²⁸But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you.

²⁹This therefore I say, brethren: The time is short. It remaineth, that they also who have wives be as if they had none:

³⁰And they that weep, as though they wept not: and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not: and they that buy as if they possessed not:

³¹And they that use this world, as if they used it not. For the fashion of this world passeth away.

³²But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord: how he may please God.

³³But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world: how he may please his wife. And he is divided.

³⁴And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord: that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of the world: how she may please her husband.

³⁵And this I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which is decent and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.

³⁶But if any man think that he seemeth dishonoured with regard to his virgin, for that she is above the age, and it must so be: let him do what he will. He sinneth not if she marry.

³⁷For he that hath determined, being steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but having power of his own will: and hath judged this in his heart, to keep his virgin, doth well.

³⁸Therefore both he that giveth his virgin in marriage doth well: and he that giveth her not doth better.

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