Now as to the matters of which you wrote: It is ^agood (beneficial, advantageous) for a man not to touch a woman outside marriage. 2 But because of the temptation to participate in sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 The husband must fulfill his marital duty to his wife with good will and kindness, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have exclusive authority over her own body, but the husband shares with her; and likewise the husband does not have exclusive authority over his body, but the wife shares with him. 5 ^aDo not deprive each other of marital rights, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves unhindered to prayer, but come together again so that ^bSatan will not tempt you to sin because of your lack of self-control. 6 But I am saying this as a concession, ^anot as a command. 7 I wish that all the people were ^aas I am; but ^beach person has his own gift from God, one of this kind and one of that.

8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, that as a practical matter it is ^agood if they remain single and entirely devoted to the Lord ^1bas I am. 9 But if they do not have sufficient self-control, ^athey should marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 But to the ¹married believers I give instructions—^anot I, but the Lord—that the wife is not to separate from her husband, 11 (but even if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be ¹reconciled to her husband) and that the husband should not leave his wife.

12 To the ¹rest ^aI declare—I, not the Lord since Jesus did not discuss this—that if any believing brother has a wife who does not believe in Christ, and she consents to live with him, he must not leave her. 13 And if any believing woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is ¹sanctified that is, he receives the blessings granted through his Christian wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be ceremonially ²unclean, but as it is they are ^aholy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him leave. In such cases the remaining brother or sister is not spiritually or morally bound. But God has called us ^ato ¹peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will ^asave your husband by leading him to Christ? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife by leading her to Christ?

17 Only, let each one live the life which ^athe Lord has assigned him, and to which God has called him for each person is unique and is accountable for his choices and conduct, let him walk in this way. ^bThis is the rule I make in ^call the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his calling from God already circumcised? He is not to ¹become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called while uncircumcised? ^2aHe is not to be circumcised. Gal 5:1-3 19 ^aCircumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is ^bkeeping the commandments of God. 20 ^aEach one should remain in the condition in which he was when he was called.

21 Were you a slave when you were called? Do not worry about that since your status as a believer is ¹equal to that of a freeborn believer; but if you are able to gain your freedom, ²do that. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called in the Lord is a ^afreedman of the Lord, likewise he who was free when he was called is a ^bslave of Christ. 23 ^aYou were bought with a price a precious price paid by Christ; do not become slaves to men but to Christ. 24 Brothers, let ^aeach one remain with God in that condition in which he was when he was called.

25 Now concerning the virgins of marriageable age I have ^ano command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who ^bby the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think then that because of the impending ^adistress that is, the pressure of the current trouble, ^bit is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you ¹unmarried? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned in doing so; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned in doing so. Yet those who marry will have troubles (special challenges) in this life, and I am trying to spare you that. 29 But I say this, believers: ^athe ¹time has been shortened, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they did not; 30 and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess anything; 31 and those who use the world taking advantage of its opportunities, as though they did not ^amake full use of it. For ^bthe outward form of this world its present social and material nature is passing away.

32 But I want you to be free from concern. The ^aunmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but the married man is concerned about worldly things, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or the virgin is concerned about the matters of the Lord, how to be holy and set apart both in body and in spirit; but a married woman is concerned about worldly things, how she may please her husband. 35 Now I say this for your own benefit; not to restrict you, but to promote what is appropriate and secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

36 But if any man thinks that he is not acting properly and honorably toward his virgin daughter, ¹by not permitting her to marry, if she is ²past her youth, and it must be so, let him do as he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry. 37 But the man who stands firmly committed in his heart, having no compulsion to yield to his daughter’s request, and has authority over his own will, and has decided in his own heart to keep his own virgin daughter from being married, he will do well. 38 So then both the father who gives his virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

39 ^aA wife is bound to her husband by law as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, only provided that he too is ^bin the Lord. 40 But ^ain my opinion a widow is happier if she stays as she is. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God in this matter.