1 VaKorinde 7
1 Zvino maererano nezvinhu zvamakandinyorera, ndinoti: Zvakanaka kumunhu kuti asabata mukadzi.
Now [I will reply to] the things that you wrote to me about. It is good for people not to get married.
2 Asi nekuda kweupombwe, umwe neumwe ngaave nemukadzi wake pachake, nemukadzi umwe neumwe ngaave nemurume wake pachake.
But because many people are committing sexual immorality, [which God detests], every man should have his own wife [with whom he can have sexual relations], and every woman should have her own husband [with whom she can have sexual relations].
3 Murume ngaaripire mukadzi chido chakafanira; nemukadzi saizvozvowo kumurume.
Every man must continue having sexual relations [EUP] with his wife, and every woman must continue having sexual relations with her husband.
4 Mukadzi haana simba pamusoro pemuviri wake pachake, asi murume; uye saizvozvowo murume haana simba pamusoro pemuviri wake pachake, asi mukadzi.
A man’s wife does not have the right over her own body [to be the only one to decide about having sexual relations with her husband]. Instead, her husband also has a right [to decide about that]. Similarly, a woman’s husband does not have the right over his own body [to be the only one to decide about having sexual relations with his wife]. Instead, his wife also has a right [to decide about that].
5 Musanyimana, kunze kwekutenderana kwechinguva, kuti muzvipe kukutsanya nekunyengetera, mugosanganazve, kuti Satani arege kukuidzai pakusazvidzora kwenyu.
You may refuse [to have sexual relations with] each other [EUP] only if you both first agree to do that for a short time, in order that you may both have more time to pray. Then after that, begin having sexual relations again [EUP] in order that Satan will not be able to persuade you [to have sex with someone else] because you are unable to control your sexual desires.
6 Asi ndinotaura izvi nemvumo, kwete nemurairo.
I am telling you these things to say that [God] allows [you to get married, but he] does not say that you must [get married].
7 Nokuti ndinoda kuti dai vanhu vese vava seni; asi umwe neumwe ane chipo chake pachake chinobva kuna Mwari, umwe chakadai, umwewo chakadai.
I myself wish that all people would stay [unmarried/single], as I am. But God has enabled each person to live in ways that seem right for them. He has enabled some people to [live without getting married], and he has enabled other people to [get married].
8 Asi ndinoti kune vasina kuwana nekuchirikadzi: Zvakanaka kwavari kana vachigara seniwo.
Now I want to say this to you unmarried people and to you whose spouses have died: It would be good for you to remain [unmarried] as I am.
9 Asi kana vasina kuzvidzora, ngavawane; nokuti zviri nani kuwana pakutsva.
But if you cannot control your [sexual desires] [EUP], you should get married. It is better to be married [so that you can satisfy your sexual desires with your spouse] than to constantly have a strong desire [EUP] [for sexual relations].
10 Zvino kune vakawana ndinoraira, kwete ini, asi Ishe, kuti mukadzi arege kuparadzana nemurume.
And now I will give a command for [believers who are] married. This is not a command from me alone; it also comes from the Lord Jesus. You married women must not (separate from/divorce) your husbands!
11 Asi kana iye achiparadzana naye, ngaarambe asina kuwanikwa, kana ayananiswe nemurume, nemurume ngaarege kurasa mukadzi.
But if any of you do that, you must remain unmarried, or else you should be reconciled with your husband [and live with him again]. Similarly, men must not (separate from/divorce) their wives.
12 Zvino kune vamwe ndini ndinotaura, kwete Ishe: Kana hama ipi ine mukadzi asingatendi, uye iye achifara kugara naye, ngaarege kumurasa.
Now I say this to the rest of you, [to those who became believers after they were married. This is what] I [am saying], not what the Lord [has commanded]. If someone has a wife who is not a believer, if she is willing to keep living with him, he must not divorce her.
13 Nemukadzi ane murume asingatendi, uye iye achida hake kugara naye, ngaarege kumusiya.
Similarly, if a woman has a husband who is not a believer, if he is willing to keep living with her, she must not divorce him.
14 Nokuti murume asingatendi anoitwa mutsvene nemukadzi, nemukadzi asingatendi anoitwa mutsvene nemurume. Kana zvisina kudaro vana venyu vaiva netsvina, asi zvino vatsvene.
[I say that] because God has set apart every woman’s unbelieving husband [for himself] because of his wife [being a believer], and God has set apart every man’s unbelieving wife [for himself] because of her husband [being a believer]. If that were not true, [God would consider] their children unacceptable. But, the fact is that [God does consider] them acceptable to him.
15 Zvino kana asingatendi achizviparadzanisa, ngaazviparadzanise; hamarume kana hamakadzi haisungwi pane zvakadaro; asi Mwari wakatidanira murugare.
