1 A nd concerning the things of which ye wrote to me: good for a man not to touch a woman,

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 a nd because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;

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 t o the wife let the husband the due benevolence render, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;

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 t he wife over her own body hath not authority, but the husband; and, in like manner also, the husband over his own body hath not authority, but the wife.

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 D efraud not one another, except by consent for a time, that ye may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that the Adversary may not tempt you because of your incontinence;

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 nd this I say by way of concurrence -- not of command,

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

7 f or I wish all men to be even as I myself; but each his own gift hath of God, one indeed thus, and one thus.

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 nd I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I;

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 a nd if they have not continence -- let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;

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 a nd to the married I announce -- not I, but the Lord -- let not a wife separate from a husband:

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

11 b ut and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or to the husband let her be reconciled, and let not a husband send away a wife.

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 nd to the rest I speak -- not the Lord -- if any brother hath a wife unbelieving, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not send her away;

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 a nd a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;

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

14 f or the unbelieving husband hath been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

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 A nd, if the unbelieving doth separate himself -- let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such, and in peace hath God called us;

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 f or what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?

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 i f not, as God did distribute to each, as the Lord hath called each -- so let him walk; and thus in all the assemblies do I direct:

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 b eing circumcised -- was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;

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 t he circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing -- but a keeping of the commands of God.

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

20 E ach in the calling in which he was called -- in this let him remain;

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

21 a servant -- wast thou called? be not anxious; but if also thou art able to become free -- use rather;

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 f or he who in the Lord -- having been called a servant -- is the Lord's freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:

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 w ith a price ye were bought, become not servants of men;

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

24 e ach, in that in which he was called, brethren, in this let him remain with God.

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 A nd concerning the virgins, a command of the Lord I have not; and I give judgment as having obtained kindness from the Lord to be faithful:

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 I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that good for a man that the matter be thus: --

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 H ast thou been bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; hast thou been loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

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

28 B ut and if thou mayest marry, thou didst not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I spare you.

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 A nd this I say, brethren, the time henceforth is having been shortened -- that both those having wives may be as not having;

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 a nd those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;

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 a nd those using this world, as not using up; for passing away is the fashion of this world.

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 A nd I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;

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 a nd the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he shall please the wife.

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

34 T he wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she shall please the husband.

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 A nd this for your own profit I say: not that I may cast a noose upon you, but for the seemliness and devotedness to the Lord, undistractedly,

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 a nd if any one doth think to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought so to be, what he willeth let him do; he doth not sin -- let him marry.

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 A nd he who hath stood stedfast in the heart -- not having necessity -- and hath authority over his own will, and this he hath determined in his heart -- to keep his own virgin -- doth well;

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 s o that both he who is giving in marriage doth well, and he who is not giving in marriage doth better.

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 A wife hath been bound by law as long time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will -- only in the Lord;

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 a nd she is happier if she may so remain -- according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.

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.