Προς Κορινθιους Α΄ 7
1 περι δε ων εγραψατε μοι καλον ανθρωπω γυναικοσ μη απτεσθαι
I now deal with the subjects mentioned in your letter. It is well for a man to abstain altogether from marriage.
2 δια δε τασ πορνειασ εκαστοσ την εαυτου γυναικα εχετω και εκαστη τον ιδιον ανδρα εχετω
But because there is so much fornication every man should have a wife of his own, and every woman should have a husband.
3 τη γυναικι ο ανηρ την οφειλομενην ευνοιαν αποδιδοτω ομοιωσ δε και η γυνη τω ανδρι
Let a man pay his wife her due, and let a woman also pay her husband his.
4 η γυνη του ιδιου σωματοσ ουκ εξουσιαζει αλλ ο ανηρ ομοιωσ δε και ο ανηρ του ιδιου σωματοσ ουκ εξουσιαζει αλλ η γυνη
A married woman is not mistress of her own person: her husband has certain rights. In the same way a married man is not master of his own person: his wife has certain rights.
5 μη αποστερειτε αλληλουσ ει μητι αν εκ συμφωνου προσ καιρον ινα σχολαζητε τη νηστεια και τη προσευχη και παλιν επι το αυτο συνερχησθε ινα μη πειραζη υμασ ο σατανασ δια την ακρασιαν υμων
Do not refuse one another, unless perhaps it is just for a time and by mutual consent, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and may then associate again; lest the Adversary begin to tempt you because of your deficiency in self-control.
6 τουτο δε λεγω κατα συγγνωμην ου κατ επιταγην
Thus much in the way of concession, not of command.
7 θελω γαρ παντασ ανθρωπουσ ειναι ωσ και εμαυτον αλλ εκαστοσ ιδιον χαρισμα εχει εκ θεου οσ μεν ουτωσ οσ δε ουτωσ
Yet I would that everybody lived as I do; but each of us has his own special gift from God--one in one direction and one in another.
8 λεγω δε τοισ αγαμοισ και ταισ χηραισ καλον αυτοισ εστιν εαν μεινωσιν ωσ καγω
But I tell the unmarried, and women who are widows, that it is well for them to remain as I am.
9 ει δε ουκ εγκρατευονται γαμησατωσαν κρεισσον γαρ εστιν γαμησαι η πυρουσθαι
If, however, they cannot maintain self-control, by all means let them marry; for marriage is better than the fever of passion.
10 τοισ δε γεγαμηκοσιν παραγγελλω ουκ εγω αλλ ο κυριοσ γυναικα απο ανδροσ μη χωρισθηναι
But to those already married my instructions are--yet not mine, but the Lord's--that a wife is not to leave her husband;
11 εαν δε και χωρισθη μενετω αγαμοσ η τω ανδρι καταλλαγητω και ανδρα γυναικα μη αφιεναι
or if she has already left him, let her either remain as she is or be reconciled to him; and that a husband is not to send away his wife.
12 τοισ δε λοιποισ εγω λεγω ουχ ο κυριοσ ει τισ αδελφοσ γυναικα εχει απιστον και αυτη συνευδοκει οικειν μετ αυτου μη αφιετω αυτην
To the rest it is I who speak--not the Lord. If a brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, let him not send her away.
13 και γυνη ητισ εχει ανδρα απιστον και αυτοσ συνευδοκει οικειν μετ αυτησ μη αφιετω αυτον
And a woman who has an unbelieving husband--if he consents to live with her, let her not separate from him.
14 ηγιασται γαρ ο ανηρ ο απιστοσ εν τη γυναικι και ηγιασται η γυνη η απιστοσ εν τω ανδρι επει αρα τα τεκνα υμων ακαθαρτα εστιν νυν δε αγια εστιν
For, in such cases, the unbelieving husband has become--and is--holy through union with a Christian woman, and the unbelieving wife is holy through union with a Christian brother. Otherwise your children would be unholy, but in reality they have a place among God's people.
15 ει δε ο απιστοσ χωριζεται χωριζεσθω ου δεδουλωται ο αδελφοσ η η αδελφη εν τοισ τοιουτοισ εν δε ειρηνη κεκληκεν ημασ ο θεοσ
If, however, the unbeliever is determined to leave, let him or her do so. Under such circumstances the Christian man or woman is no slave; God has called us to live lives of peace.
16 τι γαρ οιδασ γυναι ει τον ανδρα σωσεισ η τι οιδασ ανερ ει την γυναικα σωσεισ
For what assurance have you, O woman, as to whether you will save your husband? Or what assurance have you, O man, as to whether you will save your wife?
17 ει μη εκαστω ωσ εμερισεν ο θεοσ εκαστον ωσ κεκληκεν ο κυριοσ ουτωσ περιπατειτω και ουτωσ εν ταισ εκκλησιαισ πασαισ διατασσομαι
Only, whatever be the condition in life which the Lord has assigned to each individual--and whatever the condition in which he was living when God called him--in that let him continue.
18 περιτετμημενοσ τισ εκληθη μη επισπασθω εν ακροβυστια τισ εκληθη μη περιτεμνεσθω
This is what I command in all the Churches. Was any one already circumcised when called? Let him not have recourse to the surgeons. Was any one uncircumcised when called? Let him remain uncircumcised.
19 η περιτομη ουδεν εστιν και η ακροβυστια ουδεν εστιν αλλα τηρησισ εντολων θεου
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing: obedience to God's commandments is everything.
20 εκαστοσ εν τη κλησει η εκληθη εν ταυτη μενετω
Whatever be the condition in life in which a man was, when he was called, in that let him continue.
