Aware Ho Afotusɛm
1Afei, nea ɛfa nsɛm a mokyerɛw de brɛɛ me no ho ni: Eye sɛ ɔbarima nware. 2Nanso esiane aguamammɔ nti ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbarima biara nya ɔno ankasa ne yere, na ɔbea biara nso nya ɔno ankasa ne kunu. 3Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbarima yɛ nʼasɛde sɛ okunu na ɔbea nso yɛ nʼasɛde sɛ ɔyere na wɔn mu biara boa ne yɔnko. 4Ɔyere nipadua no nyɛ ɔno nko ara dea, na ɛyɛ okunu no nso de bi. Saa ara na okunu no nso nipadua no nyɛ ɔno nko ara dea, na mmom ɛyɛ ɔyere no nso de bi. 5Mommfa mo ho nkame mo ho mo ho. Gye sɛ mo nyinaa pene so bere tiaa bi a morebɔ mpae; na sɛ muwie mpaebɔ no a munhyia mu na ɔbonsam ansɔ mo anhwɛ, efisɛ, muntumi nni mo ho so. 6Menka saa asɛm yi sɛ ɔhyɛ so, na mmom mereka no sɛ mama mo ho kwan. 7Ɛkaa me nko a na anka mo nyinaa te sɛ me. Nanso obiara wɔ ɔdom akyɛde sononko bi a Onyankopɔn de ama no. Oyi wɔ nʼakyɛde na ɔfoforo nso wɔ nʼakyɛde.
8Afei asɛm a mereka akyerɛ asigyafo ne akunafo ne sɛ: Eye sɛ mo nko ara mobɛtena ase sɛnea mete hɔ yi. 9Na sɛ morentumi nhyɛ mo ho so nso a monkɔwareware. Eye sɛ mobɛware sen sɛ mobɛhyɛ mo ho ahometew.
10Mo awarefo nso, mewɔ ɔhyɛ nsɛm bi a emfi me na efi Awurade nkyɛn se: Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔbea gyaa ne kunu. 11Sɛ ɛba saa a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔware bio; anaasɛ nso wɔka ɔne ne kunu bo mu. Saa ara na ɛnsɛ sɛ okunu nso gyaa ne yere.
12Mo a moaka no meka kyerɛ mo, efi mʼankasa na emfi Awurade, sɛ Okristoni barima wɔ yere a ɔnyɛ Okristoni na ɔbea no pene so sɛ ɔne no bɛtena ase a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔbarima no gyaa no. 13Saa ara nso na sɛ Okristoni bea wɔ okunu a ɔnyɛ Okristoni na ɔbarima no pene so sɛ ɔne no bɛtena a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔbea no gyaa no. 14Esiane bɔ a ɔbarima a ɔnyɛ Okristoni de ne ho abɔ ɔbea no nti, Onyankopɔn begye no na ɔbea a ɔnyɛ Okristoni no nso, esiane bɔ a ɔde ne ho abɔ ɔbarima no nti, Onyankopɔn bɛtew ne ho. Sɛ anyɛ saa a, wɔn mma bɛyɛ sɛ abosonsomfo mma nanso sɛnea ɛte yi de, wɔbɛyɛ kronkron.
15Na sɛ nso wɔn mu nea ɔnyɛ Okristoni no pɛ sɛ ɔtew ne ho fi Okristoni no ho a, momma no kwan. Sɛ ɛba saa a, Okristoni no, sɛ ɛyɛ okunu anaa ɔyere no, de ne ho. Onyankopɔn afrɛ mo sɛ montena ase asomdwoe mu. 16Ɔyere a woyɛ Okristoni, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woahu sɛ worentumi nnye wo kunu nkwa? Na okunu a woyɛ Okristoni nso, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woahu sɛ worentumi nnye wo yere nkwa?
17Mo mu biara ntena ase wɔ tebea a Awurade de ama no no, sɛnea na ɔte a Onyankopɔn frɛɛ no no mu. Eyi ne mmara a mekyerɛ wɔ asafo biara mu. 18Sɛ twetiatwani bi ate Onyankopɔn frɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔpepa twetia no ho nsɛnkyerɛnne biara. Sɛ ɔbarima nso a ontwaa twetia bi ate Onyankopɔn frɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ otwa twetia. 19Efisɛ sɛ obi atwa twetia na ɔfoforo nso ntwaa twetia no nka hwee. Nea ɛho hia ne sɛ wubedi Onyankopɔn mmara so. 20Sɛnea obiara te a Onyankopɔn frɛɛ no no, ɔntena mu saa ara.
