English Standard Version

Greek Study Bible

1Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”

1Περὶ δὲ ὧν ἐγράψατε καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι

2But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

2διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω καὶ ἑκάστη τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα ἐχέτω

3The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

3Τῇ γυναικὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδότω ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τῷ ἀνδρί

4For 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.

4ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει ἀλλὰ ὁ ἀνήρ ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει ἀλλὰ ἡ γυνή

5Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

5Μὴ ἀποστερεῖτε ἀλλήλους εἰ μήτι ἂν ἐκ συμφώνου πρὸς καιρὸν ἵνα σχολάσητε τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἦτε ἵνα μὴ πειράζῃ ὑμᾶς ὁ Σατανᾶς διὰ τὴν ἀκρασίαν ὑμῶν

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

6τοῦτο δὲ λέγω κατὰ συνγνώμην οὐ κατ’ ἐπιταγήν

7I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

7θέλω δὲ πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἶναι ὡς καὶ ἐμαυτόν ἀλλὰ ἕκαστος ἴδιον ἔχει χάρισμα ἐκ Θεοῦ ὁ μὲν οὕτως ὁ δὲ οὕτως

8To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.

8Λέγω δὲ τοῖς ἀγάμοις καὶ ταῖς χήραις καλὸν αὐτοῖς ἐὰν μείνωσιν ὡς κἀγώ

9But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

9εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐγκρατεύονται γαμησάτωσαν κρεῖττον γάρ ἐστιν γαμῆσαι* ἢ πυροῦσθαι

10To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband

10Τοῖς δὲ γεγαμηκόσιν παραγγέλλω οὐκ ἐγὼ ἀλλὰ ὁ Κύριος γυναῖκα ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς μὴ χωρισθῆναι

11(but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

11ἐὰν δὲ καὶ χωρισθῇ μενέτω ἄγαμος ἢ τῷ ἀνδρὶ καταλλαγήτω καὶ ἄνδρα γυναῖκα μὴ ἀφιέναι

12To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.

12Τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς λέγω ἐγώ οὐχ ὁ Κύριος εἴ τις ἀδελφὸς γυναῖκα ἔχει ἄπιστον καὶ αὕτη συνευδοκεῖ οἰκεῖν μετ’ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀφιέτω αὐτήν

13If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.

13καὶ γυνὴ ‹εἴ τις› ἔχει ἄνδρα ἄπιστον καὶ οὗτος συνευδοκεῖ οἰκεῖν μετ’ αὐτῆς μὴ ἀφιέτω τὸν ἄνδρα

14For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

14ἡγίασται γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ἄπιστος ἐν τῇ γυναικί καὶ ἡγίασται ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἄπιστος ἐν τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἐπεὶ ἄρα τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν ἀκάθαρτά ἐστιν νῦν δὲ ἅγιά ἐστιν

15But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.

15Εἰ δὲ ὁ ἄπιστος χωρίζεται χωριζέσθω οὐ δεδούλωται ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἡ ἀδελφὴ ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐν δὲ εἰρήνῃ κέκληκεν ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεός

16For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

16τί γὰρ οἶδας γύναι εἰ τὸν ἄνδρα σώσεις ἢ τί οἶδας ἄνερ εἰ τὴν γυναῖκα σώσεις

17Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

17Εἰ μὴ ἑκάστῳ ὡς ἐμέρισεν* ὁ Κύριος ἕκαστον ὡς κέκληκεν ὁ Θεός οὕτως περιπατείτω καὶ οὕτως ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις πάσαις διατάσσομαι

18Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.

18περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη μὴ ἐπισπάσθω ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις μὴ περιτεμνέσθω

19For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

19ἡ περιτομὴ οὐδέν ἐστιν καὶ ἡ ἀκροβυστία οὐδέν ἐστιν ἀλλὰ τήρησις ἐντολῶν Θεοῦ

20Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.

20Ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ κλήσει ᾗ ἐκλήθη ἐν ταύτῃ μενέτω

21Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)

21δοῦλος ἐκλήθης μή σοι μελέτω ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι μᾶλλον χρῆσαι

22For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.

22ὁ γὰρ ἐν Κυρίῳ κληθεὶς δοῦλος ἀπελεύθερος Κυρίου ἐστίν ὁμοίως ὁ ἐλεύθερος κληθεὶς δοῦλός ἐστιν Χριστοῦ

23You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.

23Τιμῆς ἠγοράσθητε μὴ γίνεσθε δοῦλοι ἀνθρώπων

24So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

24ἕκαστος ἐν ᾧ ἐκλήθη ἀδελφοί ἐν τούτῳ μενέτω παρὰ Θεῷ

25Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

25Περὶ δὲ τῶν παρθένων ἐπιταγὴν Κυρίου οὐκ ἔχω γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ Κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι

26I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.

26Νομίζω οὖν τοῦτο καλὸν ὑπάρχειν διὰ τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην ὅτι καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ οὕτως εἶναι

27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

27δέδεσαι γυναικί μὴ ζήτει λύσιν λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα

28But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.

28ἐὰν δὲ καὶ γαμήσῃς οὐχ ἥμαρτες καὶ ἐὰν γήμῃ ἡ παρθένος οὐχ ἥμαρτεν θλῖψιν δὲ τῇ σαρκὶ ἕξουσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῶν φείδομαι

29This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

29Τοῦτο δέ φημι ἀδελφοί ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος ἐστίν τὸ λοιπὸν ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν

30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

30καὶ οἱ κλαίοντες ὡς μὴ κλαίοντες καὶ οἱ χαίροντες ὡς μὴ χαίροντες καὶ οἱ ἀγοράζοντες ὡς μὴ κατέχοντες

31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

31καὶ οἱ χρώμενοι τὸν κόσμον ὡς μὴ καταχρώμενοι παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου

32I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.

32Θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀμερίμνους εἶναι ὁ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου πῶς ἀρέσῃ τῷ Κυρίῳ

33But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,

33ὁ δὲ γαμήσας μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου πῶς ἀρέσῃ τῇ γυναικί

34and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.

34καὶ μεμέρισται καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἄγαμος καὶ ἡ παρθένος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ τῷ σώματι καὶ τῷ πνεύματι ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου πῶς ἀρέσῃ τῷ ἀνδρί

35I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

35Τοῦτο δὲ πρὸς τὸ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν σύμφορον λέγω οὐχ ἵνα βρόχον ὑμῖν ἐπιβάλω ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ εὐπάρεδρον τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀπερισπάστως

36If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.

36Εἰ δέ τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ νομίζει ἐὰν ᾖ ὑπέρακμος καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει γίνεσθαι ὃ θέλει ποιείτω οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει γαμείτωσαν

37But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.

37ὃς δὲ ἕστηκεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἑδραῖος μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην ἐξουσίαν δὲ ἔχει περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος καὶ τοῦτο κέκρικεν ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον καλῶς ποιήσει

38So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

38Ὥστε καὶ ὁ γαμίζων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον καλῶς ποιεῖ καὶ ὁ μὴ γαμίζων κρεῖσσον ποιήσει

39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

39Γυνὴ δέδεται ἐφ’ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ἐὰν δὲ κοιμηθῇ ὁ ἀνήρ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ᾧ θέλει γαμηθῆναι μόνον ἐν Κυρίῳ

40Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

40μακαριωτέρα δέ ἐστιν ἐὰν οὕτως μείνῃ κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν γνώμην δοκῶ δὲ κἀγὼ Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἔχειν

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.