¶ Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good¹ for a man not to touch² a woman.

Nevertheless, to avoid³ fornication, let⁴ every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

⁵Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

⁶The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

Defraud ye not one the other, except⁷ it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan⁸ tempt you not for your incontinency.

But I speak this by⁹ permission, and not of commandment.

For I would¹⁰ that all men were even as I myself. But¹¹ every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

¹²I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

But if they cannot contain, let¹³ them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

¶ And unto the married I command, yet¹⁴ not I, but the Lord, Let¹⁵ not the wife depart from her husband:

But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or¹⁶ be reconciled to her husband: and let¹⁷ not the husband put away his wife.

But to the rest speak¹⁸ I, not the Lord: If¹⁹ any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

For the unbelieving husband²⁰ is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else²¹ were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother²² or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but²³ God hath called us to peace²⁴.

For what knowest thou, O wife²⁵, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how²⁶ knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

¶ But as God²⁷ hath distributed to every man, as the²⁸ Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain²⁹ I in all churches.

Is any man called being³⁰ circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

Circumcision³¹ is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but³² the keeping of the commandments of God.

¶ Let every man abide³³ in the same calling wherein he was called.

Art thou called being³⁴ a servant³⁵? care³⁶ not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the³⁷ Lord's freeman³⁸: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

Ye are³⁹ bought with a price; be⁴⁰ not ye the servants of men.

Brethren, let⁴¹ every man, wherein he is called, therein abide⁴² with God.

¶ Now concerning⁴³ virgins⁴⁴ I have⁴⁵ no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained⁴⁶ mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

I suppose therefore that⁴⁷ this is good for the present distress⁴⁸, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

Art thou bound⁴⁹ unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

But and if thou marry, thou hast⁵⁰ not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless⁵¹ such shall have trouble in the flesh: but⁵² I spare you.

But this I say, brethren, the time⁵³ is short: it remaineth, that both⁵⁴ they that have wives be as though they had none;

¶ And they that weep⁵⁵, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

And they that use⁵⁶ this world, as not abusing it: for⁵⁷ the fashion⁵⁸ of this world passeth away.

But I would⁵⁹ have you without carefulness. He that⁶⁰ is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord⁶¹, how he may please the Lord:

But he that is married careth⁶² for the things that are of the world, how⁶³ he may please his wife.

There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth⁶⁴ for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both⁶⁵ in body and in spirit: but she that⁶⁶ is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

And this I speak for your own profit; not⁶⁷ that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely⁶⁸, and that⁶⁹ ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

¶ But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin⁷⁰, if she pass the flower⁷¹ of her age, and need⁷² so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth⁷³ not: let them marry.

Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast 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.

So then⁷⁴ he that giveth her in marriage doeth well⁷⁵; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better⁷⁶.

¶ The wife⁷⁷ is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only⁷⁸ in the Lord.

¶ But she⁷⁹ is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think⁸⁰ also that I have the Spirit of God.