| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 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 to abstain from sexual relations. |
| 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. | 2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman 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 the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the 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 by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through 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 men were as I am. But each man has his 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 widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. |
| 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, let them 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 a brother has an unbelieving wife 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 an unbelieving husband 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 is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now 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 him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you 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. | 17Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe 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 still uncircumcised when 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 commandments is what counts. |
| 20Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. | 20Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called. |
| 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? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity. |
| 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 he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was 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 men. |
| 24Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. | 24Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him. |
| 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 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 committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of 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 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 am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; |
| 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 weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; |
| 31and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away. | 31and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on 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 want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, 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 the 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. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the 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 in order to promote proper decorum and 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. | 36However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; 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 is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well. |
| 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 well, but he who does not marry her does even 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 wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs 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, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. |
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