25

Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him.

26

In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is.

27

If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife.

28

If you get married it is not a sin and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you.

29

But I say this, my brothers, the time is short and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not

30

And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing

31

And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end.

32

But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord:

33

But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife.

34

And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband.

35

Now I say this for your profit not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord.

36

But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him it is no sin let them be married.

37

But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin.

38

So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better.

39

It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another but only to a Christian.

40

But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.