36 If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage, and he feels he should marry—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(A)) and has decided in his heart to keep her as his fiancée, will do well. 38 So, then, he who marries his fiancée does well, but he who does not marry will do better.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 7:36–38 Or 36 If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin daughter, if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage, and he feels she should marry—he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; she can get married. 37 But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin daughter will do well. 38 So then he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, but he who does not give his own virgin daughter in marriage will do better.

36 If ei · de someone tis believes nomizō he is not treating aschēmoneō · ho his autos virgin parthenos in an appropriate manner , if ean his passions are eimi strong hyperakmos, and kai so houtōs it has opheilō to be ginomai, he should do poieō what hos he desires thelō, it is no ou sin hamartanō let them marry gameō. 37 However de, the man who hos stands histēmi firm hedraios in en · ho his autos resolve kardia is under echō no compulsion anankē but de has echō control exousia over peri · ho his idios desire thelēma, and kai has determined krinō this houtos in en · ho his idios heart kardia to keep tēreō her ho as his heautou virgin parthenos, he will do poieō well kalōs. 38 So then hōste · kai the ho one who marries gamizō · ho his heautou virgin parthenos does poieō well kalōs, and kai the ho one who does not marry gamizō will do poieō even better kreittōn.

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