Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2But because sexual immorality is so common, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

2But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.

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

3The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

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.

4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

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.

5Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

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

6But this I say by way of concession, not of command.

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.

7Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

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

8But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.

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

9But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10I command the married--not I, but the Lord--a wife is not to leave her husband.

10But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband

11But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband--and a husband is not to leave his wife.

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

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.

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

13Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband.

13And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away.

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.

14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

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.

15Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.

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?

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

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.

17Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.

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

18Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised.

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

19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.

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

20Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.

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.

21Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.

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.

22For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave.

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

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

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

24Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

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.

25Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.

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

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

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

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

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.

28But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

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

29But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;

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,

30and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;

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.

31and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.

32I want you to be without concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord.

32But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;

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

33but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,

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.

34and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

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.

35This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

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.

36But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her 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.

37But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well.

38So then he who marries his virgin does well, but he who does not marry will do better.

38So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.

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.

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

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

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

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

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org