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 fulfill 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 honorably toward 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.
O ženidbi
1A sada odgovor na ono o čemu ste mi pisali: “Dobro je da čovjek živi uzdržavajući se od dodira sa ženom.” 2Ali zbog pogibli od bluda dobro je da svaki muškarac održava bračne odnose sa ženom, a tako i žena sa svojim mužem. 3Muž neka ženi ne uskraćuje tjelesnu bliskost na koju ona ima pravo, a isto tako ni žena mužu. 4Jer ženinim tijelom gospodari muž, a on nije gospodar vlastitog tijela, već njime gospodari njegova žena. 5Nemojte se uskraćivati jedno drugome, osim ako to želite učiniti privremeno da biste se potpunije posvetili molitvi. Zatim se opet združite da vas Sotona ne bi napastovao zbog suzdržavanja. 6Ali to vam kažem kao dopuštenje, a ne kao zapovijed. 7Želio bih da svi budu neženje, kao ja. Ali svakome od nas Bog je dao drukčiji dar—nekome da bude oženjen, nekome da bude samac.
8Što se tiče neoženjenih i udovica—bolje im je da ostanu samci kao i ja. 9Ako se pak ne mogu uzdržati, neka se žene. Jer je bolje ženiti se nego izgarati od žudnje.
10A za one u braku imam zapovijed—ne od sebe, već od Gospodina: neka se žena ne rastaje od muža. 11Ako se ipak rastane, neka se više ne udaje ili neka se pomiri s mužem. Ni muž ne smije ostaviti ženu.
12A ostalima pak kažem, iako Gospodin to nije izravno zapovjedio: ima li kršćanin7:12 U grčkome: brat. ženu nevjernicu koja pristaje živjeti s njim, ne smije ju ostaviti. 13Ima li kršćanka7:13 U grčkome: sestra. muža nevjernika koji pristaje s njom živjeti, ne smije ga napustiti. 14Jer žena kršćanka unosi svetost u brak, a muž kršćanin također. Inače će vam djeca biti poput pogana, ali ovako su posvećena za Boga.
15Ali ako se supružnik koji nije vjernik želi rastaviti, neka to učini. Vjerni muž ili žena nisu primorani s njima ostati jer Bog želi da njegova djeca žive u miru. 16Jer tko zna hoće li žena kršćanka spasiti muža nevjernika, ili muž kršćanin ženu koja nije vjernica?
17Inače neka svatko živi kako mu je Gospodin dodijelio, kao kad ga je Bog pozvao. Tako naređujem po svim crkvama. 18Ako je tko bio obrezan prije nego što je postao vjernikom, to ne bi trebao skrivati. A tko se obratio kao neobrezan, ne bi se sada trebao obrezivati. 19Jer nije važno je li tko obrezan ili neobrezan, već držati se Božjih zapovijedi. 20Svatko neka ostane u onome zvanju u kojemu ga je zatekao Božji poziv. 21Jesi li pozvan kao rob? Ne brini se! Ali, ako možeš postati slobodan, iskoristi priliku. 22Ako si i bio rob kad te je Gospodin pozvao, on te je oslobodio od robovanja grijehu. A ako te je pozvao kao slobodnog čovjeka, sada si Kristov rob. 23Bog je za vas platio otkupninu. Nemojte zato robovati ljudima. 24Zato, braćo, neka svatko u svojemu zajedništvu s Bogom ostane u onomu u čemu ga je on pozvao.
25Glede neudanih djevojaka nemam zapovijedi od Gospodina. Mogu vam samo savjetovati kao čovjek koji je, po Božjemu milosrđu, vrijedan povjerenja. 26Zbog sadašnje nevolje smatram da je najbolje da ostanete tako kako jeste. 27Imaš li ženu, ne traži rastave. Nisi li oženjen, nemoj se ni ženiti. 28Ako se i oženite, nije to grijeh. Ako se djevojka uda, ne griješi. Htio bih vas samo sačuvati od tjelesne patnje koja dolazi s brakom.
29Braćo i sestre, želim, naime, reći da nam je još kratko vrijeme preostalo. Zato oženjeni ne smiju dopustiti da im brak bude prva briga. 30Žalosni ne smiju zanemariti Božji posao zbog svoje žalosti, ni sretni zbog svoje radosti, ni imućni zbog svojega bogatstva, 31ni oni koji uživaju u ovome svijetu zbog svojega užitka, jer obličje ovoga svijeta prolazi. 32Želio bih da budete bezbrižni. Neženja se brine o Božjemu poslu i kako da ugodi Gospodinu. 33A oženjen se čovjek uz to mora brinuti i o svjetovnomu—kako da ugodi ženi— 34pa je podijeljen. Neudana žena ili djevojka isto se tako može više brinuti za Gospodnje, da bude sveta i tijelom i duhom. A udana se mora brinuti i za svjetovno—kako da ugodi mužu.
35Ne govorim to da vam postavljam zabrane, nego da vam pomognem da uzmognete primjereno i neometano služiti Gospodinu. 36Ako tko smatra da nedolično postupa prema svojoj zaručnici, i ako ona više nije u prvoj mladosti te stoga drži da se treba oženiti, neka se oženi. Neće zgriješiti. Neka se vjenčaju! 37Ali ako je tko čvrsto odlučio ne ženiti se, a nema hitnje i može vladati sobom, dobro čini ne ženeći se. 38Tko se dakle oženi, dobro čini, a tko se ne oženi, čini još bolje.
39Žena je vezana za svojega muža dokle god on živi; ako joj muž umre, može se opet udati, ali samo za kršćanina.7:39 U grčkome: ali samo u Gospodinu. 40Ali smatram da će biti blaženija ako se ne uda ponovno te da vam govoreći to dajem savjet od Svetoga Duha.
