Principles for Marriage

7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ^(A)“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” ² But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. ^3 (B)The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴ For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ^5 (C)Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, ^(D)so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

⁶ Now as a concession, ^(E)not a command, I say this.^{[a] 7 (F)}I wish that all were ^(G)as I myself am. But ^(H)each has his own gift from God, ^(I)one of one kind and one of another.

⁸ To the unmarried and the widows I say that ^(J)it is good for them to remain single, ^(K)as I am. ⁹ But if they cannot exercise self-control, ^(L)they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

¹⁰ To the married ^(M)I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): ^(N)the wife should not separate from her husband ¹¹ (but if she does, ^(O)she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and ^(P)the husband should not divorce his wife.

¹² To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. ¹³ If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. ^(Q)Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you^{[b] (R)}to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, wife, ^(S)whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

¹⁷ Only let each person lead the life^{[c] (T)}that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. ^(U)This is my rule in ^(V)all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? ^(W)Let him not seek circumcision. ^19 (X)For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but ^(Y)keeping the commandments of God. ^20 (Z)Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. ²¹ Were you a bondservant^[d] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) ²² For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is ^(AA)a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is ^(AB)a bondservant of Christ. ^23 (AC)You were bought with a price; ^(AD)do not become bondservants of men. ²⁴ So, brothers,^{[e] (AE)}in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

The Unmarried and the Widowed

²⁵ Now concerning^[f] the betrothed,^{[g] (AF)}I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as ^(AG)one who by the Lord's mercy is ^(AH)trustworthy. ²⁶ I think that in view of the present^[h] distress ^(AI)it is good for a person to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman^[i] marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. ²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers: ^(AJ)the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, ³⁰ and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy ^(AK)as though they had no goods, ³¹ and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For ^(AL)the present form of this world is passing away.

³² I want you to be ^(AM)free from anxieties. ^(AN)The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. ³³ But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, ³⁴ and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. ³⁵ I say this for your own benefit, ^(AO)not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed,^[j] if his^[k] passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. ³⁷ But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. ³⁸ So then he who marries his betrothed ^(AP)does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

^39 (AQ)A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only ^(AR)in the Lord. ⁴⁰ Yet ^(AS)in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think ^(AT)that I too have the Spirit of God.

Taw

Jehoshaphat's Reforms

19 Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. ² But ^(A)Jehu the son of ^(B)Hanani ^(C)the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you ^(D)help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, ^(E)wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. ³ Nevertheless, ^(F)some good is found in you, for ^(G)you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have ^(H)set your heart to seek God.”

⁴ Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to ^(I)the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. ⁵ He appointed ^(J)judges in the land in all ^(K)the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, ⁶ and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, ^(L)for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. ⁷ Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for ^(M)there is no injustice with the Lord our God, ^(N)or partiality or taking bribes.”

⁸ Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat ^(O)appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, ^(P)to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. ⁹ And he charged them: ^(Q)“Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, ^(R)and with your whole heart: ^10 (S)whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and ^(T)wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. ¹¹ And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you ^(U)in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. ^(V)Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright!”^[a]

Jehoshaphat's Prayer

20 After this ^(W)the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites,^[b] came against Jehoshaphat for battle. ² Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom,^[c] from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in ^(X)Hazazon-tamar” (that is, ^(Y)Engedi). ³ Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face ^(Z)to seek the Lord, and ^(AA)proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴ And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

⁵ And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, ⁶ and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not ^(AB)God in heaven? You ^(AC)rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. ^(AD)In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. ⁷ Did you not, our God, ^(AE)drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of ^(AF)Abraham your friend? ⁸ And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ^9 (AG)‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment,^[d] or pestilence, or famine, ^(AH)we will stand before this house and before you—^(AI)for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ ¹⁰ And now behold, the men of ^(AJ)Ammon and Moab and ^(AK)Mount Seir, whom ^(AL)you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, ^(AM)and whom they avoided and did not destroy— ¹¹ behold, they reward us ^(AN)by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. ¹² O our God, will you not ^(AO)execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but ^(AP)our eyes are on you.”

¹³ Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. ¹⁴ And ^(AQ)the Spirit of the Lord came^[e] upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. ¹⁵ And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ^(AR)‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, ^(AS)for the battle is not yours but God's. ¹⁶ Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of ^(AT)the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. ^17 (AU)You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ ^(AV)Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, ^(AW)and the Lord will be with you.”

¹⁸ Then Jehoshaphat ^(AX)bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. ¹⁹ And the Levites, of the ^(AY)Kohathites and the ^(AZ)Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

²⁰ And they rose early in the morning and went out into ^(BA)the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! ^(BB)Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” ²¹ And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him ^(BC)in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

²² And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ^(BE)an ambush against the men of ^(BF)Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. ²³ For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, ^(BG)they all helped to destroy one another.

The Lord Delivers Judah

²⁴ When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there^[f] were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. ²⁵ When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. ²⁶ On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah,^[g] for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. ²⁷ Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, ^(BH)for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. ^29 (BI)And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, ^(BJ)for his God gave him rest all around.

^31 (BK)Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. ³² He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. ^33 (BL)The high places, however, were not taken away; ^(BM)the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.

³⁴ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of ^(BN)Jehu the son of Hanani, ^(BO)which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

The End of Jehoshaphat's Reign

^35 (BP)After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. ³⁶ He joined him in building ships to go to ^(BQ)Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. ³⁷ Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ^(BR)“Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.