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.
Verse 24, as a summary of the whole paragraph, states a general, overall principle: We should be content with where God has placed us. God wants us to be content with the circumstances of our lives, for God Himself seems to be satisfied with them for the time being. What really matters is not what position we have, not how highly regarded we are, not how much authority we have, or whatever—but it is keeping the commandments that matters. If we are in a position, and we keep God's commandments, then it is likely that God Himself will change our circumstances for the better. He will find a way to promote us in time.
