| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. | 1Now for the matters you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." |
| 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. | 2But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. |
| 3Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. | 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. |
| 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. | 4The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. |
| 5Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. | 5Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. |
| 6But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. | 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. |
| 7For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. | 7I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. |
| 8But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; | 8Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. |
| 9but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. | 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. |
| 10Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. | 10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. |
| 11But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. | 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. |
| 12But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. | 12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. |
| 13And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. | 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. |
| 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. | 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. |
| 15But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. | 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. |
| 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? | 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? |
| 17But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. | 17Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. |
| 18Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. | 18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. |
| 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. | 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. |
| 20Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. | 20Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. |
| 21Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. | 21Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you--although if you can gain your freedom, do so. |
| 22For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. | 22For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord's freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called 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 human beings. |
| 24Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. | 24Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. |
| 25Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. | 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. |
| 26I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: | 26Because of the present crisis, I think 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 pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. |
| 28But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. | 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. |
| 29But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, | 29What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; |
| 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 who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; |
| 31and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away. | 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. |
| 32But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. | 32I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord. |
| 33But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. | 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- |
| 34There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. | 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband. |
| 35And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction. | 35I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. |
| 36But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. | 36If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. |
| 37Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. | 37But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin--this man also does the right thing. |
| 38So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better. | 38So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better. |
| 39A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. | 39A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. |
| 40But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think I also have the Spirit of God. | 40In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is--and I think that I too have the Spirit of God. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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