| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now about what you asked: "Is it advisable for a man not to marry?" | 1Now in response to the matters you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman." |
| 2Because sexual immorality is so rampant, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband. | 2But because sexual immorality is so common, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. |
| 3A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should do the same for her husband. | 3A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. |
| 4A wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but his wife does. | 4A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. |
| 5Do not withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so just for a set time, in order to devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should come together again so that Satan does not tempt you through your lack of self-control. | 5Do not deprive one another sexually--except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. |
| 6But I say this as a concession, not as a command. | 6I say the following as a concession, not as a command. |
| 7I would like everyone to be unmarried, like I am. However, each person has a special gift from God, one this and another that. | 7I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift from God, one person in this way and another in that way. |
| 8I say to those who are unmarried, especially to widows: It is good for them to remain like me. | 8I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. |
| 9However, if they cannot control themselves, they should get married, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. | 9But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with desire. |
| 10To married people I give this command (not really I, but the Lord): A wife must not leave her husband. | 10I command the married--not I, but the Lord--a wife is not to leave her husband. |
| 11But if she does leave him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. Likewise, a husband must not abandon his wife. | 11But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband--and a husband is not to leave his wife. |
| 12I (not the Lord) say to the rest of you: If a brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to live with him, he must not abandon her. | 12But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: If any brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her. |
| 13And if a woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he is willing to live with her, she must not abandon him. | 13Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband. |
| 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. | 14For the unbelieving husband is set apart for God by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart for God by the husband. Otherwise your children would be corrupt, but now they are set apart for God. |
| 15But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him go. In such cases the brother or sister is not under obligation. God has called you to live in peace. | 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. |
| 16Wife, you might be able to save your husband. Husband, you might be able to save your wife. | 16For you, wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Or you, husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife? |
| 17Nevertheless, everyone should live the life that the Lord gave him and to which God called him. This is my rule in all the churches. | 17However, each one must live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called him. This is what I command in all the churches. |
| 18Was anyone circumcised when he was called? He should not try to change that. Was anyone uncircumcised when he was called? He should not get circumcised. | 18Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. |
| 19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying God's commandments is everything. | 19Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God's commands does. |
| 20Everyone should stay in the same condition in which he was called. | 20Each person should remain in the life situation in which he was called. |
| 21Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that bother you. Of course, if you have a chance to become free, take advantage of the opportunity. | 21Were you called while a slave? It should not be a concern to you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity. |
| 22For the slave who has been called to belong to the Lord is the Lord's free person. In the same way, the free person who has been called is the Messiah's slave. | 22For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ's slave. |
| 23You were bought for a price. Stop becoming slaves of people. | 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. |
| 24Brothers, everyone should stay in the same condition in which he was called by God. | 24Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called. |
| 25Now concerning virgins, although I do not have any command from the Lord, I will give you my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. | 25About virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. |
| 26In view of the present crisis, I think it is prudent for a man to stay as he is. | 26Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. |
| 27Have you become committed to a wife? Stop trying to get released from your commitment. Have you been freed from your commitment to a wife? Stop looking for one. | 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. |
| 28But if you do get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will experience trouble in this life, and I want to spare you from that. | 28However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. |
| 29This is what I mean, brothers: The time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, | 29And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, |
| 30and those who mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing, | 30those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, |
| 31and those who use the things in the world as though they were not dependent on them. For the world in its present form is passing away. | 31and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away. |
| 32I want you to be free from concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, that is, about how he can please the Lord. | 32I want you to be without concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord. |
| 33But a married man is concerned about things of this world, that is, about how he can please his wife, | 33But a married man is concerned about the things of the world--how he may please his wife-- |
| 34and so his attention is divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, that is, about how she can please her husband. | 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world--how she may please her husband. |
| 35I'm saying this for your benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord. | 35Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction. |
| 36If a man thinks he is not behaving properly toward his virgin, and if his passion is so strong that he feels he ought to marry her, let him do what he wants; he isn't sinning. Let them get married. | 36But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, if she is past marriageable age, and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. |
| 37However, if a man stands firm in his resolve, feels no necessity, and has made up his mind to keep her a virgin, he will be acting appropriately. | 37But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin, will do well. |
| 38So then the man who marries the virgin acts appropriately, but the man who refrains from marriage does even better. | 38So then he who marries his virgin does well, but he who does not marry will do better. |
| 39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. | 39A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants--only in the Lord. |
| 40However, in my opinion she will be happier if she stays as she is. And in saying this, I think that I, too, have God's Spirit. | 40But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God. |
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