Study Desk

Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is ^(a)good for a man not to touch a woman.

But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.

The husband must ^[a]fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

^(b)Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and ^[b]come together again so that ^(c)Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

But this I say by way of concession, ^(d)not of command.

^[c]Yet I wish that all men were ^(e)even as I myself am. However, ^(f)each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is ^(g)good for them if they remain ^(h)even as I.

But if they do not have self-control, ⁽ⁱ⁾let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

But to the married I give instructions, ^(j)not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not ^[d]leave her husband

(but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not ^[e]divorce his wife.

But to the rest ^(k)I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not ^[f]divorce her.

And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not ^[g]send her husband away.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through ^[h]her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are ^(l)holy.

Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called ^[i]us ^[j](m)to peace.

For how do you know, O wife, whether you will ⁽ⁿ⁾save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

Only, ^(o)as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And ^(p)so I direct in ^(q)all the churches.

Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? ^(r)He is not to be circumcised.

^(s)Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is ^(t)the keeping of the commandments of God.

^(u)Each man must remain in that ^[k]condition in which he was called.

Were you called while a slave? ^[l]Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather ^[m]do that.

For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is ^(v)the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is ^(w)Christ's slave.

^(x)You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

Brethren, ^(y)each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.