Principles of Marriage

7 Now in response to the matters you wrote^[a] about: “It is good for a man not to have relations with^[b] a woman.”^{[c] 2} But because sexual immorality is so common,^[d](A) each man should have his own wife,^(B) and each woman should have her own husband. ³ A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility^(C) to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. ⁴ A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive^(D) one another sexually—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to^[e] prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ I say the following^[f] as a concession, not as a command. ⁷ I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift^(E) from God, one person in this way and another in that way.

A Word to the Unmarried

⁸ I say to the unmarried and to widows:^(F) It is good for them if they remain as I am. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control,^(G) they should marry, for it is better to marry^(H) than to burn with desire.

About Married People

¹⁰ I command the married^(I)—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave^[g] her husband. ¹¹ But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to leave his wife.^{(J) 12} But I (not the Lord)^[h] say to the rest: If any brother^(K) has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her. ¹³ Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is set apart for God^(L) by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart for God by the husband.^[i] Otherwise your children would be corrupt, but now they are set apart for God. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you^[j] to live in peace. ¹⁶ For you, wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Or you, husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?

Various Situations of Life

¹⁷ However, each one must live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called^(M) him.^[k] This is what I command in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God’s commands does. ²⁰ Each person should remain in the life situation^[l] in which he was called. ²¹ Were you called while a slave? It should not be a concern to you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.^{[m] 22} For he who is called by the Lord as a slave^(N) is the Lord’s freedman.^[n] Likewise he who is called as a free man^[o] is Christ’s slave. ²³ You were bought^(O) at a price; do not become slaves of men. ²⁴ Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called.

About the Unmarried and Widows

²⁵ About virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy^(P) is trustworthy.^{(Q) 26} Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ However, if you do get married,^(R) you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life,^[p] and I am trying to spare you. ²⁹ And I say this, brothers: The time is limited,^(S) so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, ³⁰ those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice^(T) as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, ³¹ and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.^(U)

³² I want you to be without concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord—how he may please^(V) the Lord. ³³ But a married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife— ³⁴ and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord,^(W) so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. ³⁵ Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

³⁶ But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin,^[q] if she is past marriageable age,^[r] and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. ³⁷ But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will^(X)) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin, will do well. ³⁸ So then he who marries^[s] his virgin does well, but he who does not marry^[t] will do better.

³⁹ A wife is bound^[u] as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord.^{[v] 40} But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.