| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now for the matters you wrote about: 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 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 marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. | 3A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. |
| 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the 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, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will 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. |
| 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. | 6I say the following as a concession, not as a command. |
| 7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has 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. |
| 8Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, 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 cannot control themselves, let them marry. 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 the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. | 10I command the married--not I, but the Lord--a wife is not to leave her husband. |
| 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce 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. |
| 12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce 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 an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce 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 is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing 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 unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. 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. |
| 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will 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? |
| 17Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe 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 a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be 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. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts. | 19Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God's commands does. |
| 20Each one should remain in the situation he was in when 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 it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take 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 he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’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 at a price; do not become slaves of men. | 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. |
| 24Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him. | 24Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called. |
| 25Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment 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. |
| 26Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain 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. |
| 27Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife. | 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 marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. | 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. |
| 29What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if 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, |
| 30those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; | 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 of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this 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 concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, 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 the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, 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 his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, 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 am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided 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. |
| 36However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should 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. |
| 37But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well. | 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, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her 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, as long as he belongs to 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. |
| 40In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. | 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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