| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Now in response to the matters you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman." | 1Now with regard to the issues you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with 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 should have relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband. |
| 3A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. | 3A husband should give to his wife her sexual rights, and likewise a 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. | 4It is not the wife who has the rights to her own body, but the husband. In the same way, it is not the husband who has the rights to his own body, but the wife. |
| 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. | 5Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. |
| 6I say the following as a concession, not as a command. | 6I say this as a concession, not as a 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. | 7I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that. |
| 8I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. | 8To the unmarried and widows I say that it is best for them to remain as I am. |
| 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 get married. For it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire. |
| 10I command the married--not I, but the Lord--a wife is not to leave her husband. | 10To the married I give this command--not I, but the Lord--a wife should not divorce a 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, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband), and a 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. | 12To the rest I say--I, not the Lord--if a brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is happy to live with him, he should 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 if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is happy to live with her, she should not divorce him. |
| 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 because of the wife, and the unbelieving wife because of her husband. 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. | 15But if the unbeliever wants a divorce, let it take place. In these circumstances the brother or sister is not bound. God has called you in 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, wife, whether you will bring your husband to salvation? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will bring your wife to salvation? |
| 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. | 17Nevertheless, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each person, so must he live. I give this sort of direction 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 anyone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision. Was anyone called who is uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. |
| 19Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter, but keeping God's commands does. | 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Instead, keeping God's commandments is what counts. |
| 20Each person should remain in the life situation in which he was called. | 20Let each one remain in that situation in life 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 as a slave? Do not worry about it. But if indeed you are able to be free, make the most of the opportunity. |
| 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 the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman. In the same way, the one who was called as a free person 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. | 24In whatever situation someone was called, brothers and sisters, let him remain in it with God. |
| 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. | 25With regard to the question about people who have never married, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy. |
| 26Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. | 26Because of the impending crisis I think it best for you to remain as you are. |
| 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. | 27The one bound to a wife should not seek divorce. The one released from a wife should not seek marriage. |
| 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. But those who marry will face difficult circumstances, and I am trying to spare you such problems. |
| 29And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, | 29And I say this, brothers and sisters: The time is short. So then those who have wives should be as those who have 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, | 30those with tears like those not weeping, those who rejoice like those not rejoicing, those who buy like those without possessions, |
| 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. | 31those who use the world as though they were not using it to the full. For the present shape 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. | 32And I want you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. |
| 33But a married man is concerned about the things of the world--how he may please his wife-- | 33But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to 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 he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to 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. | 35I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service 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. | 36If anyone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the bloom of youth and it seems necessary, he should do what he wishes; he does not sin. Let them 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 the man who is firm in his commitment, and is under no necessity but has control over his will, and has decided in his own mind to keep his own virgin, does well. |
| 38So then he who marries his virgin does well, but he who does not marry will do better. | 38So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, but the one who does not, does 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 is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes (only someone 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 will be happier if she remains as she is--and I think that I too have the Spirit of God! |
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