6 But I say this as a concession, anot as a commandment.
7 For aI wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.
8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: aIt is good for them if they remain even as I am;
9 but aif they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn withpassion.
Keep Your Marriage Vows
10 Now to the married I command, yet not I but the aLord: bA wife is not to depart from her husband.
11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.
12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.
13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise ayour children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15 But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us ato peace.
16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will asave your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live as You Are Called
17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And aso I ordain in all the churches.
18 Was anyone called while circumcised? aLet him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
19aCircumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but bkeeping the commandments of God iswhatmatters.
20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.
21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.
22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is athe Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is bChrist’s slave.
23aYou were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
24 Brethren, let each one remain with aGod in that state in which he was called.
To the Unmarried and Widows
25 Now concerning virgins: aI have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one bwhom the Lord in His mercy has made ctrustworthy.
26 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—athat itis good for a man to remain as he is:
27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
28 But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
29 But athis I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,
30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,
31 and those who use this world as not amisusing it. For bthe form of this world is passing away.
32 But I want you to be without1 care. aHe who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord.
33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife.
34 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman acares 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.
It is good for them if they remain even as I - That St. Paul was then single is certain and from Acts 7:58, compared with the following parts of the history, it seems probable that he always was so. It does not appear that this declaration, any more than I Corinthians 7:1, hath any reference at all to a state of persecution.
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