1 Now concerning
2 But because of sexual immorality, let each man have
3 The husband must fulfill his obligation to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband
5 Do not defraud one another, except perhaps by agreement, for a time, in order that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and
6 But I say this as a concession, not as a command.
7 I wish all people could be like myself, but each one has his own gift from God, one in this way and another in that way.
8 Now I say to the unmarried and to the widows:
9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn
10 To the married I command—not I, but the Lord—a wife must not separate from
11 But if indeed she does separate, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce
12 Now to the rest I say—not the Lord—if any brother has an unbelieving wife and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.
13 And if any wife has an unbelieving husband and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce her husband.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the brother, since otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. The brother or the sister is not bound in such
16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
17 But to each one as the Lord has apportioned. As God has called each one, thus let him live—and thus I order in all the churches.
18 Was anyone called
19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20 Each one in the calling in which he was called—in this he should remain.
21 Were you called
22 For the one who is called in the Lord
23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
24 Each one in
25 Now concerning virgins I do not have a command from the Lord, but I am giving an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.
26 Therefore, I consider this to be good because of the impending distress, that
27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
28 But if you marry, you have not sinned, and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have affliction in the flesh, and I would spare you.
29 But I say this, brothers: the time is shortened, that from now on even those who have wives should be as
30 and those who weep as
31 and those who make use of the world as
32 But I want you to be free from care. The unmarried person cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord.
33 But the one who is married cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife,
34 and he is divided. And the unmarried woman or the virgin cares for the things of the Lord, in order that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35 Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not that I may put a restriction on you, but to promote appropriate and devoted service to the Lord without distraction.
36 But if anyone thinks he is behaving dishonorably concerning his virgin, if she is past her prime
37 But he who stands firm in his heart, not having necessity, but has authority concerning his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well.
38 So then, the one who marries
39 A wife is bound for as long a time
40 But she is happier if she remains thus, according to my opinion—and I think I have the Spirit of God.