1Nowconcerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a mannot to touch a woman.
2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every manhave his ownwife, andlet every womanhave her ownhusband.
3Let the husbandrender unto the wifeduebenevolence: andlikewisealso the wife unto the husband.
4
The wifehathnotpower of her ownbody, but the husband: andlikewisealso the husbandhathnotpower of his ownbody, but the wife.
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Defraud yenot one the other, except it bewithconsentfor a time, thatye may give yourselves to fastingandprayer; andcometogetheragain, thatSatantemptyounotforyourincontinency.
6But I speakthisbypermission, and notofcommandment.
7For I wouldthatallmenwereevenas I myself. But every manhath his propergiftofGod, one after this manner, andanother after that.
8Isaytherefore to the unmarriedandwidows, It isgood for themif they abideevenasI.
9Butiftheycannotcontain, let them marry: for it isbetter to marrythan to burn.
10And unto the marriedIcommand, yet notI, but the Lord, Letnot the wifedepartfrom her husband:
11Butandif she depart, let her remainunmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: andletnot the husband put away his wife.
12But to the restspeakI, not the Lord: If anybrotherhath a wife that believeth not, andshe be pleased to dwellwithhim, let himnotputheraway.
13And the womanwhichhath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwellwithher, let hernotleavehim.
14For the unbelievinghusband is sanctifiedby the wife, and the unbelievingwife is sanctifiedby the husband: elsewereyourchildrenunclean; butnow are theyholy.
15Butif the unbelievingdepart, let him depart. A brotheror a sisterisnot under bondageinsuch cases: butGod hath calledustopeace.
16Forwhat knowest thou, O wife, whetherthou shalt save thy husband?orhow knowest thou, O man, whetherthou shalt save thy wife?
17ButasGod hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. Andso ordain Iinallchurches.
18Isanymancalled being circumcised? let himnot become uncircumcised. Isanycalledinuncircumcision? let himnot be circumcised.
19Circumcisionisnothing, anduncircumcisionisnothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20Let every manabidein the samecallingwherein he was called.
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Art thou called being a servant?carenot for it: butif thou mayest be madefree, useitrather.
22For he that iscalledin the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewisealso he that iscalled, being free, is Christ's servant.
23Ye are bought with a price; benotye the servants of men.
24Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, thereinabidewithGod.
25Nowconcerningvirgins I havenocommandmentof the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercyof the Lord to befaithful.
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I supposethereforethatthisisgoodfor the presentdistress, I say, that it isgoodfor a manso to be.
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Art thou bound unto a wife?seeknot to be loosed. Art thou loosedfrom a wife?seeknot a wife.
28Butandif thou marry, thou hastnotsinned; andif a virginmarry, she hathnotsinned. Neverthelesssuch shall havetrouble in the flesh: butIspareyou.
29Butthis I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, thatboth they thathavewivesbe as though they hadnone;
30And they that weep, as though they weptnot; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoicednot; and they that buy, as though they possessednot;
31And they that usethisworld, asnotabusing it: for the fashion of thisworld passeth away.
32But I would haveyou without carefulness. He that is unmarriedcareth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
33But he that is marriedcareth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
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There is difference also between a wifeand a virgin. The unmarried womancarethfor the things of the Lord, that she may beholyboth in bodyand in spirit: but she that is marriedcarethfor the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35Andthis I speakforyourownprofit; notthat I may cast a snareuponyou, butforthatwhich is comely, andthat ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
36Butif any manthink that he behaveth himself uncomelytowardhisvirgin, if she pass the flower of her age, andneedsorequire, let him dowhat he will, he sinnethnot: let them marry.
37Neverthelesshe that standethstedfastinhisheart, havingnonecessity, buthathpoweroverhisownwill, andhathsodecreedinhisheart that hewillkeephisvirgin, doethwell.
38Sothen he that giveth her in marriagedoethwell; but he that giveth hernot in marriagedoethbetter.
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The wifeisbound by the lawaslongasherhusbandliveth; butifherhusband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; onlyin the Lord.
40Butsheishappierifshesoabide, aftermyjudgment: and I thinkalso that I have the Spirit of God.