Principles of Marriage

1As concerninge the thinges wherof ye wrote vnto me: it is good for a ma not to touche a woman. 2Neverthelesse to avoyde fornicacio let every man have his wyfe: and let every woman have her husbande. 3Let the man geve vnto the wyfe due benevolence. Lykwyse also the wyfe vnto the man. 4The wyfe hath not power over her awne body: but the husbande. And lykewyse the man hath not power over his awne body: but the wyfe. 5Withdrawe not youre selves one from another excepte it be with consent for a tyme for to geve youre selves to fastynge and prayer. And afterwarde come agayne to the same thynge lest Satan tempt you for youre incontinencye. 6This I saye of faveour not of comaundement. 7For I wolde that all men were as I my selfe am: but every man hath his proper gyfte of God one after this maner another after that.

8I saye vnto the vnmaried men and widdowes: it is good for them yf they abyde eve as I do. 9But and yf they canot abstayne let them mary. For it is better to mary then to burne.

10Vnto the maryed comaunde not I but the Lorde: that the wyfe separate not her selfe from the man. 11Yf she separate her selfe let her remayne vnmaryed or be reconciled vnto her husbande agayne. And let not the husbande put awaye his wyfe from him.

12To the remnaunt speake I and not the lorde. Yf eny brother have a wyfe that beleveth not yf she be content to dwell with him let him not put her awaye. 13And ye woma which hath to her husbande an infidell yf he consent to dwell with her let her not put him awaye. 14For ye vnbelevynge husbande is sanctified by the wyfe: and the vnbelevynge wyfe is sanctified by the husbande. Or els were youre chyldren vnclene: but now are they pure. 15But and yf the vnbelevynge departe let him departe. A brother or a sister is not in subiection to soche. God hath called vs in peace. 16For how knowest thou o woman whether thou shalt save that man or no? Other how knowest thou o man whether thou shalt save that woman or no?

Live Your Calling

17but even as God hath distributed to every man. As the lorde hath called every person so let him walke: and so orden I in all congregacios. 18Yf eny man be called beynge circumcised let him adde nothinge therto. Yf eny be called vncircumcised: let him not be circucised. 19Circumcision is nothinge vncircumcision is nothinge: but the kepyng of the comaundmentes of god is altogether. 20Let every man abyde in the same state wherin he was called.

21Arte thou called a servaut? care not for it. Neverthelesse yf thou mayst be fre vse it rather. 22For he that is called in the lorde beynge a servaunt is the lordes freman. Lykwyse he that is called beynge fre is Christes servaut. 23Ye are dearly bought be not mennes seruauntes. 24Brethren let everye man wherin he is called therin abyde with God.

The Unmarried and Widowed

25As concernynge virgins I have no comaundment of the lorde: yet geve I counsell as one that hath obtayned mercye of the lorde to be faythfull. 26I suppose that it is good for the present necessite. For it is good for a ma so to be. 27Arte thou bounde vnto a wyfe? seke not to be lowsed. Arte thou lowsed from a wyfe? seke not a wyfe. 28But and yf thou take a wyfe thou synnest not. Lykwyse if a virgin mary she synneth not. Neverthelesse soche shall have trouble in their flesshe: but I faver you. 29This saye I brethre the tyme is shorte. It remayneth that they which have wives be as though they had none 30and they that wepe be as though thy wept not: and they that reioyce be as though they reioysed not: and they that bye be as though they possessed not: 31and they yt vse this worlde be as though they vsed it not. For the fassion of this worlde goeth awaye.

32I wolde have you without care: the single man careth for the thinges of the lorde how he maye please the lorde. 33But he that hath maried careth for the thinges of the worlde howe he maye please his wyfe. 34There is differece bitwene a virgin and a wyfe. The single woman careth for the thinges of the lorde that she maye be pure both in body and also in sprete But she that is maryed careth for the thinges of the worlde how she maye please her husband. 35This speake I for youre proffit not to tangle you in a snare: but for that which is honest and comly vnto you and that ye maye quyetly cleave vnto the lorde wt out separacion.

36If eny man thinke that it is vncomly for his virgin if she passe the tyme of mariage ad if so nede requyre let him do what he listeth he synneth not: let the be coupled in mariage. 37Neverthelesse he yt purposeth surely in his herte havynge none nede: but hath power over his awne will: and hath so decreed in his herte that he will kepe his virgin doth well. 38So then he that ioyneth his virgin in maryage doth well. But he that ioyneth not his virgin in mariage doth better.

39The wyfe is bounde to the lawe as longe as her husband liveth If her husbande slepe she is at liberte to mary with whom she wyll only in the lorde. 40But she is happiar yf she so abyde in my iudgmet And I thinke verely that I have the sprete of God.