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¹ And concerning the things of which you wrote to me: [it is] good for a man not to touch a woman,² and because of the whoredom let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her proper husband;³ to the wife let the husband render the due benevolence, and in like manner also the wife to the husband;⁴ the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and in like manner also, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.⁵ Do not defraud one another, except by consent for a time, that you may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that Satan may not tempt you because of your self-indulgence;⁶ and this I say by way of concurrence—not of command,⁷ for I wish all men to be even as I myself [am]; but each has his own gift of God, one indeed thus and one thus.⁸ And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they may remain even as I [am];⁹ and if they do not have continence—let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;

¹⁰ and to the married I announce—not I, but the LORD—do not let a wife separate from a husband:¹¹ but, and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to the husband, and do not let a husband send a wife away.¹² And to the rest I speak—not the LORD—if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to dwell with him, do not let him send her away;¹³ and a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is pleased to dwell with her, do not let her send him away;¹⁴ for the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.¹⁵ And if the unbelieving separates himself—let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace has God called us;¹⁶ for what, have you known, O wife, whether you will save the husband? Or what, have you known, O husband, whether you will save the wife?

¹⁷ If not, as God distributed to each, as the LORD has called each—so let him walk; and thus I direct in all the assemblies:¹⁸ being circumcised—was anyone called? Do not let him become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was anyone called? Do not let him be circumcised;¹⁹ the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing—but a keeping of the commands of God.²⁰ Each in the calling in which he was called—in this let him remain;²¹ a servant—were you called? Do not be anxious; but if also you are able to become free—use [it] rather;²² for he who [is] in the LORD—having been called a servant—is the LORD's freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:²³ you were bought with a price, do not become servants of men;²⁴ each, in that in which he was called, brothers, in this let him remain with God.

²⁵ And concerning the virgins, I do not have a command of the LORD; and I give judgment as having obtained kindness from the LORD to be faithful.²⁶ I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man that the matter be thus:²⁷ Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed; have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.²⁸ But, and if you may marry, you did not sin; and if the virgin may marry, she did not sin; and such will have tribulation in the flesh: and I spare you.²⁹ And this I say, brothers, the time from now on is having been shortened—that both those having wives may be as not having;³⁰ and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing;³¹ and those using this world, as not using [it] up; for the [present] form of this world is passing away.³² And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the LORD, how he will please the LORD;³³ and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he will please the wife.³⁴ The wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the LORD, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she will please the husband.³⁵ And this I say for your own profit: not that I may cast a noose on you, but for the seemliness and devotedness to the LORD, undistractedly,

³⁶ and if anyone thinks [it] to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought to be so, what he wills let him do; he does not sin—let him marry.³⁷ And he does well who has stood steadfast in the heart—not having necessity—and has authority over his own will, and he has determined this in his heart—to keep his own virgin;³⁸ so that both he who is giving in marriage does well, and he who is not giving in marriage does better.

³⁹ A wife has been bound by law [for] as long [a] time as her husband may live, and if her husband may sleep, she is free to be married to whom she will—only in the LORD;⁴⁰ and she is happier if she may so remain—according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.