1 E n cuanto a los temas de que ustedes me escribieron, lo mejor para hombres y mujeres sería no tener relaciones sexuales,

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 p ero por causa de la inmoralidad sexual, cada hombre debe tener su propia esposa y cada mujer su propio esposo.

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 E l marido debe cumplir el deber conyugal con su esposa, lo mismo que la mujer con su esposo.

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 L a esposa ya no tiene poder sobre su propio cuerpo, sino su esposo; y tampoco el esposo tiene poder sobre su propio cuerpo, sino su esposa.

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 N o se nieguen el uno al otro, a no ser por algún tiempo de mutuo consentimiento, para dedicarse a la oración. Pero vuelvan luego a juntarse, no sea que Satanás los tiente por no poder dominarse.

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 A unque esto lo digo más como concesión que como mandamiento.

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

7 E n realidad, quisiera que todos los hombres fueran como yo; pero Dios le ha dado a cada uno su propio don, a algunos de alguna manera y a otros, de otra.

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 A los solteros y a las viudas les digo que sería bueno que se quedaran como yo;

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 p ero si no pueden dominarse, que se casen; pues es mejor casarse que arder de pasión.

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 P ero a los que están unidos en matrimonio les doy este mandato (que en realidad no es mío sino del Señor): Que la esposa no se separe del esposo;

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

11 p ero en caso de separarse, que no se vuelva a casar, o que se reconcilie con su esposo. De la misma manera, que el esposo no abandone a su mujer.

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 A los demás, les digo yo (y no el Señor): Si la esposa de algún hermano no es creyente, pero ella consiente en vivir con él, éste no debe abandonarla.

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 Y si el esposo de alguna hermana no es creyente, pero él consiente en vivir con ella, tampoco ésta debe abandonarlo.

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

14 P orque el esposo no creyente es santificado en su esposa, y la esposa no creyente es santificada en su esposo. Si así no fuera, los hijos de ustedes serían impuros, mientras que ahora son santos.

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 P ero si el no creyente quiere separarse, que lo haga; en ese caso, el hermano o la hermana no están obligados a mantener esa relación, pues Dios nos llamó a vivir en paz.

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 P orque ¿cómo sabes tú, mujer, si acaso salvarás a tu esposo? ¿O cómo sabes tú, hombre, si acaso salvarás a tu esposa?

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 D e todas maneras, cada uno debe comportarse de acuerdo a la condición que el Señor le asignó y a la cual lo llamó. Esto es lo que mando en todas las iglesias.

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 ¿ Fue alguno llamado cuando ya estaba circuncidado? Que se quede circuncidado. ¿Fue alguno llamado sin haber sido circuncidado? Que no se circuncide.

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 L o que importa es obedecer los mandamientos de Dios, y no el estar o no circuncidado.

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

20 C ada uno debe permanecer en la condición en que estaba cuando fue llamado.

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

21 ¿ Fuiste llamado cuando aún eras esclavo? No te preocupes. Aunque, si tienes la oportunidad de liberarte, debes aprovecharla.

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 P orque el que era esclavo cuando el Señor lo llamó, es libre en el Señor. Del mismo modo, el que era libre cuando el Señor lo llamó, es esclavo de Cristo.

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 U stedes han sido comprados por un precio; por lo tanto, no se hagan esclavos de los hombres.

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

24 H ermanos, cada uno de ustedes debe permanecer ante Dios en la condición en que estaba cuando él lo llamó.

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 E n cuanto a los solteros y las solteras, no tengo un mandamiento del Señor; simplemente doy mi opinión como alguien que, por la misericordia del Señor, es digno de confianza.

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 S oy del parecer de que, ante la situación apremiante, es mejor que cada uno se quede como está.

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 ¿ Estás casado? No trates de separarte. ¿Eres soltero? No busques casarte.

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

28 A unque, si te casas, no pecas; y si alguna joven soltera se casa, tampoco peca. Sin embargo, los que se casan tendrán que enfrentar sufrimientos, y yo quisiera evitárselos.

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 P ero quiero decirles, hermanos, que el tiempo se acorta; por lo tanto, el que tiene esposa debe vivir como si no la tuviera;

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 e l que llora, como si no llorara; el que se alegra, como si no se alegrara; el que compra, como si no tuviera nada;

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 y el que disfruta de este mundo, como si no lo disfrutara; porque el mundo que conocemos está por desaparecer.

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 Y o quisiera verlos libres de preocupaciones. El soltero se preocupa de servir al Señor, y de cómo agradarlo.

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 P ero el casado se preocupa de las cosas del mundo, y de cómo agradar a su esposa.

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

34 T ambién hay diferencia entre la mujer casada y la joven soltera. La joven soltera se preocupa de servir al Señor y de ser santa, tanto en cuerpo como en espíritu. Pero la mujer casada se preocupa de las cosas del mundo, y de cómo agradar a su esposo.

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 E sto lo digo para el provecho de ustedes; no para ponerles trabas sino para que vivan en honestidad y decencia, y para que se acerquen al Señor sin ningún impedimento.

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 P ero si alguno piensa que es impropio que su hija continúe siendo soltera después de cierta edad, que haga lo que quiera. Con eso no pecan. Que se case.

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 E l que está plenamente convencido, y no se siente obligado y es dueño de su propia voluntad, y decide que su hija no se case, hace bien.

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 D e manera que quien permite que su hija se case, hace bien; y quien prefiere que no se case, hace mejor.

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 D e acuerdo con la ley, la mujer casada está ligada a su esposo mientras éste vive; pero si su esposo muere, queda en libertad de casarse con quien quiera, con tal de que sea en el Señor.

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 P ero, en mi opinión, ella sería más dichosa si se quedara como está; y creo que yo también tengo el Espíritu de Dios.

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.