Study Desk

I command the married—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave her husband.

But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to leave his wife.

But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: If any brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her.

For the unbelieving husband is set apart for God by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart for God by the husband. Otherwise your children would be corrupt, but now they are set apart for God.

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God's commands does.

Were you called while a slave? It should not be a concern to you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.

About virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.

However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

But a married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife—

and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.

Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, if she is past marriageable age, and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married.

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, will do well.

So then he who marries his virgin does well, but he who does not marry will do better.

A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord.

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

About food offered to idols: We know that "we all have knowledge." Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.

But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that "an idol is nothing in the world," and that "there is no God but one."