7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: aIt is good for a man not to btouch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, to avoid cfornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3 dLet the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife ehath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband ehath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5 fDefraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to gfasting and prayer; and come together again, that hSatan itempt you not for your jincontinency. 6 But I speak this by permission, and knot of commandment. 7 For lI would that all men were meven as I myself. But nevery man hath his proper gift of God, oone after this manner, and another after that.

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, aIt is good for them if they abide meven as I. 9 But pif they cannot qcontain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. 10 And unto the married I command, yet rnot I, but the Lord, sLet not the wife depart from her husband: 11 tBut and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. 12 But kto the rest speak I, unot the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she wbe pleased to dwell with him, let him not xput her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he wbe pleased to dwell with her, let her not xleave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else ywere your children unclean; but now are they zholy. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but aGod hath called us †to peace. 16 For bwhat knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt csave thy husband? or †how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt csave thy wife? 17 But das God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ddordain I ein all churches. 18 Is any man called being circumcised? flet him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? glet him not be circumcised. 19 hCircumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but ithe keeping of the commandments of God. 20 kLet every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is lthe Lord’s †freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is mChrist’s servant. 23 nYe are bought with a price; obe not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, klet every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

25 Now concerning virgins pI have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give pmy judgment, as qone that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be rfaithful. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the spresent ||tdistress, I say, uthat it is good for a man so to be. 27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. 28 vBut and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such wshall have trouble in the flesh: but xI spare you. 29 But this I say, brethren, ythe time is short: zit remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; 30 zAnd they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they apossessed not; 31 And they that use this world, as not babusing it: for cthe dfashion of this world passeth away. 32 But eI would have you without carefulness. fHe that is unmarried careth for the things †that belong to the Lord, how he may gplease the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 34 hThere is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman ecareth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may icast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. 36 But if any man think that he jbehaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she kpass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. 37 Nevertheless he that lstandeth mstedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. 38 So then he that giveth her in marriage ndoeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

39 oThe wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband pbe dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only qin the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she so abide, rafter my judgment: and I sthink also tthat I have the Spirit of God.