To the Unmarried and Widows

²⁵ Now concerning virgins: ^(A)I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one ^(B)whom the Lord in His mercy has made ^(C)trustworthy.

⁶ But I say this as a concession, ^(A)not as a commandment.

² Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

⁴⁰ But she is happier if she remains as she is, ^(A)according to my judgment—and ^(B)I think I also have the Spirit of God.

Christ Our Pattern

^8 (A)I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become ^(C)rich.

¹⁰ And in this ^(D)I give advice: ^(E)It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and ^(F)were desiring to do a year ago;

¹² But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

¹⁷ What I speak, ^(A)I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

The Light of Christ’s Gospel

4 Therefore, since we have this ministry, ^(A)as we have received mercy, we ^(B)do not lose heart. ² But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor ^[a]handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth ^(C)commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

¹⁷ For we are not, as ^[a]so many, ^(A)peddling^[b] the word of God; but as ^(B)of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

¹⁰ But ^(A)by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, ^(B)yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.