1 Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife her husband. 4 The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment. 7 Yet I wish that all men were like me. However, each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind. 8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am. 9 But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband 11 (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.

12 But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her. 13 The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

17 Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

18 Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments. 20 Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it. 22 For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant. 23 You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men. 24 Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.

25 Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy. 26 Therefore I think that because of the distress that is on us, it’s good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you. 29 But I say this, brothers: the time is short. From now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none; 30 and those who weep, as though they didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t possess; 31 and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.

32 But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife. 34 There is also 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. 35 This I say for your own benefit, not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t sin. Let them marry. 37 But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his own virgin, does well. 38 So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better.

39 A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.

1 CUANTO á las cosas de que me escribisteis, bien es al hombre no tocar mujer.

2 Mas á causa de las fornicaciones, cada uno tenga su mujer, y cada una tenga su marido.

3 El marido pague á la mujer la debida benevolencia; y asimismo la mujer al marido.

4 La mujer no tiene potestad de su propio cuerpo, sino el marido: é igualmente tampoco el marido tiene potestad de su propio cuerpo, sino la mujer.

5 No os defraudéis el uno al otro, á no ser por algún tiempo de mutuo consentimiento, para ocuparos en la oración: y volved á juntaros en uno, porque no os tiente Satanás á causa de vuestra incontinencia.

6 Mas esto digo por permisión, no por mandamiento.

7 Quisiera más bien que todos los hombres fuesen como yo: empero cada uno tiene su propio don de Dios; uno á la verdad así, y otro así.

8 Digo pues á los solteros y á las viudas, que bueno les es si se quedaren como yo.

9 Y si no tienen don de continencia, cásense; que mejor es casarse que quemarse.

10 Mas á los que están juntos en matrimonio, denuncio, no yo, sino el Señor: Que la mujer no se aparte del marido;

11 Y si se apartare, que se quede sin casar, ó reconcíliese con su marido; y que el marido no despida á su mujer.

12 Y á los demás yo digo, no el Señor: si algún hermano tiene mujer infiel, y ella consiente en habitar con él, no la despida.

13 Y la mujer que tiene marido infiel, y él consiente en habitar con ella, no lo deje.

14 Porque el marido infiel es santificado en la mujer, y la mujer infiel en el marido: pues de otra manera vuestros hijos serían inmundos; empero ahora son santos.

15 Pero si el infiel se aparta, apártese: que no es el hermano ó la hermana sujeto á servidumbre en semejante caso; antes á paz nos llamó Dios.

16 Porque ¿de dónde sabes, oh mujer, si quizá harás salva á tu marido? ¿ó de dónde sabes, oh marido, si quizá harás salvo á tu mujer?

17 Empero cada uno como el Señor le repartió, y como Dios llamó á cada uno, así ande: y así enseño en todas las iglesias.

18 ¿Es llamado alguno circuncidado? quédese circunciso. ¿Es llamado alguno incircuncidado? que no se circuncide.

19 La circuncisión nada es, y la incircuncisión nada es; sino la observancia de las mandamientos de Dios.

20 Cada uno en la vocación en que fué llamado, en ella se quede.

21 ¿Eres llamado siendo siervo? no se te dé cuidado; mas también si puedes hacerte libre, procúralo más.

22 Porque el que en el Señor es llamado siendo siervo, liberto es del Señor: asimismo también el que es llamado siendo libre, siervo es de Cristo.

23 Por precio sois comprados; no os hagáis siervos de los hombres.

24 Cada uno, hermanos, en lo que es llamado, en esto se quede para con Dios.

25 Empero de las vírgenes no tengo mandamiento del Señor; mas doy mi parecer, como quien ha alcanzado misericordia del Señor para ser fiel.

26 Tengo, pues, esto por bueno á causa de la necesidad que apremia, que bueno es al hombre estarse así.

27 ¿Estás ligado á mujer? no procures soltarte. ¿Estáis suelto de mujer? no procures mujer.

28 Mas también si tomares mujer, no pecaste; y si la doncella se casare, no pecó: pero aflicción de carne tendrán los tales; mas yo os dejo.

29 Esto empero digo, hermanos, que el tiempo es corto: lo que resta es, que los que tienen mujeres sean como los que no las tienen,

30 Y los que lloran, como los que no lloran; y los que se huelgan, como los que no se huelgan; y los que compran, como los que no poseen;

31 Y los que usan de este mundo, como los que no usan: porque la apariencia de este mundo se pasa.

32 Quisiera, pues, que estuvieseis sin congoja. El soltero tiene cuidado de las cosas que son del Señor, cómo ha de agradar al Señor:

33 Empero el que se casó tiene cuidado de las cosas que son del mundo, cómo ha de agradar á su mujer.

34 Hay asimismo diferencia entre la casada y la doncella: la doncella tiene cuidado de las cosas del Señor, para ser santa así en el cuerpo como en el espíritu: mas la casada tiene cuidado de las cosas del mundo, cómo ha de agradar á su marido.

35 Esto empero digo para vuestro provecho; no para echaros lazo, sino para lo honesto y decente, y para que sin impedimento os lleguéis al Señor.

36 Mas, si á alguno parece cosa fea en su hija virgen, que pase ya de edad, y que así conviene que se haga, haga lo que quisiere, no peca; cásese.

37 Pero el que está firme en su corazón, y no tiene necesidad, sino que tiene libertad de su voluntad, y determinó en su corazón esto, el guardar su hija virgen, bien hace.

38 Así que, el que la da en casamiento, bien hace; y el que no la da en casamiento, hace mejor.

39 La mujer casada está atada á la ley, mientras vive su marido; mas si su marido muriere, libre es: cásese con quien quisiere, con tal que sea en el Señor.

40 Empero más venturosa será si se quedare así, según mi consejo; y pienso que también yo tengo Espíritu de Dios.