King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch 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 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
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But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the 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 hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
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For 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.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
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Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
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This I say by way of concession, not of command.
7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
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I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
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To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
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But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
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To the married I give this command—not I but the Lord—that the wife should not separate from her husband
11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
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(but if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
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To the rest I say—I and not the Lord—that if any believer has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
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And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
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For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
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But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. It is to peace that God has called you.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
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Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
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However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the churches.
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
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Was 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.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
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Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but obeying the commandments of God is everything.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
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Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called.
21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
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Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if you can gain your freedom, make use of your present condition now more than ever.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
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For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave of Christ.
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
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You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human masters.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
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In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters, there remain with God.
25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
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Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.
26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.
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I think that, in view of the impending crisis, it is well for you to remain as you are.
27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
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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 a wife.
28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
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But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a virgin marries, she does not sin. Yet those who marry will experience distress in this life, and I would spare you that.
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
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I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none,
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
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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 possessions,
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
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and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may 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 he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
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but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife,
34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
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and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband.
35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
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I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.
36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
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If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his fiancee, if his passions are strong, and so it has to be, let him marry as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry.
37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
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But if someone stands firm in his resolve, being under no necessity but having his own desire under control, and has determined in his own mind to keep her as his fiancee, he will do well.
38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
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So then, he who marries his fiancee does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
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A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.
40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
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But in my judgment she is more blessed if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.