Now
concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me:
It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
02 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every
man have his own wife, and let every woman have
her own husband.
03 Let the husband render unto the wife due
benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the
husband.
04 The wife hath not power of her own body, but
the husband: and likewise also the husband hath
not power of his own body, but the wife.
05 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be
with consent for a time, that ye may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come
together again, that Satan tempt you not for your
incontinency.
06 But I speak this by permission, and not of
commandment.
07 For I would that all men were even as I
myself. But every man hath his proper gift of
God, one after this manner, and another after
that.
08 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows,
It is good for them if they abide even as I.
09 But if they cannot contain, let them marry:
for it is better to marry than to burn.
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but
the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her
husband:
11 But and if she depart, let her remain
unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and
let not the husband put away his wife.
12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any
brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she
be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her
away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that
believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with
her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by
the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified
by the husband: else were your children unclean;
but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart.
A brother or a sister is not under bondage in
such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou
shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O
man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as
the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk.
And so ordain I in all churches.
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him
not become uncircumcised. Is any called in
uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is
nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of
God.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling
wherein he was called.
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21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for
it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it
rather.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a
servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he
that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the
servants of men.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called,
therein abide with God.
25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment
of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that
hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the
present distress, I say, that it is good for a
man so to be.
27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be
loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a
wife.
28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned;
and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned.
Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the
flesh: but I spare you.
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short:
it remaineth, that both they that have wives be
as though they had none;
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not;
and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced
not; and they that buy, as though they possessed
not;
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing
it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
32 But I would have you without carefulness. He
that is unmarried careth for the things that
belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
33 But he that is married careth for the things
that are of the world, how he may please his
wife.
34 There is difference also between a wife and a
virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things
of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body
and in spirit: but she that is married careth for
the things of the world, how she may please her
husband.
35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that
I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which
is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord
without distraction.
36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself
uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the
flower of her age, and need so require, let him
do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his
heart, having no necessity, but hath power over
his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart
that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth
well; but he that giveth her not in marriage
doeth better.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her
husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she
is at liberty to be married to whom she will;
only in the Lord.
40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my
judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit
of God.
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