Instruction on Marriage

1Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

3Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

5Do not deprive one another, except by mutual agreement, and that for a season, so that you may devote yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.

7For I wish that all men would be as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this way and another in that.

8But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they should remain as I also remain;

9but if they are not exercising self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Keep Your Marriage Vows

10Now to those who have married I command, yet not I, but the Lord: A wife is not to be separated from her husband—

11and even if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to divorce his wife.

12But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, let him not divorce her.

13And a wife who has an unbelieving husband, if he consents to live with her, let her not divorce him.

14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15But if the unbelieving spouse separates, let him or her separate; the brother or the sister has not been bound in such cases; but God has called us to peace.

16For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

17Otherwise as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I command in all the churches.

18Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.

19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God.

20Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.

21Were you called as a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather make use of it.

22For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's free man. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ's slave.

23You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

24Brothers, let each one remain with God in the state in which he was called.

The Unmarried and the Widowed

25Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord; but I give an opinion, as having received mercy by the Lord to be faithful.

26Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to be as he is:

27Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Have you been released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28But even if you should marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin should marry, she has not sinned. But such will have trouble in the flesh, and I would spare you.

29But this I say, brothers, the time has been shortened; so that from now on even those having wives should be as though they had none,

30and those weeping as though not weeping, and those rejoicing as though not rejoicing, and those buying as though not possessing,

31and those using this world as not using it up. For the form of this world is passing away.

32But I want you to be without anxiety. The unmarried man cares about the things of the Lord—about how he may please the Lord.

33But the man having married cares about the things of the world—about how he may please his wife.

34And the wife and the virgin are different. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the woman having married cares about the things of the world—about how she may please her husband.

35And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a snare upon you, but for that which is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

36But if any man thinks he is behaving dishonorably toward his virgin, if she is past her youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he desires. He does not sin; let them marry.

37But he who stands in his heart, not having necessity, but has power over his own desire, and has decided this in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.

38So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.

39A wife has been bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband also dies, she is free to be married to whom she desires, only in the Lord.

40But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion—and I think I also have the Spirit of God.