1Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2Nevertheless to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife.
5Defraud ye not one the other, unless it be with consent for a time only, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not through your lack of selfrestraint.
6But I speak this by permission, and not by commandment.
7For I would that all men were even as I myself am. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one in this manner and another in that.
8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I.
9But if they cannot contain themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.
10And unto the married I command (yet not I, but the Lord): let not the wife depart from her husband.
11But if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.
12But to the rest I speak (not the Lord): if any brother hath a wife who believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13And the woman who hath a husband who believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Else yourŒchildren would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15But if the unbelieving spouse depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases, for God hath called us to peace.
16For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
17But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all churches.
18Is any man called, being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called, being uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.
20Let every man abide in the same calling as when he was called.
21Art thou a servant when called? Be not concerned; but if thou mayest be made free, then make use of it.
22For 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.
23Ye are bought with a price; be ye not the servants of men.
24Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord, yet I give my judgment as one who hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.
26I suppose therefore that in this present distress, I say, it is good for a man so to be.
27Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.
28But 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 would spare you.
29But this I say, brethren: the time is short. It remaineth that those who have wives should be as though they had none;
30and those who weep, as though they wept not; and those who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those who buy, as though they possessed not;
31and those who use this world, as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away.
32But I would have you be without cares. He that is unmarried careth for the things which belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord;
33but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34There is a 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.
35And this I speak for your own profit, not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and so that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
36But 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.
37Nevertheless, he that standeth steadfast 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.
38So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well, but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
39The 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, but only in the Lord.
40But she is happier if she so remain, in my judgment; and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.