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

Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

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 immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to 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 must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also 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.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

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;

Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

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

But this I say by way of concession, not of command.

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.

Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

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 I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

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

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

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 I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave 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 leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not 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;

But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not 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 a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away.

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 sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

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;

Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, 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 how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save 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, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct 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 any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised.

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

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

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

Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.

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

Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.

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 was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave.

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

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

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

Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

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 virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.

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 that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he 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 released. Are you released 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 marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

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

But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though 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, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

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

and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world 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;

But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned 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 one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, 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 his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, 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,

This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted 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 acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her 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 he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do 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 then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do 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 as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, 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 she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.