However, if a woman’s husband who is not a believer or a man’s wife who is not a believer wants to leave, let [him or her] do so. The husband or wife who is a believer should not force the other one to stay. God has chosen us in order that we may live peacefully.
16 Nokuti unoziva nei, mukadzi, kana uchaponesa murume? Kana unoziva nei, murume, kana uchaponesa mukadzi?
[You women believers should allow your unbelieving spouses to leave you if they want to], because there is no way that you can be sure that God will save your husband if you stay together [RHQ] (OR, perhaps God will save your husband if you stay together.) Similarly, you men [who are believers], there is no way that you can be sure that God will save your wives if you stay together [RHQ] (OR, perhaps God will save your wives if you stay together.)
17 Chete Mwari sezvaakagovera kune umwe neumwe, Ishe sezvaakadana umwe neumwe, ngaafambe saizvozvo. Saizvozvowo ndinoraira pamakereke ese.
However, each person should continue in the status that the Lord gave him, the status that he had when the Lord called him [to belong to him]. That is the rule that I tell people in all the congregations [where I speak].
18 Kune wakadanwa adzingiswa here? Ngaarege kuva asakadzingiswa. Kune wakadanwa asakadzingiswa here? Ngaaarege kudzingiswa.
If a man had already been circumcised [RHQ] when he became a Christian, he should not [try to pretend that he is not] circumcised. If a man had not been circumcised [RHQ] before he became a Christian, he should not become circumcised.
19 Dzingiso hachisi chinhu, nekusadzingiswa hachisi chinhu, asi kuchengetwa kwemirairo yaMwari.
[You should not try to change your status that way], because it means nothing [to God] whether someone is circumcised or not. What is important is that we obey what God has commanded.
20 Umwe neumwe ngaagare mukudanwa kwaakadanwa makuri.
[Generally], each person should remain in the status that he had when he became a Christian.
21 Wakadanwa uri muranda here? Usazvidya moyo; asiwo kana ungasunungurwa, zviri nani uzvishandise.
If one of you was a slave when you [(sg)] became a Christian [RHQ], do not be concerned about it. However, if you get an opportunity to be free, do [what you need to do to become free].
22 Nokuti uyo wakadanwa muna Ishe ari nhapwa, wava musunungurwa waIshe; saizvozvowo uyo wakadanwa akasununguka, wava nhapwa yaKristu.
[Do not worry about your previously being a slave], because those who were slaves before they became Christians, the Lord has freed them [from Satan’s control]. Similarly, those who were not slaves before they became Christians, [it is as though] [MET] they are Christ’s slaves [because they must do what he tells them to do] [MET].
23 Makatengwa nemutengo; musava varanda vevanhu.
[Christ] paid a price to buy you [when he died for you]. So do not [act as if you are evil people’s] slaves [by doing the evil things that they tell you to do].
24 Umwe neumwe zvaakadanirwa, hama, ngaagare pazviri anaMwari.
My fellow believers, [I repeat that in general] each believer, being in fellowship with God, should continue in the status that he had before he became a Christian.
25 Asi maererano nemhandara handina murairo waIshe; asi ndinopa maonero angu sewakawana tsitsi naIshe kuva wakatendeka.
Now [I will answer your question] about women who have never married. There is nothing that the Lord has commanded me [to write about them], but I am writing this to tell you what I think [is best], because the Lord [Jesus] has mercifully enabled me to [say] what is reliable.
26 Naizvozvo ndinofunga kuti izvi zvakanaka nekuda kwematambudziko aripo, kuti zvakanakira munhu kuti adai.
There are a lot of distressing events [happening] now (OR, that will soon happen), so I think that it is better for people to remain in the marital status that they now have.
27 Wakasungirirwa kumukadzi here? Usatsvaka kusunungurwa. Wakasunungurwa kubva kumukadzi here? Usatsvaka mukadzi.
If any of you [men] are married [RHQ], do not try to divorce your wife. If any of you are unmarried [RHQ], do not seek a wife.
28 Asi zvino kana wawana, hauna kutadza; nemhandara kana yawanikwa, haina kutadza. Asi vakadaro vachava nedambudziko panyama; asi ini ndinoda kukutavirirai.
But if [any of] you [men] get married, you have not committed a sin [by doing that]. Likewise, if an unmarried woman gets married, she has not committed a sin [by doing that]. However, those who get married will have many troubles, [so I am urging you to remain unmarried in order that] you may not experience [such troubles].
29 Asi ndinozvitaura izvi, hama, kuti nguva ipfupi; kubva ikozvino nevane vakadzi ngavave sevasina;
My fellow believers, this is what I mean: There is not much time left [before Christ returns]. So, from now on those men who are married should [devote themselves to serving the Lord as much] as they would if they were not married.
