1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good
for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication,
let every man have his own
wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3 Let the husband render
unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the
husband.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and
likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time,
that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together
again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency (unable to control yourself).
6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. 7 For I
would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper
gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them
if they abide even as I. 9 But if they cannot contain, let them
marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord,
Let
not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her
remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the
husband put away his wife.
12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a
wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him
not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth
not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children
unclean; but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let
him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but
God hath called us to peace.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether
thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou
shalt save thy wife?
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath
called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
18
Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised.
Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. 19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping
of the commandments of God.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling
wherein he was called. 21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for
it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 22 For he that is
called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also
he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. 23 Ye are bought
with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man,
wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I
give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be
faithful. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present
distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. 27 Art thou bound
unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek
not a wife. 28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a
virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble
in the flesh: but I spare you.
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that
both they that have wives be as though they had none; 30 And they that
weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they
rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; 31 And
they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this
world passeth away.
32 But I would have you without carefulness.
He that is unmarried
careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the
Lord:
33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the
world, how he may please his wife.
34 There is difference also between a
wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the
Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is
married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her
husband.
35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a
snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend
upon the Lord without distraction.
36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward
his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let
him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
37 Nevertheless he
that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power
over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep
his virgin, doeth well.
38 So then he that giveth in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth not in marriage doeth better.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but
if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she
will; only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my
judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
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