21Onyankopɔn frɛɛ wo no na woyɛ akoa ana? Mma ɛno nhaw wo na sɛ wowɔ ɔkwan bi a wubetumi afa so ade wo ho a, fa so. 22Efisɛ akoa a Awurade afrɛ no no yɛ Awurade nipa a ɔde ne ho. Saa ara nso na obi a ɔde ne ho a Kristo afrɛ no no yɛ Kristo akoa. 23Onyankopɔn tɔɔ mo aboɔden, ɛno nti monnyɛ nkoa mma nnipa. 24Anuanom, ɛsɛ sɛ mo mu biara tena ase wɔ Onyankopɔn mu sɛnea na mote ansa na wɔrefrɛ mo no.
25Nea ɛfa asigyafo ho nso no ni: Minnyaa ɔhyɛ nsɛm biara mfii Awurade nkyɛn, nanso meka mʼadwene te sɛ obi a Onyankopɔn mmɔborɔhunu nti wɔagye me ato mu. 26Wudwen mprempren ɔhaw yi ho a, misusuw sɛ eye sɛ onipa tena ase sɛnea ɔte biara. 27Wowɔ ɔyere? Sɛ wowɔ ɔyere a, nyɛ wʼadwene sɛ woregyaa no. Wonwaree ana? Sɛ wonwaree a nhwehwɛ ɔyere. 28Nanso sɛ woware a wonyɛɛ bɔne ɛ. Sɛ ɔbabun ware a ɔnyɛɛ bɔne ɛ. Nanso esiane ɔhaw a saa aware no de ba nti, na anka mepɛ sɛ mobɛkwati saa ɔhaw no.
29Nea mekyerɛ ne sɛ, anuanom, bere a aka no sua. Efi saa bere yi ɛsɛ sɛ mmarima a wɔawareware tena ase sɛnea wɔnwaree da; 30wɔn a wosu yɛ sɛnea wɔn werɛ nhowee; wɔn a wɔserew yɛ sɛnea wonni anigye; wɔn a wɔtɔ yɛ sɛnea nea wɔtɔe no nyɛ wɔn de; 31wɔn a wɔde wiase abɔ wɔn bo yɛ sɛnea wonhuu bi da. Na sɛnea wiase yi te mprempren yi renyɛ saa nkyɛ.
32Mempɛ sɛ biribiara haw mo. Ɔbarima a ɔnwaree no, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔde ne ho ma Awurade adwumayɛ; efisɛ ɔbɔ mmɔden sɛ Awurade ani bɛsɔ no; 33nanso ɔbarima warefo de ne ho to wiase nneɛma so, efisɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔsɔ ne yere ani, 34enti wɔtwe no afanu no nyinaa. Ɔbea a ɔnwaree anaa ɔbabun de ne ho ma Awurade adwuma wɔ ɔhonam ne honhom fam; nanso ɔbea a waware no de ne ho to wiase nneɛma so, efisɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔsɔ ne kunu ani. 35Mereka saa asɛm yi, efisɛ mepɛ sɛ meboa mo. Merenhyehyɛ mmara bi mma mo. Na mmom mepɛ sɛ moyɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ na mode mo ho nyinaa ma Awurade adwuma.
36Sɛ ɛhaw ɔbarima bi a ɔne ɔbea ahyehyɛ aware sɛ ontumi nyɛ nʼasɛde, na sɛ ɔbarima no ntumi nhyɛ nʼakɔnnɔ so nti ɔpɛ sɛ ɔware a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔware sɛnea ɔhwehwɛ no. Bɔne biara nni eyi ho. 37Nanso eye mmom sɛ ɔbɛhyɛ ne ho so na wasi nʼadwene pi sɛ ɔrenware. 38Eye sɛ ɔbarima ware de, nanso sɛ anka wanware koraa a na eye.
39Sɛ ɔbea warefo kunu te ase a, ɔnne ne ho; na sɛ ne kunu no wu de a, ɔwɔ ho kwan sɛ ɔware ɔfoforo a ɔpɛ; nanso ɛsɛ sɛ ɛyɛ Kristo aware. 40Na sɛ otumi tena ase sɛnea ɔte no nso a, ne ho bɛtɔ no yiye. Mʼadwene ni, na migye di sɛ me nso mewɔ Onyame Honhom.
Concerning married life
1Now for the matters you wrote about: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.’ 2But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3The husband should fulfil his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
8Now to the unmarried7:8 Or widowers and the widows I say: it is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): a wife must not separate from her husband. 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Concerning change of status
17Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
21Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you – although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
Concerning the unmarried
25Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
29What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
32I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world – how he can please his wife – 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world – how she can please her husband. 35I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
36If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honourably towards the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong7:36 Or if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin – this man also does the right thing. 38So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.7:36-38 Or 36 If anyone thinks he is not treating his daughter properly, and if she is getting along in years (or if her passions are too strong), and he feels she ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. He should let her get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind to keep the virgin unmarried – this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who gives his virgin in marriage does right, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
39A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is – and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
