Corinthios I 7
1 De quibus autem scripsistis mihi: Bonum est homini mulierem non tangere:
Now about what you wrote to me: “It's good not to marry.”
2 propter fornicationem autem unusquisque suam uxorem habeat, et unaquæque suum virum habeat.
However, because of the temptation to sexual immorality, it is better that each man have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
3 Uxori vir debitum reddat: similiter autem et uxor viro.
The husband should meet his wife's sexual needs, and the wife her husband's.
4 Mulier sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed vir. Similiter autem et vir sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed mulier.
The wife's body doesn't just belong to her, but her husband; and similarly the husband's body doesn't just belong to him but his wife.
5 Nolite fraudare invicem, nisi forte ex consensu ad tempus, ut vacetis orationi: et iterum revertimini in idipsum, ne tentet vos Satanas propter incontinentiam vestram.
So don't deprive each other, except by mutual consent for a while— for example because you want to spend time in prayer. Afterwards be together again so that Satan won't tempt you to sin because of your lack of self-control.
6 Hoc autem dico secundum indulgentiam, non secundum imperium.
I'm telling you this not as a command, but as a concession.
7 Volo enim omnes vos esse sicut meipsum: sed unusquisque proprium donum habet ex Deo: alius quidem sic, alius vero sic.
However, I wish that everyone was like me, but each person has their own gift from God—one has this gift, one has another.
8 Dico autem non nuptis, et viduis: bonum est illis si sic permaneant, sicut et ego.
To those who are not yet married, or who are widowed, I would say it is better if they remain like me.
9 Quod si non se continent, nubant. Melius est enim nubere, quam uri.
But if they lack self-control, then they should get married—for it is better to marry than burn with desire.
10 Iis autem qui matrimonio juncti sunt, præcipio non ego, sed Dominus, uxorem a viro non discedere:
These are my instructions to those who are married—in fact not from me but the Lord: The wife should not leave her husband
11 quod si discesserit, manere innuptam, aut viro suo reconciliari. Et vir uxorem non dimittat.
(or if she does, she should not re-marry, or she should return to her husband); and the husband should not leave his wife.
12 Nam ceteris ego dico, non Dominus. Si quis frater uxorem habet infidelem, et hæc consentit habitare cum illo, non dimittat illam.
Now, to the rest of you, (and this is me speaking, not the Lord), I would say, “If a Christian man has a non-Christian wife and she is willing to stay with him, he should not leave her.
13 Et si qua mulier fidelis habet virum infidelem, et hic consentit habitare cum illa, non dimittat virum:
And if a Christian woman has a non-Christian husband, and he is willing to stay with her, she should not leave her husband.”
14 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.
For a husband who is not a Christian, the marriage relationship is made holy by the Christian wife, and for a wife who is not a Christian, the marriage relationship is made holy by the Christian husband. Otherwise it would mean your children were impure, but now they are holy.
15 Quod si infidelis discedit, discedat: non enim servituti subjectus est frater, aut soror in hujusmodi: in pace autem vocavit nos Deus.
However, if the non-Christian spouse leaves, let them leave. In such cases the Christian man or woman is not slavishly bound, for God has called us to live in peace.
16 Unde enim scis mulier, si virum salvum facies? aut unde scis vir, si mulierem salvam facies?
Wives, who knows? You may save your husband! Husbands, who knows? You may save your wife!
17 Nisi unicuique sicut divisit Dominus, unumquemque sicut vocavit Deus, ita ambulet, et sicut in omnibus ecclesiis doceo.
Apart from such cases, each of you should remain in the situation that the Lord has placed you, and continue to live the life to which God has called you. That's my instruction to all the churches.
18 Circumcisus aliquis vocatus est? non adducat præputium. In præputio aliquis vocatus est? non circumcidatur.
Were you circumcised when you were converted? Don't become uncircumcised. Were you uncircumcised when you were converted? Don't become circumcised.
19 Circumcisio nihil est, et præputium nihil est: sed observatio mandatorum Dei.
Circumcision doesn't mean anything, and uncircumcision doesn't mean anything. Keeping the commandments of God is what really matters.
20 Unusquisque in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.
Everyone should remain in the position they were in when they were called.
21 Servus vocatus es? non sit tibi curæ: sed et si potes fieri liber, magis utere.
If you were a slave when you were called, don't worry—though if you have an opportunity to become free, take it.
