The Koine Bible

Now concerning the things you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

But because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Do not deprive one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

But this I say by way of permission, not by command.

I wish that all people were as I am, but each one has his own gift from God, one in this way, and another in that.

Now to the unmarried and to the widows I say that it is good for them to remain as I do.

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be set on fire.

To those who are married I command, not I but the Lord, that a wife should not separate from her husband—

But if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband must not divorce his wife.

To the rest I say, not the Lord: If a brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.

And if a woman has a husband who is unbelieving, and he consents to live with her, she must not leave the husband.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through the brother. Otherwise, your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

But if the unbeliever separates, let them separate; the brother or the sister is not enslaved in such cases, for God has called us to peace.

For what do you know, woman, whether you will save the man? Or what do you know, man, whether you will save the woman?

Only let each one lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. So let him walk. And in the same way I direct in all the churches.

Was anyone called who is circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called who is uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God.

Each one should remain in the calling in which he was called.

Were you called as a slave? Do not let it trouble you; but if you are also able to become free, rather make use of it.

For the one called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freed person; likewise, the one who is free called is a slave of Christ.

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

Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called, brothers, in that condition before God.

Now concerning the virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

I think, therefore, that this is good because of the present necessity, that it is good for a person to be this way.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who do this will have trouble in the flesh, but I am sparing you.

But this I say, brothers, the time is shortened; from now on, those who have wives should live as if they do not have them,

and those who weep as though not weeping, and those who rejoice as though not rejoicing, and those who buy as though not possessing,

And those who use the world as not using it fully; for the form of this world is passing away.

But I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious about the Lord’s affairs, how to please the Lord.

But the married man is concerned about the matters of the world, how he may please his wife,

And it is divided. The unmarried woman and the virgin care about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but the married woman cares about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

But I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but so that you may live in a proper and respectful way, undistracted toward the Lord.

But if anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past the bloom of youth, and it must be so, let him do what he wishes; he does not sin; let them marry.

But whoever stands firm in his heart, without necessity, and has authority over his own will, and has decided in his own heart to keep his own virgin, he will do well.

So the one who marries his virgin does well, and the one who does not marry will do better.

A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

But it is more blessed if she remains as thus, according to my judgment, and I also think that I have the Spirit of God.