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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2: Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own
wife, and let every woman have her own husband. |
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3:
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and
likewise also the wife unto the husband. |
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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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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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6: But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
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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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8: I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for
them if they abide even as I. |
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9: But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better
to marry than to burn. |
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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19: Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but
the keeping of the commandments of God. |
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20: Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was
called. |
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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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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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23: Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
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24: Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide
with God. |
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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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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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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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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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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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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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31: And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the
fashion of this world passeth away. |
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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40: But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I
think also that I have the Spirit of God. |