New Living Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations.

1Now in response to the matters you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman."

2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each 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.

3The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs.

3A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband.

4The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

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 deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of 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.

6I say this as a concession, not as a command.

6I say the following as a concession, not as a command.

7But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.

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.

8So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am.

8I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am.

9But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

9But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with desire.

10But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from 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, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave 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.

12Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave 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 believing woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave 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 believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, 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.

15(But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the believing husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for 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.

16Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?

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?

17Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for 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.

18For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now.

18Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised.

19For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments.

19Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God's commands does.

20Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you.

20Each person should remain in the life situation in which he was called.

21Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it.

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.

22And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

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.

23God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.

23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

24Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.

24Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called.

25Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you.

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.

26Because of the present crisis, I think it is best to remain as you are.

26Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is.

27If you have a wife, do not seek to end the marriage. If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married.

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, it is not a sin. And if a young woman gets married, it is not a sin. However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems.

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.

29But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage.

29And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none,

30Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions.

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,

31Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass 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 the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him.

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 has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.

33But a married man is concerned about the things of the world--how he may please his wife--

34His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to 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 am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.

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.

36But if a man thinks that he’s treating his fiancée improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin.

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.

37But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry.

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 the person who marries his fiancée does well, and the person who doesn’t marry 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. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves 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.

40But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

40But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.