| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” | 1Now for the matters you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." |
| 2But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman 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. |
| 3The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. | 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. |
| 4For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. 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 perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may 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. |
| 6Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. | 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. |
| 7I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. | 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. |
| 8To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, 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, they should 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. |
| 10To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband | 10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. |
| 11(but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not 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. |
| 12To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should 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. |
| 13If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should 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 made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, 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 unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you 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, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, 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? |
| 17Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule 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 at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. | 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. |
| 19For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. | 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. |
| 20Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. | 20Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. |
| 21Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) | 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 was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. | 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 with a price; do not become bondservants of men. | 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. |
| 24So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. | 24Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. |
| 25Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is 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 think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person 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 free. Are you free 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 if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. | 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. |
| 29This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live 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; |
| 30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, | 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 deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present 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. |
| 32I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to 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 the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, | 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- |
| 34and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to 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. |
| 35I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. | 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. |
| 36If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. | 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. |
| 37But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do 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 marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better. | 38So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better. |
| 39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free 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. |
| 40Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too 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. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. 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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