1 Corinthians 7:24-40

24Brothers and sisters, 1each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

25Now concerning virgins, I have 2no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who 34by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26I think, then, that this is good in view of the 5present 6distress, that 7it is good for a man 8to remain as he is. 27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people as yourselves will have 9trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 29But this I say, brothers, 10the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; 30and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 31and those who use the world, as though they did not 11make full use of it; for 12the present form of this world is passing away.

32But I want you to be free from concern. One who is 13unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but 14to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

36But if anyone thinks that he is acting dishonorably toward his virgin, if she is 15past her youth and it ought to be so, let him do what he wishes, he is not sinning; let 16them marry. 37But the one who stands firm in his heart, 17if he is not under constraint, but has authority 18over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well. 38So then, both the one who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and the one who does not give her in marriage will do better.

3919A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband 20dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only 21in the Lord. 40But 22in my opinion she is 23happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.