²⁵Concerning virgins: Even though I don’t have any command from the Lord, I’ll give you my opinion. I’m a person to whom the Lord has shown mercy, so I can be trusted. ²⁶Because of the present crisis I believe it is good for people to remain as they are. ²⁷Do you have a wife? Don’t seek a divorce. Are you divorced from your wife? Don’t look for another one. ²⁸But if you do get married, you have not sinned. If a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will have trouble, and I would like to spare them from that.

²⁹This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time has been shortened. While it lasts, those who are married should live as though they were not. ³⁰Those who have eyes filled with tears should live as though they have no sorrow. Those who are happy should live as though there was nothing to be happy about. Those who buy something should live as though they didn’t own it. ³¹Those who use the things in this world should do so but not depend on them. It is clear that this world in its present form is passing away.

³²So I don’t want you to have any concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, ⸤that is,⸥ about how he can please the Lord. ³³But the married man is concerned about earthly things, ⸤that is,⸥ about how he can please his wife. ³⁴His attention is divided.

An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the Lord’s things so that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about earthly things, ⸤that is,⸥ about how she can please her husband. ³⁵I’m saying this for your benefit, not to restrict you. I’m showing you how to live a noble life of devotion to the Lord without being distracted by other things.

³⁶No father would want to do the wrong thing when his virgin daughter is old enough to get married. If she wants to get married, he isn’t sinning by letting her get married. ³⁷However, a father may have come to a decision about his daughter. If his decision is to keep her ⸤at home⸥ because she doesn’t want to get married, that’s fine. ³⁸So it’s fine for a father to give his daughter in marriage, but the father who doesn’t give his daughter in marriage does even better.

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