'Now2concerning1the matters about which3you wrote:4It isgood5for a man6not8to have sexual relations with9a woman.7 But2because of1the3temptation tosexual immorality,4each man5should have9his own7wife8and10each woman11her own13husband.14 The3husband4should give7to hiswife2herconjugal rights,6and9likewise8the11wife12to herhusband.14 Forthe1wife2doesnot6have authority over7her own4body,5but8the9husband10does.Likewise11the14husband15doesnot19have authority over20his own17body,18but21the22wife23does. Donot1deprive2one another,3except45perhaps6by7agreement8for9a [limited] time,10that11you may devote yourselves12to prayer;14but15thencome20together171819again,16so that21Satan26may23not22tempt23you24because of27your30lack of self-control.29 Now2as4a concession,5not6a command,8I say3this.1 I wish1thatall3were5as6I myself8am.But9each10has12his own11gift13from14God,15one16of one kind18and20one19of another.21 To the3unmarried4and5the6widows7I say1that it isgood8for them9to remain11singleas12I13am. But2if1they cannot exercise self-control,34they should marry.5For7it is8better6to marry9than10to burn11with passion. To the1married3I give this charge4( not5I,6but7the8Lord ):9the wife10shouldnot13separate14from11herhusband12 ( but2if1she [does],4she should remain5unmarried6or else7be reconciled10to [her] husband ),9and11the husband12should15not14divorce15hiswife.13 To the1rest3I say4( I,5not6the7Lord )8thatif9any10brother11has13a wife12who isan unbeliever,14and15she16consents17to live18with19him,20he should22not21divorce22her.23 If3any4woman2has5a husband6who isan unbeliever,7and8he9consents10to live11with12her,13she should15not14divorce15him.17 For2the3unbelieving6husband4is made holy1because of7hiswife,9and10the12unbelieving15wife13is made holy11because of16herhusband.18Otherwise1920your23children22would be25unclean,24but27as it is,26they are29holy.28 But2if1the3unbelieving [partner]4separates,5[let it be so].6In14such cases16the9brother10or11sister13is8not7enslaved.8God23has called20you21[to]17peace.19 For2how1doyou know,3wife,4whether5you will save8yourhusband?7Or9how10doyou know,11husband,12whether13you will save16yourwife?15 Only12let14each person3lead the life14thatthe6Lord7has assigned5to him,8andto which9God12has called10him.This is my rule1621in17all20the18churches.19 Was1anyone2at the time of hiscall3already circumcised?1Let him5not4seek to remove the marks of circumcision.5Was8anyone9at the time of hiscall8uncircumcised?7Let him11not10seek circumcision.11 Forneither3circumcision2counts for4anything3nor58uncircumcision,7but10keeping11the commandments12of God.13 Each one1should remain9in2the3[condition]4in7which8he was called.6 Were you2a bondservant1whencalled?2Donot3be concerned about it.5( But6if7you can9gain11yourfreedom,10avail yourself [of the opportunity].)13 For2he1who was called5in3the Lord4asa bondservant6is9a freedman7of the Lord.8Likewise10he11who wasfree12when called13is15a bondservant14of Christ.16 You were bought2with a price;1donot3become4bondservants5of men.6 So,brothers,5in2whatever3conditioneach1was called,4there67let him remain8with9God.10 Now2concerning1the3betrothed,4I have8no7command5from the Lord,6but10I give11myjudgment9as12one whoby14the Lord’s15mercy13is17trustworthy.16 I think1thatin view of6the7present8distress9it3is5good4for a person12to remain as he is.1415 Are you bound1to a wife2? Donot3seek4to be free.5Are you free6from7a wife8? Donot9seek10a wife.11 But2if1you do marry,4you have6not5sinned,13and7if8a betrothed woman11marries,9she has13not12sinned.13Yet15those [who marry]20will have18[worldly]17troubles,14and22I21would spare24you23that. This1is whatI [mean],3brothers:4the appointedtime6has8[grown very] short.7From now on,910let19those13who have14wives15[live]19as though16they had18none,17 and1those2who mourn3as though4they were6not5mourning,6and7those8who rejoice9as though10they were12not11rejoicing,12and13those14who buy15as though16they had18no17goods, and1those2who deal with3the4world5as though6they had8no7dealings with8it.For10the11[present] form12of this15world14is passing away.9 I want1you3to be5free from anxieties.4The unmarried man7is anxious about8the things9of the10Lord,11how12to please13the14Lord.15 But2the1married man3is anxious about4worldly7things,5how8to please9hiswife,11 and1his interests are divided.2And3the6unmarried7or8betrothed10woman5is anxious about11the things12of the13Lord,14[how]15to be16holy17in body20and21spirit.23But25the24married woman26is anxious about27worldly30things,28how31to please32herhusband.34 I say8this1for3your5own6benefit,7not9to lay1013anyrestraint11upon you,12but14to [promote]15good order1617and18to secure19yourundivided devotion22to the20Lord.21 If1anyone3thinks9thathe is not behaving properly4toward5his8betrothed,7if10hispassions are strong,1112and13it has15to be,16let him do19as17he wishes:18let them marry —22it is21no20sin.21 But2whoever1is3firmly8established3in4his7heart,6being under10no9necessity11but13having14his17desire18under control,12and19has determined21this20in22his24heart,25to keep26her ashis28betrothed,29he will do31well.30 So then1he3who marries4his6betrothed7does9well,8and10he11who refrains from marriage1213will do15evenbetter.14 A wife1is bound2to8her9husband8as long as345he lives.6But11if10herhusband14dies,12she is16free15to be married19to whom17she wishes,18only20in21the Lord.22 Yet2in7my9judgment10she is3happier1if4she remains6as she is.5And12I think11thatI too13have16the Spirit14of God.15