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

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

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

The husband should please his wife as a husband. The wife should please her husband as a wife.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 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;

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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;

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

The man who gets married does well, but the man who does not get married 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 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 P ero, en mi opinión, ella sería más dichosa si se quedara como está; y creo que yo también tengo el Espíritu de Dios.

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.