¹Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ²But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ³Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. ⁴The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife. ⁵Defraud ye not one the other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency. ⁶But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment. ⁷Yet I would that all men were even as I myself. Howbeit each man hath his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.

⁸But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. ⁹But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. ¹⁰But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband ¹¹(but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife. ¹²But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. ¹³And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. ¹⁵Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us in peace. ¹⁶For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife? ¹⁷Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches. ¹⁸Was any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God. ²⁰Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called. ²¹Wast thou called being a bondservant? Care not for it: nay, even if thou canst become free, use it rather. ²²For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant. ²³Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men. ²⁴Brethren, let each man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.