1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The 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. 5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. 7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. 10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But 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 to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases : but God hath called us to peace. 16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? 17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. 18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 Let 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 the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say , that 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 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. 29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it : for the fashion of this world passeth away. 32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth 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 cast 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 behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass 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 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. 38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. 39 The wife 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; only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
1 de quibus autem scripsistis
bonum est homini mulierem non tangere
2 propter fornicationes autem unusquisque suam uxorem
habeat
et unaquaeque suum virum habeat
3 uxori vir debitum reddat similiter autem et uxor viro
4 mulier sui corporis potestatem non habet sed vir
similiter autem et vir sui corporis potestatem non habet sed mulier
5 nolite fraudare invicem
nisi forte ex consensu ad tempus ut vacetis orationi
et iterum revertimini in id ipsum
ne temptet vos Satanas propter incontinentiam vestram
6 hoc autem dico secundum indulgentiam non secundum imperium
7 volo autem omnes homines esse sicut me ipsum
sed unusquisque proprium habet donum ex Deo
alius quidem sic alius vero sic
8 dico autem non nuptis et viduis
bonum est illis si sic maneant sicut et ego
9 quod si non se continent nubant
melius est enim nubere quam uri
10 his autem qui matrimonio iuncti sunt
praecipio non ego sed Dominus
uxorem a viro non discedere
11 quod si discesserit manere innuptam aut viro suo reconciliari
et vir uxorem ne dimittat
12 nam ceteris ego dico non Dominus
si quis frater uxorem habet infidelem
et haec consentit habitare cum illo
non dimittat illam
13 et si qua mulier habet virum infidelem
et hic consentit habitare cum illa
non dimittat virum
14 sanctificatus est enim vir infidelis in muliere fideli
et sanctificata est mulier infidelis per virum fidelem
alioquin filii vestri inmundi essent nunc autem sancti sunt
15 quod si infidelis discedit discedat
non est enim servituti subiectus frater aut
soror in eiusmodi
in pace autem vocavit nos Deus
16 unde enim scis mulier si virum salvum facies
aut unde scis vir si mulierem salvam facies
17 nisi unicuique sicut divisit Dominus
unumquemque sicut vocavit Deus ita ambulet
et sic in omnibus ecclesiis doceo
18 circumcisus aliquis vocatus est non adducat praeputium
in praeputio aliquis vocatus est non circumcidatur
19 circumcisio nihil est et praeputium nihil est
sed observatio mandatorum Dei
20 unusquisque in qua vocatione vocatus est in ea permaneat
21 servus vocatus es non sit tibi curae
sed et si potes liber fieri magis utere
22 qui enim in Domino vocatus est servus libertus est Domini
similiter qui liber vocatus est servus est Christi
23 pretio empti estis nolite fieri servi hominum
24 unusquisque in quo vocatus est fratres
in hoc maneat apud Deum
25 de virginibus autem praeceptum Domini non habeo
consilium autem do
tamquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino ut sim fidelis
26 existimo ergo hoc bonum esse propter instantem necessitatem
quoniam bonum est homini sic esse
27 alligatus es uxori noli quaerere solutionem
solutus es ab uxore noli quaerere uxorem
28 si autem acceperis uxorem non peccasti
et si nupserit virgo non peccavit
tribulationem tamen carnis habebunt huiusmodi
ego autem vobis parco
29 hoc itaque dico fratres tempus breve est
reliquum est ut qui habent uxores tamquam non habentes
sint
30 et qui flent tamquam non flentes
et qui gaudent tamquam non gaudentes
et qui emunt tamquam non possidentes
31 et qui utuntur hoc mundo tamquam non utantur
praeterit enim figura huius mundi
32 volo autem vos sine sollicitudine esse
qui sine uxore est sollicitus est quae Domini sunt
quomodo placeat Deo
33 qui autem cum uxore est sollicitus est quae sunt mundi
quomodo placeat uxori
et divisus est
34 et mulier innupta et virgo cogitat quae Domini sunt
ut sit sancta et corpore et spiritu
quae autem nupta est cogitat quae sunt mundi
quomodo placeat viro
35 porro hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico
non ut laqueum vobis iniciam
sed ad id quod honestum est
et quod facultatem praebeat sine inpedimento Dominum observandi
36 si quis autem turpem se videri existimat super
virgine sua
quod sit superadulta
et ita oportet fieri
quod vult faciat non peccat nubat
37 nam qui statuit in corde suo firmus non habens necessitatem
potestatem autem habet suae voluntatis
et hoc iudicavit in corde suo servare virginem suam
bene facit
38 igitur et qui matrimonio iungit virginem suam bene facit
et qui non iungit melius facit
39 mulier alligata est quanto tempore vir eius vivit
quod si dormierit vir eius liberata est
cui vult nubat tantum in Domino
40 beatior autem erit si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium
puto autem quod et ego Spiritum Dei habeo