Questions about marriage
1Now about what you wrote to me: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” 2But because of immorality, let each man have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should give his wife what he owes her, and the wife her husband likewise. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body; her husband does. And in the same way the husband does not have authority over his own body; his wife does. 5Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by agreement, for a set time, to give yourselves to prayer; then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I would like everyone to be as I am; but each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that. 8To the unmarried and the widows I say: it is good for them to stay as I am. 9But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry; better to marry than to burn. 10To the married I give this charge — not I, but the Lord: a wife must not separate from her husband, 11and if she does separate, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband; and a husband must not divorce his wife. 12To the rest I say this — I, not the Lord: if any brother has a wife who does not believe and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who does not believe and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother; otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. In such cases the brother or the sister is not bound; God has called you to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? How do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Stay where the call found you
17Only let each one go on living in the place the Lord assigned him, as he was when God called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18Was a man circumcised when he was called? He should not undo it. Was he uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing; what counts is keeping God’s commandments. 20Let each remain in the calling in which he was called. 21Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it trouble you; but if you can indeed gain your freedom, take the chance. 22For the slave who was called in the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; and in the same way the free man who was called is the Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, let each remain before God in the state in which he was called.
The unmarried and the shortness of the time
25About the unmarried I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one whom the Lord in his mercy has made trustworthy. 26I think, then, that because of the present distress it is good for a person to stay as he is. 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not look for release. Are you free of a wife? Do not look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a young woman marries, she has not sinned. Those who do will have trouble in this life, and I would spare you that. 29What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time has grown short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none; 30those who weep as though they did not weep; those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice; those who buy as though they owned nothing; 31those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the shape of this world is passing away. 32I want you free from worry. The unmarried man is concerned with the Lord’s affairs, with how to please the Lord. 33The married man is concerned with the world’s affairs, with how to please his wife, 34and he is pulled in two. The unmarried woman, the young woman, is concerned with the Lord’s affairs, with being holy in body and in spirit; the married woman is concerned with the world’s affairs, with how to please her husband. 35I say this for your own good, not to throw a rope around you, but for what is fitting and keeps you steadily at the Lord’s side, undistracted. 36If anyone thinks he is treating his betrothed improperly, if his passion is strong and things must take their course, let him do as he wishes; he does not sin. Let them marry. 37But the man who stands firm in his heart, under no compulsion, in command of his own will, and has settled it in his heart to keep her as she is, will do well. 38So the one who marries his betrothed does well, and the one who does not marry does better. 39A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if her husband falls asleep, she is free to marry whom she wishes — only in the Lord. 40Yet in my judgment she is happier if she stays as she is; and I too, I think, have the Spirit of God.
