Teachings on Marriage
1 Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife. 5 Do not deprive one another, unless it is by mutual consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment. 7 Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.
A Word to Singles
8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband 11 (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.
12 But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her. 13 The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace. 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?
Live According to Your Calling
17 Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the churches.
18 Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been 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 each man stay in that calling in which he was called.
21 Were you called being a bondservant? Do not let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it. 22 For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called, being free, is Christ’s bondservant. 23 You were bought with a price. Do not become bondservants of men. 24 Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.
Instructions to Unmarried and Widowed
25 Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy. 26 Therefore I think that because of the stress that is on us, it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people will have difficulties in this life, and I want to spare you. 29 But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none; 30 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 and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the world, in its present form, is passing away.
32 But I desire for you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 This I say for your own profit, not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.
36 But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his fiancé, if she is past the prime of her age, and if his needs so require, let him do what he desires. He does not sin. Let them marry. 37 But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his fiancé a virgin, he does well. 38 So then he who marries his fiancé does well, but he who does not marry does better.
39 A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives, but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have the Spirit of the Lord.