21 δουλοσ εκληθησ μη σοι μελετω αλλ ει και δυνασαι ελευθεροσ γενεσθαι μαλλον χρησαι
Were you a slave when God called you? Let not that weigh on your mind. And yet if you can get your freedom, take advantage of the opportunity.
22 ο γαρ εν κυριω κληθεισ δουλοσ απελευθεροσ κυριου εστιν ομοιωσ και ο ελευθεροσ κληθεισ δουλοσ εστιν χριστου
For a Christian, if he was a slave when called, is the Lord's freed man, and in the same way a free man, if called, becomes the slave of Christ.
23 τιμησ ηγορασθητε μη γινεσθε δουλοι ανθρωπων
You have all been redeemed at infinite cost: do not become slaves to men.
24 εκαστοσ εν ω εκληθη αδελφοι εν τουτω μενετω παρα θεω
Where each one stood when he was called, there, brethren, let him still stand--close to God.
25 περι δε των παρθενων επιταγην κυριου ουκ εχω γνωμην δε διδωμι ωσ ηλεημενοσ υπο κυριου πιστοσ ειναι
Concerning unmarried women I have no command to give you from the Lord; but I offer you my opinion, which is that of a man who, through the Lord's mercy, is deserving of your confidence.
26 νομιζω ουν τουτο καλον υπαρχειν δια την ενεστωσαν αναγκην οτι καλον ανθρωπω το ουτωσ ειναι
I think then that, taking into consideration the distress which is now upon us, it is well for a man to remain as he is.
27 δεδεσαι γυναικι μη ζητει λυσιν λελυσαι απο γυναικοσ μη ζητει γυναικα
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to get free. Are you free from the marriage bond? Do not seek for a wife.
28 εαν δε και γημησ ουχ ημαρτεσ και εαν γημη η παρθενοσ ουχ ημαρτεν θλιψιν δε τη σαρκι εξουσιν οι τοιουτοι εγω δε υμων φειδομαι
Yet if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a maiden marries, she has not sinned. Such people, however, will have outward trouble. But I am for sparing you.
29 τουτο δε φημι αδελφοι ο καιροσ συνεσταλμενοσ το λοιπον εστιν ινα και οι εχοντεσ γυναικασ ωσ μη εχοντεσ ωσιν
Yet of this I warn you, brethren: the time has been shortened--so that henceforth those who have wives should be as though they had none,
30 και οι κλαιοντεσ ωσ μη κλαιοντεσ και οι χαιροντεσ ωσ μη χαιροντεσ και οι αγοραζοντεσ ωσ μη κατεχοντεσ
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 και οι χρωμενοι τω κοσμω τουτω ωσ μη καταχρωμενοι παραγει γαρ το σχημα του κοσμου τουτου
and those who use the world as not using it to the full. For the world as it now exists is passing away.
32 θελω δε υμασ αμεριμνουσ ειναι ο αγαμοσ μεριμνα τα του κυριου πωσ αρεσει τω κυριω
And I would have you free from worldly anxiety. An unmarried man concerns himself with the Lord's business--how he shall please the Lord;
33 ο δε γαμησασ μεριμνα τα του κοσμου πωσ αρεσει τη γυναικι
but a married man concerns himself with the business of the world--how he shall please his wife.
34 μεμερισται και η γυνη και η παρθενοσ η αγαμοσ μεριμνα τα του κυριου ινα η αγια και σωματι και πνευματι η δε γαμησασα μεριμνα τα του κοσμου πωσ αρεσει τω ανδρι
There is a difference too between a married and an unmarried woman. She who is unmarried concerns herself with the Lord's business--that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman concerns herself with the business of the world--how she shall please her husband.
35 τουτο δε προσ το υμων αυτων συμφερον λεγω ουχ ινα βροχον υμιν επιβαλω αλλα προσ το ευσχημον και ευπροσεδρον τω κυριω απερισπαστωσ
Thus much I say in your own interest; not to lay a trap for you, but to help towards what is becoming, and enable you to wait on the Lord without distraction.
36 ει δε τισ ασχημονειν επι την παρθενον αυτου νομιζει εαν η υπερακμοσ και ουτωσ οφειλει γινεσθαι ο θελει ποιειτω ουχ αμαρτανει γαμειτωσαν
If, however, a father thinks he is acting unbecomingly towards his still unmarried daughter if she be past the bloom of her youth, and so the matter is urgent, let him do what she desires; he commits no sin; she and her suitor should be allowed to marry.
37 οσ δε εστηκεν εδραιοσ εν τη καρδια μη εχων αναγκην εξουσιαν δε εχει περι του ιδιου θεληματοσ και τουτο κεκρικεν εν τη καρδια αυτου του τηρειν την εαυτου παρθενον καλωσ ποιει
But if a father stands firm in his resolve, being free from all external constraint and having a legal right to act as he pleases, and in his own mind has come to the decision to keep his daughter unmarried, he will do well.
38 ωστε και ο εκγαμιζων καλωσ ποιει ο δε μη εκγαμιζων κρεισσον ποιει
So that he who gives his daughter in marriage does well, and yet he who does not give her in marriage will do better.
39 γυνη δεδεται νομω εφ οσον χρονον ζη ο ανηρ αυτησ εαν δε και κοιμηθη ο ανηρ ελευθερα εστιν ω θελει γαμηθηναι μονον εν κυριω
A woman is bound to her husband during the whole period that he lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to marry whom she will, provided that he is a Christian.
40 μακαριωτερα δε εστιν εαν ουτωσ μεινη κατα την εμην γνωμην δοκω δε καγω πνευμα θεου εχειν
But in my judgement, her state is a more enviable one if she remains as she is; and I also think that I have the Spirit of God.
