Principles of Marriage 1 WBS Now concerning the things of which ye wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. BSB BSB: Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.
2 WBS Nevertheless, to avoid lewdness, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. BSB BSB: But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
3 WBS Let the husband render to the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife to the husband. BSB BSB: The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
4 WBS 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. BSB BSB: The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.
5 WBS Defraud ye not one the other, except with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan may not tempt you for your incontinence. BSB BSB: Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.
6 WBS But I speak this by permission, and not as a commandment. BSB BSB: I say this as a concession, not as a command.
8 WBS I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I. BSB BSB: Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.
9 WBS But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. BSB BSB: But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 WBS And to the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: BSB BSB: To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.
11 WBS But if she shall depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. BSB BSB: But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12 WBS But to the rest I speak, not the Lord, if any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. BSB BSB: To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.
13 WBS And the woman who hath a husband that believeth not, and if he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. BSB BSB: And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
14 WBS 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. BSB BSB: For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15 WBS But if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases ; but God hath called us to peace. BSB BSB: But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.
16 WBS For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? BSB BSB: How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live Your Calling 17 WBS But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all churches. BSB BSB: Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.
18 WBS Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not become circumcised. BSB BSB: Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.
20 WBS Let every man continue in the same calling in which he was called. BSB BSB: Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.
21 WBS Art thou called being a servant? care not for it; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. BSB BSB: Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.
22 WBS For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's free-man: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. BSB BSB: For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.
23 WBS Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. BSB BSB: You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
24 WBS Brethren, let every man in the state in which he is called, continue in it with God. BSB BSB: Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.
The Unmarried and Widowed 25 WBS Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful. BSB BSB: Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
26 WBS I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say , that it is good for a man so to be. BSB BSB: Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.
27 WBS Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. BSB BSB: Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife.
28 WBS But if thou marry, thou hast not sinned: and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless, such will have trouble in the flesh; but I spare you. BSB BSB: But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
29 WBS But this I say, brethren, The time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; BSB BSB: What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;
30 WBS 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; BSB BSB: those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;
31 WBS And they that use this world, as not abusing it . For the fashion of this world passeth away. BSB BSB: and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
32 WBS But I would have you without anxious care. He that is unmarried, is anxious for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: BSB BSB: I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.
33 WBS But he that is married, is anxious for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. BSB BSB: But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,
34 WBS There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirit: but she that is married, is anxious for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. BSB BSB: and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.
35 WBS 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. BSB BSB: I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.
36 WBS But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself uncomely towards his virgin, if she hath passed the flower of her age, and need so requireth, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. BSB BSB: However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married.
37 WBS Nevertheless, he that standeth steadfast 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. BSB BSB: But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well.
38 WBS So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. BSB BSB: So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
39 WBS The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband is dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. BSB BSB: A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.
40 WBS But she is happier if she so remain, after my judgment; and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. BSB BSB: In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.