1 N ow concerning the things about 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 B ut, because of sexual immoralities, 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 owed 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 doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife.

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 on’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t 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 commandment.

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

7 Y et I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.

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, 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 don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn.

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 command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife 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 departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave 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 an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave 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 T he woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

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 in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in 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 Y et if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in 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, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, 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 distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

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 having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? 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 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 L et each man stay in that calling in which he was called.

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

21 W ere you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, 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 was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.

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. Don’t become bondservants of men.

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

24 B rothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

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, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be 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 that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a man to be 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? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t 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. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want 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 I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may 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 didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t 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 not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes 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 desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned 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 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 T here is also 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 T his I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to 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 that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t 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 B ut he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own heart, to keep his own 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 both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t 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 for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, 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 stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.

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.