1Marriage is to be used as a remedy against fornication. 10Christ hath forbidden to dissolve the bond thereof. 12Directions how to act where one of the parties is an unbeliever. 17Every man must abide in and fulfil the duties of the state wherein he was called. 25Directions concerning the marriage of virgins, respecting the distress of the times; 39and concerning the second marriage of widows.
1NOW concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: aIt is good for a man not to btouch a woman.
a Mat. 19.10. v.8,26,28,35. b Ge. 20.6. Ru. 2.9. Pr. 6.29.
2Nevertheless, cto avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
c ch. 6.18. v.9. Pr. 5.19.
3dLet the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
d Ex. 21.10. 1Pe. 3.7.
4The 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.
5eDefraud 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.
e Ex. 19.15. 1Sa. 21.4. Joel 2.1,16. Zec. 7.3. 1Th. 3.5. Mat. 19.11.
6fBut I speak this by permission, and gnot of commandment.
f 2Co. 11.17; 8.8. v.12,25. g v.10,12,40.
7hFor I would that all men were even as I myself. But ievery man hath his *proper gift of God, one after this *manner, and another after that.
*proper-own.
*manner-kind, sort.
h v.8. ch. 9.5; 12.11,25. Mat. 19.11,12. Ac. 26.29. i ch. 12.4.
8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, jIt is good for them if they abide keven as I.
j v.1,26,35,40. k v.7. ch. 9.5.
9But lif they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
l v.2,36,39. 1Ti. 5.14.
10And unto the married I command, yet mnot I, but the Lord, nLet not the wife depart from her husband:
m v.6,25. n Mal. 2.14-16. Mat. 5.32; 19.6,9. Mar. 10.11,12. Lu. 16.18.
11But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
12But to the rest ospeak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, plet him not put her away.
o v.6,25. 2Co. 11.17; 8.8. p Ezr. 9.2; 10.2,3,11.
13And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14qFor 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.
q Ezr. 9.2. Mal 2.15,16. Tit. 1.15. 1Ti. 4.5. Ep. 2.12. Ro. 11.16.
15But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases : but rGod hath called us 1to peace.
1Gr. in peace.
r Ro. 8.30; 12.18; 14.19. ch. 14.33. He. 12.14.
16sFor what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt tsave thy husband? or 2how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
2Gr. what.
s 1Pe. 3.1,2. Mat. 5.16. t Ro. 11.14.
17uBut as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And vso ordain I win all churches.
u v.7,20-24. Mat. 19.12,24. Ro. 12.3. v ch. 4.17; 11.34. 2Co. 11.28. w ch. 11.16; 14.33.
18xIs any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
x Ac. 15.1,5,19. Ga. 5.1,2; 6.15. Col. 3.11.
19yCircumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but zthe keeping of the commandments of God.
y Ro. 2.25; 3.30. ch. 8.8. Ga. 5.6; 6.15. Col. 3.11. Jn. 15.14. 1Jn. 2.3. z 1Jn. 3.24.
20aLet every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
a Pr. 27.8. Ep. 4.1. Phi. 1.27. Col. 1.10. 1Th. 2.12; 4.11. 2Th. 3.12. v.24.
21bArt thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
b Ga. 3.28. Col. 3.11. ch. 12.13. He. 13.5.
22cFor he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's 3freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
3Gr. made free.
c v.18. Ro. 6.18,22. Ga. 5.13. Ps. 116.16. 1Pe. 2.16. Jn. 8.32,36. Lu. 1.74,75. ch. 9.21. Ep. 6.5,6. Phile. 16.
23dYe are bought with a price; ebe not ye the servants of men.
d Le. 25.42. ch. 6.20. Ac. 20.28. Mat. 20.28. Ro. 4.24. Tit. 2.14. Ga. 1.4; 3.13. Re. 5.9; 1.5,6. 1Pe. 3.18. He. 9.12,14. e Ga. 2.4. Col. 2.20-22. Da. 3.18. Mat. 23.8-10.
24Brethren, flet every man, wherein he is called, therein gabide with God.
f v.17,20. g Ge. 5.24; 6.9; 17.1. 1Jn. 1.3,7.
25hNow concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath iobtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
h v.6,10,12,40. 2Co. 8.8,10; 11.17. i 1Ti. 1.12,13. ch. 4.2. 2Co. 2.17; 4.1,2.
26I suppose therefore that jthis is good for the present 4distress, I say , that it is good for a man so to be.
4Or, necessity. 2Co. 6.4; 12.10.
j v.1,8,35,40. Job 15.24. Ps. 119.143. Je. 9.15; 15.4; 16.2-4. Mat. 24.9,19. 1Pe. 4.17. Zep. 1.15. Lu. 21.23,28,31; 23.29.
27Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28kBut 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 lI spare you.
k He. 13.4. v.11,38. l 2Co. 1.23.
29But this I say, brethren, mthe time is short: it remaineth, that nboth they that have wives be as though they had none;
m Ro. 13.11. ch. 10.11. 1Pe. 4.7. 2Pe. 3.8,9. Ps. 102.23. n Eze. 7.12. Mat. 6.19. Ps. 39.6. Pr. 23.5. Is. 24.4; 40.6,7. Ja. 1.10; 4.14. 1Pe. 1.24. 1Jn. 2.17.
30And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they opossessed not;
o 2Co. 6.10.
31And they that use this world, as not abusing it : for the pfashion of this world passeth away.
p Ps. 39.6. Ja. 1.10; 4.14. 1Pe. 1.24; 4.7. 1Jn. 2.17.
32But I would have you qwithout *carefulness. rHe that is unmarried careth for the things 5that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
*carefulness-anxiety.
5Gr. of the Lord, v.34.
q Ps. 55.22. Mat. 6.25-34. Phi. 4.6. 1Pe. 5.7. r 1Ti. 5.5,8. Lu. 10.40-42.
33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy sboth in body and in spirit: but tshe that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
s ch. 6.20. 1Th. 5.23. t Lu. 10.40-42.
35And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but ufor that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
u Mat. 6.31. ch. 14.40. Lu. 8.14; 10.41; 21.34; 2.37; 1.75.
36But 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.
*uncomely-in an unbecoming manner.
37Nevertheless he that standeth vstedfast 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.
v ch. 15.58.
38wSo then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
w He. 13.4. v.2,9,28,36,18, 26,34.
39xThe 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; yonly in the Lord.
x Ro. 7.1-3. v.10,15. y 2Co. 6.14. ch. 10.31; 11.11; 15.58. Ezr. 9.2. De. 7.3,4. Mal. 2.11.
40zBut she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and aI think also that I have the Spirit of God.
z v.18,26,35. a v.25. 1Th. 4.8. 2Co. 10.10; 12.11. 2Pe. 3.15,16. Ro. 1.1.