| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch 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." |
| 2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. | 2But because of immoralities, each man should have relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband. |
| 3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. | 3A husband should give to his wife her sexual rights, and likewise a wife to her husband. |
| 4The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. | 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. |
| 5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. | 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. |
| 6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. | 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. |
| 7For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. | 7I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that. |
| 8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. | 8To the unmarried and widows I say that it is best for them to remain as I am. |
| 9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. | 9But if they do not have self-control, let them get married. For it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire. |
| 10And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: | 10To the married I give this command--not I, but the Lord--a wife should not divorce a husband |
| 11But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away 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 to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. | 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. |
| 13And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. | 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 sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. | 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 unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to 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 what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy 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? |
| 17But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all 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. |
| 18Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be 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 is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. | 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Instead, keeping God's commandments is what counts. |
| 20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. | 20Let each one remain in that situation in life in which he was called. |
| 21Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. | 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 that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. | 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. |
| 23Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. | 23You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men. |
| 24Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. | 24In whatever situation someone was called, brothers and sisters, let him remain in it with God. |
| 25Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. | 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. |
| 26I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. | 26Because of the impending crisis I think it best for you to remain as you are. |
| 27Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. | 27The one bound to a wife should not seek divorce. The one released from a wife should not seek marriage. |
| 28But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I 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. |
| 29But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives 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, |
| 30And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; | 30those with tears like those not weeping, those who rejoice like those not rejoicing, those who buy like those without possessions, |
| 31And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth 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. |
| 32But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to 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 he that is married careth for the things that are 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, |
| 34There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for 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. |
| 35And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon 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 think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. | 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. |
| 37Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth 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 that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. | 38So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, but the one who does not, does better. |
| 39The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; 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 so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I 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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