Common English Bible CEB
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Now, about what you wrote: "It's good for a man not to have sex with a woman."
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Now concerning the matters about which you wrote. It is well for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband because of sexual immorality.
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But because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
3 The husband should meet his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should do the same for her husband.
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The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.
4 The wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
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For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not rule over his own body, but the wife does.
5 Don't refuse to meet each other's needs unless you both agree for a short period of time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come back together again so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
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Do not refuse one another except perhaps by agreement for a season, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control.
6 I'm saying this to give you permission; it's not a command.
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I say this by way of concession, not of command.
7 I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one.
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I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
8 I'm telling those who are single and widows that it's good for them to stay single like me.
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To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do.
9 But if they can't control themselves, they should get married, because it's better to marry than to burn with passion.
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But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.
10 I'm passing on the Lord's command to those who are married: A wife shouldn't leave her husband,
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To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband
11 but if she does leave him, then she should stay single or be reconciled to her husband. And a man shouldn't divorce his wife.
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(but if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband) --and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
12 I'm telling everyone else (the Lord didn't say this specifically): If a believer has a wife who doesn't believe, and she agrees to live with him, then he shouldn't divorce her.
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To the rest I say, 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.
13 If a woman has a husband who doesn't believe and he agrees to live with her, then she shouldn't divorce him.
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If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.
14 The husband who doesn't believe belongs to God because of his wife, and the wife who doesn't believe belongs to God because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be contaminated by the world, but now they are spiritually set apart.
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For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy.
15 But if a spouse who doesn't believe chooses to leave, then let them leave. The brother or sister isn't tied down in these circumstances. God has called you to peace.
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But if the unbelieving partner desires to separate, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace.
16 How do you know as a wife if you will save your husband? Or how do you know as a husband if you will save your wife?
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Wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?
17 Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one. This is what I teach in all the churches.
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Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.
18 If someone was circumcised when called, he shouldn't try to reverse it. If someone wasn't circumcised when he was called, he shouldn't be circumcised.
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Was any one at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was any one at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.
19 Circumcision is nothing; not being circumcised is nothing. What matters is keeping God's commandments.
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For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.
20 Each person should stay in the situation they were in when they were called.
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Every one should remain in the state in which he was called.
21 If you were a slave when you were called, don't let it bother you. But if you are actually able to be free, take advantage of the opportunity.
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Were you a slave when called? Never mind. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.
22 Anyone who was a slave when they were called by the Lord has the status of being the Lord's free person. In the same way, anyone who was a free person when they were called is Christ's slave.
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For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ.
23 You were bought and paid for. Don't become slaves of people.
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You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
24 So then, brothers and sisters, each of you should stay with God in the situation you were in when you were called.
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So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God.
25 I don't have a command from the Lord about people who have never been married, but I'll give you my opinion as someone you can trust because of the Lord's mercy.
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Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.
26 So I think this advice is good because of the present crisis: Stay as you are.
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I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is.
27 If you are married, don't get a divorce. If you are divorced, don't try to find a spouse.
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Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage.
28 But if you do marry, you haven't sinned; and if someone who hasn't been married gets married, they haven't sinned. But married people will have a hard time, and I'm trying to spare you that.
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But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.
29 This is what I'm saying, brothers and sisters: The time has drawn short. From now on, those who have wives should be like people who don't have them.
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I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,
30 Those who are sad should be like people who aren't crying. Those who are happy should be like people who aren't happy. Those who buy something should be like people who don't have possessions.
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and 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,
31 Those who use the world should be like people who aren't preoccupied with it, because this world in its present form is passing away.
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and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away.
32 I want you to be free from concerns. A man who isn't married is concerned about the Lord's concerns—how he can please the Lord.
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I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord;
33 But a married man is concerned about the world's concerns—how he can please his wife.
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but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife,
34 His attention is divided. A woman who isn't married or who is a virgin is concerned about the Lord's concerns so that she can be dedicated to God in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the world's concerns—how she can please her husband.
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and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband.
35 I'm saying this for your own advantage. It's not to restrict you but rather to promote effective and consistent service to the Lord without distraction.
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I 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.
36 If someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward an unmarried woman whom he knows, and if he has strong feelings and it seems like the right thing to do, he should do what he wants—he's not sinning—they should get married.
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If any one 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.
37 But if a man stands firm in his decision, and doesn't feel the pressure, but has his own will under control, he does right if he decides in his own heart not to marry the woman.
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But 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.
38 Therefore, the one who marries the unmarried woman does right, and the one who doesn't get married will do even better.
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So that he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.
39 A woman is obligated to stay in her marriage as long as her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only it should be a believer in the Lord.
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A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
40 But in my opinion, she will be happier if she stays the way she is. And I think that I have God's Spirit too.
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But in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.