22 Qui enim in Domino vocatus est servus, libertus est Domini: similiter qui liber vocatus est, servus est Christi.
If you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free, working for the Lord. In the same way if you were called when you were free, you are now Christ's slave!
23 Pretio empti estis: nolite fieri servi hominum.
A price has been paid for you, so don't become a slave to anyone.
24 Unusquisque in quo vocatus est, fratres, in hoc permaneat apud Deum.
Brothers and sisters, remain in the position you were in when you were called, living with God.
25 De virginibus autem præceptum Domini non habeo: consilium autem do, tamquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino, ut sim fidelis.
Now about “people who are not married,” I don't have a specific instruction from the Lord, so let me give you my opinion as someone who by the Lord's mercy is considered trustworthy.
26 Existimo ergo hoc bonum esse propter instantem necessitatem, quoniam bonum est homini sic esse.
Because of the present difficult situation we are in I think it is best to just stay as you are.
27 Alligatus es uxori? noli quærere solutionem. Solutus es ab uxore? noli quærere uxorem.
Are you already married? Don't try to get divorced. Are you unmarried? Don't look to get married.
28 Si autem acceperis uxorem, non peccasti. Et si nupserit virgo, non peccavit: tribulationem tamen carnis habebunt hujusmodi. Ego autem vobis parco.
If you do get married, you haven't sinned. If an unmarried woman gets married, she hasn't sinned. But you will have many troubles in this current world and I would want to spare you these.
29 Hoc itaque dico, fratres: tempus breve est: reliquum est, ut et qui habent uxores, tamquam non habentes sint:
I'm telling you, brothers and sisters, that time is short, and from now on for those who are married it may seem as if they are not married,
30 et qui flent, tamquam non flentes: et qui gaudent, tamquam non gaudentes: et qui emunt, tamquam non possidentes:
and those who weep as if they did not weep, and those that celebrated as if they had not celebrated, and those that bought as if they did not own,
31 et qui utuntur hoc mundo, tamquam non utantur: præterit enim figura hujus mundi.
and those who are engaged with the world as if it is not fulfilling—for the present world order is passing away.
32 Volo autem vos sine sollicitudine esse. Qui sine uxore est, sollicitus est quæ Domini sunt, quomodo placeat Deo.
I would prefer you to be free from such worries. A man who is not married pays attention to what is important to the Lord, and how he can please the Lord.
33 Qui autem cum uxore est, sollicitus est quæ sunt mundi, quomodo placeat uxori, et divisus est.
But a man who is married pays attention to what is important in this world, and how he can please his wife.
34 Et mulier innupta, et virgo, cogitat quæ Domini sunt, ut sit sancta corpore, et spiritu. Quæ autem nupta est, cogitat quæ sunt mundi, quomodo placeat viro.
As a result his loyalties are divided. Similarly an unmarried woman or girl pays attention to what is important to the Lord, so she may live a life dedicated both in body and spirit. But a married woman pays attention to what is important in this world, and how she can please her husband.
35 Porro hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico: non ut laqueum vobis injiciam, sed ad id, quod honestum est, et quod facultatem præbeat sine impedimento Dominum obsecrandi.
I'm telling you this for your benefit. I'm not trying to put a noose around your neck, but to show you the right thing to do so you can serve the Lord without being distracted.
36 Si quis autem turpem se videri existimat super virgine sua, quod sit superadulta, et ita oportet fieri: quod vult faciat: non peccat, si nubat.
But if a man thinks he's behaving improperly with the woman he's engaged to, and if he thinks he will give in to his strong sexual desire, and if he thinks he ought to get married, he is not sinning by getting married.
37 Nam qui statuit in corde suo firmus, non habens necessitatem, potestatem autem habens suæ voluntatis, et hoc judicavit in corde suo, servare virginem suam, bene facit.
But if a man stays true to his principles, and there is no obligation to marry, and has the power to keep his feelings under control and stay engaged to her, he does well not to marry.
38 Igitur et qui matrimonio jungit virginem suam, bene facit: et qui non jungit, melius facit.
So the man who marries the woman he's engaged to does well, while the one who does not get married does better.
39 Mulier alligata est legi quanto tempore vir ejus vivit, quod si dormierit vir ejus, liberata est: cui vult nubat, tantum in Domino.
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whoever she wants in the Lord.
40 Beatior autem erit si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium: puto autem quod et ego Spiritum Dei habeam.
But in my opinion she would be happier if she didn't re-marry—and I think I too have the Spirit of God when I say this.
