has one gift. Another has another gift.

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

This is what I say to those who are not married and to women whose husbands have died. It is good if you do not get married. I am not married.

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 you are not able to keep from doing that which you know is wrong, get married. It is better to get married than to have such strong sex desires.

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

I have this to say to those who are married. These words are from the Lord. A wife should not leave 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 leave him, she should not get married to another man. It would be better for her to go back to her husband. The husband should not 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.

I have this to say. These words are not from the Lord. If a Christian husband has a wife who is not a Christian, and she wants to live with him, he must not 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.

If a Christian wife has a husband who is not a Christian, and he wants to live with her, she must not 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.

The husband who is not a Christian is set apart from the sin of the world because of his Christian wife. The wife who is not a Christian is set apart from the sin of the world because of her Christian husband. In this way, the lives of the children are not unclean because of sin, they are clean.

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.

If the one who is not a Christian wants to leave, let that one go. The Christian husband or wife should not try to make the other one stay. God wants you to live in 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?

Christian wife, how do you know you will not help your husband to become a Christian? Or Christian husband, how do you know you will not help your wife to become a Christian? Stay as You Were When God Chose You

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.

Everyone should live the life the Lord gave to him. He should live as he was when he became a Christian. This is what I teach 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.

If a man became a Christian after he had gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew, he should do nothing about it. If a man became a Christian before, he should not go through the religious act of becoming a Jew.

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

If it is done or not done, it means nothing. What is important is to obey God’s Word.

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

Everyone should stay the same way he was when he became a Christian.

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 servant who was owned by someone when you became a Christian? Do not worry about it. But if you are able to become free, do that.

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.

A servant who is owned by someone and who has become a Christian is the Lord’s free man. A free man who has become a Christian is a servant owned by Christ.

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

He paid a great price for you when He bought you. Do not let yourselves become servants owned by men.

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

Christian brothers, each one should stay as he was when he became a Christian.

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.

I have no word from the Lord about women or men who have never been married. I will tell you what I think. You can trust me because the Lord has given me His loving-kindness.

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, because of the troubles that are coming, it is a good thing for a person not to get married.

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 married to a wife? Do not try to get a divorce. If you are not married, do not look for 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.

If you do get married, you have not sinned. If a woman who is not married gets married, it is no sin. But being married will add problems. I would like to have you free from such problems.

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 this, Christian brothers. The time is short. A married man should use his time as if he did not have a wife.

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;

Those who have sorrow should keep on working as if they had no sorrow. Those who have joy should keep on working as if there was no time for joy. Those who buy should have no time to get joy from what they have.

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.

While you live in this world, live as if the world has no hold on you. The way of this world will soon be gone.

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;

I want you to be free from the cares of this world. The man who is not married can spend his time working for the Lord and pleasing Him.

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

The man who is married cares for the things of the world. He wants to 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.

Married women and women who have never been married are different. The woman who has never been married can spend her time working for the Lord. She wants to please the Lord with her body and spirit. The woman who is married cares for the things of the world. She wants to 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.

I am saying these things to help you. I am not trying to keep you from getting married. I want you to do what is best. You should work for Him without other things taking your time.

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.

If a man and woman expect to get married, and he thinks his desires to marry her are getting too strong, and she is getting older, they should get married. It is no sin.

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 if a man has the power to keep from getting married and knows in his mind that he should not, he is wise if he does not get married.

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.

The man who gets married does well, but the man who does not get married 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 not free as long as her husband lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wants, if he is a Christian.

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.

I think she will be much more happy if she does not get married again. This is what I think. I believe it is what the Holy Spirit is saying.