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

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

2 B ut 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.

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

3 T he husband should please his wife as a husband. The wife should please her husband as a wife.

Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

4 T he 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.

The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

5 D o 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.

Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

6 T his is what I think. I am not saying you must do it.

But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

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

For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

8 T his 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.

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

9 B ut 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.

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

10 I have this to say to those who are married. These words are from the Lord. A wife should not leave her husband,

And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

11 b ut 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.

but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

12 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.

But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

13 I f a Christian wife has a husband who is not a Christian, and he wants to live with her, she must not divorce him.

And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

14 T he 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.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

15 I f 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.

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

16 C hristian 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

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

17 E veryone 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.

But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

18 I f 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.

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

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

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

20 E veryone should stay the same way he was when he became a Christian.

Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

21 W ere 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.

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

22 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.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.

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

Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

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

Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

25 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.

Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

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

I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

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

Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

28 I f 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.

But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

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

But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

30 T hose 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.

and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

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

and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

32 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.

But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

33 T he man who is married cares for the things of the world. He wants to please his wife.

but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

34 M arried 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.

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

35 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.

And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

36 I f 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.

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

37 B ut 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.

Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

38 T he man who gets married does well, but the man who does not get married does better.

So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

39 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.

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

40 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.

But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.