1 N ow concerning the things of which you wrote to me: 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 N evertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman 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 L et the husband render to his wife the affection due her, 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 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 D o 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.

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

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

7 F or 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.

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 the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

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

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 N ow to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from 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 B ut even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to 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, 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.

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

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 by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be 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 B ut 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.

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? Live as You Are Called

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 B ut 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.

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 anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not 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 keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

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

20 L et each one remain in the same calling 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 be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.

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 is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is 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 at 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, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. To the Unmarried and Widows

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

25 N ow concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made 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 suppose therefore that this is good because 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 loosed. Are you loosed 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 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.

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 is short, so that from now on even 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 t hose 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,

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 this world as not misusing 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 without care. He who is unmarried cares for 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 he who is married cares 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 T here 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.

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 A nd 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.

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 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.

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 N evertheless 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.

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

The man who gets married does well, but the man who does not get married does better.

39 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.

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 she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think 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.