30 nevanochema, sevasingachemi; nevanofara, sevasingafari; nevanotenga, sevasina chinhu;
Those who are sad should [devote themselves to serving the Lord as much] as they would if they were not sad. Those who are rejoicing [should devote themselves to serving the Lord as much] as they would if they were not joyful.
31 nevanoshandisa nyika ino, sevasingaishandisi kwazvo; nokuti chimiro chenyika ino chinopfuura.
Those who are buying things should [devote themselves to serving the Lord as much] as they would if they did not possess those things. Because this world as it exists now will soon be gone, those who are actively involved in the affairs of this life [should not devote all their time] to be involved in those things.
32 Asi ndinoda kuti murege kuva nekufunganya. Asina kuwana anofunganya zvinhu zvaIshe, kuti angafadza Ishe sei;
[Another reason why] I [encourage you to remain unmarried is that] I desire that none of you be anxious [about the everyday affairs of this life]. Unmarried men are [able to be primarily] concerned about serving the Lord Jesus and trying to please him.
33 asi wakawana anofunganya zvinhu zvenyika, kuti angafadza mukadzi sei.
But married men are [often] greatly concerned about the affairs of this life. Specifically, they are concerned about pleasing their wives.
34 Mukadzi wakasiyaniswa nemhandara. Asina kuwanikwa anofunganya zvinhu zvaIshe, kuti ave mutsvene zvese pamuviri nepamweya; asi uyo wakawanikwa anofunganya zvinhu zvenyika, kuti angafadza murume sei.
So their thinking is divided. Unmarried women are [able to be] concerned about serving the Lord. They want to set apart their minds and their bodies for serving the Lord. But married women are [often] concerned about the affairs of this life. Specifically, they are concerned about how to please their husbands.
35 Izvi ndinotaurira rubatsiro rwenyu pachenyu; kwete kuti ndikande musungo pamusoro penyu, asi zvakafanira nekunamatira pana Ishe musingapinganidzwi.
I am telling you this for your own good. I am not saying it in order to restrict you. Instead, I am saying it in order that you may do what is proper and be able to serve the Lord without being distracted {things distracting you}.
36 Asi kana umwe achifunga kuti anozvibata zvisakafanira kumhandara yake, iyo yakurisa, uye zvakafanira kuti zviitike saizvozvo, ngaaite zvaanoda, haatadzi; ngavawanane.
[Some of you men have asked about your unmarried daughters]. [I suggest that] if any man thinks that he may be treating his daughter unfairly [by keeping her from marrying], and if it is already past [the right] time for her to get married, and if he thinks that she ought to be married, he should do what he wants to do. He should let her get married. He will not be sinning [by doing that].
37 Asi anomira akasimba mumoyo, asingamanikidzwi chinhu, uye ane simba pamusoro pechido chake pachake, akatema izvi mumoyo make kuti achachengeta mhandara yake, anoita zvakanaka.
But if a man feels absolutely sure [that it is better that his daughter not get married], and if nothing is forcing [her to get married], and if he is free to do what he decides to do on the matter, if he decides that his daughter should not get married, he is doing what is right in [keeping her from marrying].
38 Naizvozvowo uyo anowananisa anoita zvakanaka; asi asingawananisi anoita zviri nani.
So any man who decides that his daughter should get married is doing what is good, but if he decides that she should not get married, he is doing something even better. (OR, [Some of you men have asked about the women to whom you are engaged to marry]. If any man thinks that he may be treating that woman unfairly [by not marrying her], and if it is already past [the right] time for her to get married, and if he wants to marry her very much, he should do what he wants to do. He should marry her. He will not be sinning [by doing that]. But if a man feels absolutely sure [that it is better] for him not to get married, and if nothing is forcing [them to get married], if he is free to make his own decision on the matter, if he decides not to get married, he is doing what is right. So any man who decides that he should get married to the woman he is engaged to is doing what is good, but if he decides that he should not get married, he is doing something even better.)
39 Mukadzi wakasungwa nemurairo nguva dzese murume wake achirarama; asi kana murume wake afa, wasununguka kuwanikwa newaanoda, muna Ishe chete.
Women must remain married to their husbands while their husbands are still alive. But if a woman’s husband dies, she is free to marry any [unmarried] man whom she wants to marry, but he must belong to the Lord.
40 Asi anganyanya kufara kana achigara akadaro, pakufunga kwangu; uye ndinofunga kuti neni ndine Mweya waMwari.
However, I think that she will be happier if she does not marry again. And I believe that the Spirit of God is [directing] me [as I say that].
