Lessons relating to marriage and celibacy. Virginity is preferable to a married state.

 1 Now concerning the thing whereof you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
De quibus autem scripsistis mihi : Bonum est homini mulierem non tangere :

 2 But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
propter fornicationem autem unusquisque suam uxorem habeat, et unaquaeque suum virum habeat.

 3 Let the husband render the debt to his wife, and the wife also in like manner to the husband.
Uxori vir debitum reddat : similiter autem et uxor viro.

 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. And in like manner the husband also hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Mulier sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed vir. Similiter autem et vir sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed mulier.

 5 Defraud not one another, except, perhaps, by consent, for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer; and return together again, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.
Nolite fraudare invicem, nisi forte ex consensu ad tempus, ut vacetis orationi : et iterum revertimini in idipsum, ne tentet vos Satanas propter incontinentiam vestram.

 6 But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment.
Hoc autem dico secundum indulgentiam, non secundum imperium.

 7 For I would that all men were even as myself: but every one hath his proper gift from God; one after this manner, and another after that.
Volo enim omnes vos esse sicut meipsum : sed unusquisque proprium donum habet ex Deo : alius quidem sic, alius vero sic.

 8 But I say to the unmarried, and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.
Dico autem non nuptis, et viduis : bonum est illis si sic permaneant, sicut et ego.

 9 But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.
Quod si non se continent, nubant. Melius est enim nubere, quam uri.

 10 But to them that are married, not I but the Lord commandeth, that the wife depart not from her husband.
Iis autem qui matrimonio juncti sunt, praecipio non ego, sed Dominus, uxorem a viro non discedere :

 11 And if she depart, that she remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.
quod si discesserit, manere innuptam, aut viro suo reconciliari. Et vir uxorem non dimittat.

 12 For to the rest I speak, not the Lord. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she consent to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
Nam ceteris ego dico, non Dominus. Si quis frater uxorem habet infidelem, et haec consentit habitare cum illo, non dimittat illam.

 13 And if any woman hath a husband that believeth not, and he consent to dwell with her, let her not put away her husband.
Et si qua mulier fidelis habet virum infidelem, et hic consentit habitare cum illa, non dimittat virum :

 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband: otherwise your children should be unclean; but now they are holy.
sanctificatus est enim vir infidelis per mulierem fidelem, et sanctificata est mulier infidelis per virum fidelem : alioquin filii vestri immundi essent, nunc autem sancti sunt.

 15 But if the unbeliever depart, let him depart. For a brother or sister is not under servitude in such cases. But God hath called us in peace.
Quod si infidelis discedit, discedat : non enim servituti subjectus est frater, aut soror in hujusmodi : in pace autem vocavit nos Deus.

 16 For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Unde enim scis mulier, si virum salvum facies? aut unde scis vir, si mulierem salvam facies?

 17 But as the Lord hath distributed to every one, as God hath called every one, so let him walk: and so in all churches I teach.
Nisi unicuique sicut divisit Dominus, unumquemque sicut vocavit Deus, ita ambulet, et sicut in omnibus ecclesiis doceo.

 18 Is any man called, being circumcised? let him not procure uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
Circumcisus aliquis vocatus est? non adducat praeputium. In praeputio aliquis vocatus est? non circumcidatur.

 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing: but the observance of the commandments of God.
Circumcisio nihil est, et praeputium nihil est : sed observatio mandatorum Dei.

 20 Let every man abide in the same calling in which he was called.
Unusquisque in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.

 21 Wast thou called, being a bondman? care not for it; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
Servus vocatus es? non sit tibi curae : sed et si potes fieri liber, magis utere.

 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a bondman, is the freeman of the Lord. Likewise he that is called, being free, is the bondman of Christ.
Qui enim in Domino vocatus est servus, libertus est Domini : similiter qui liber vocatus est, servus est Christi.

 23 You are bought with a price; be not made the bondslaves of men.
Pretio empti estis : nolite fieri servi hominum.

 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.
Unusquisque in quo vocatus est, fratres, in hoc permaneat apud Deum.

 25 Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.
De virginibus autem praeceptum Domini non habeo : consilium autem do, tamquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino, ut sim fidelis.

 26 I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity, that it is good for a man so to be.
Existimo ergo hoc bonum esse propter instantem necessitatem, quoniam bonum est homini sic esse.

 27 Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
Alligatus es uxori? noli quaerere solutionem. Solutus es ab uxore? noli quaerere uxorem.

 28 But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you.
Si autem acceperis uxorem, non peccasti. Et si nupserit virgo, non peccavit : tribulationem tamen carnis habebunt hujusmodi. Ego autem vobis parco.

 29 This therefore I say, brethren; the time is short; it remaineth, that they also who have wives, be as if they had none;
Hoc itaque dico, fratres : tempus breve est : reliquum est, ut et qui habent uxores, tamquam non habentes sint :

 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
et qui flent, tamquam non flentes : et qui gaudent, tamquam non gaudentes : et qui emunt, tamquam non possidentes :

 31 And they that use this world, as if they used it not: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
et qui utuntur hoc mundo, tamquam non utantur : praeterit enim figura hujus mundi.

 32 But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God.
Volo autem vos sine sollicitudine esse. Qui sine uxore est, sollicitus est quae Domini sunt, quomodo placeat Deo.

 33 But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided.
Qui autem cum uxore est, sollicitus est quae sunt mundi, quomodo placeat uxori, et divisus est.

 34 And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
Et mulier innupta, et virgo, cogitat quae Domini sunt, ut sit sancta corpore, et spiritu. Quae autem nupta est, cogitat quae sunt mundi, quomodo placeat viro.

 35 And this I speak for your profit: not to cast a snare upon you; but for that which is decent, and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.
Porro hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico : non ut laqueum vobis injiciam, sed ad id, quod honestum est, et quod facultatem praebeat sine impedimento Dominum obsecrandi.

 36 But if any man think that he seemeth dishonoured, with regard to his virgin, for that she is above the age, and it must so be: let him do what he will; he sinneth not, if she marry.
Si quis autem turpem se videri existimat super virgine sua, quod sit superadulta, et ita oportet fieri : quod vult faciat : non peccat, si nubat.

 37 For he that hath determined being steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but having power of his own will; and hath judged this in his heart, to keep his virgin, doth well.
Nam qui statuit in corde suo firmus, non habens necessitatem, potestatem autem habens suae voluntatis, et hoc judicavit in corde suo, servare virginem suam, bene facit.

 38 Therefore, both he that giveth his virgin in marriage, doth well; and he that giveth her not, doth better.
Igitur et qui matrimonio jungit virginem suam, bene facit : et qui non jungit, melius facit.

 39 A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die, she is at liberty: let her marry to whom she will; only in the Lord.
Mulier alligata est legi quanto tempore vir ejus vivit, quod si dormierit vir ejus, liberata est : cui vult nubat, tantum in Domino.

 40 But more blessed shall she be, if she so remain, according to my counsel; and I think that I also have the spirit of God.
Beatior autem erit si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium : puto autem quod et ego Spiritum Dei habeam.