Study Desk

Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it. But if you are able also to become free, rather do that.

Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.

But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

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

But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord.

But one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,

and his interests have been divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit. But one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

Now this I say for your own benefit, not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote propriety and undistracted devotion to the Lord.

But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry.

But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no compulsion, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well.

A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband has fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

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

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

but if anyone loves God, he has been known by Him.

Therefore, concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

However, not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

But food will not commend us to God. We neither lack if we do not eat, nor abound if we do eat.

But see to it that this authority of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

If others share this authority over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this authority, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case, for it would be better for me to die than have anyone make my boast an empty one.