Now concerning the things whereof you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

De quibus autem scripsistis mihi: Bonum est homini mulierem non tangere:

As for the questions raised in your letter; a man does well to abstain from all commerce with women.

But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

propter fornicationem autem unusquisque suam uxorem habeat, et unaquæque suum virum habeat.

But, to avoid the danger of fornication, let every man keep his own wife, and every woman her own husband.

Let the husband render the debt to his wife, and the wife also in like manner to the husband.

Uxori vir debitum reddat: similiter autem et uxor viro.

Let every man give his wife what is her due, and every woman do the same by her husband;

The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. And in like manner the husband also hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

Mulier sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed vir. Similiter autem et vir sui corporis potestatem non habet, sed mulier.

he, not she, claims the right over her body, as she, not he, claims the right over his.

Defraud not one another, except, perhaps, by consent, for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer; and return together again, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.

Nolite fraudare invicem, nisi forte ex consensu ad tempus, ut vacetis orationi: et iterum revertimini in idipsum, ne tentet vos Satanas propter incontinentiam vestram.

Do not starve one another, unless perhaps you do so for a time, by mutual consent, to have more freedom for prayer; come together again, or Satan will tempt you, weak as you are.

But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment.

Hoc autem dico secundum indulgentiam, non secundum imperium.

I say this by way of concession; I am not imposing a rule on you.

For I would that all men were even as myself: but every one hath his proper gift from God; one after this manner, and another after that.

Volo enim omnes vos esse sicut meipsum: sed unusquisque proprium donum habet ex Deo: alius quidem sic, alius vero sic.

I wish you were all in the same state as myself; but each of us has his own endowment from God, one to live in this way, another in that.

But I say to the unmarried, and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.

Dico autem non nuptis, et viduis: bonum est illis si sic permaneant, sicut et ego.

To the unmarried, and to the widows, I would say that they will do well to remain in the same state as myself,

But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.

Quod si non se continent, nubant. Melius est enim nubere, quam uri.

but if they have not the gift of continence, let them marry; better to marry than to feel the heat of passion.

But to them that are married, not I but the Lord commandeth, that the wife depart not from her husband.

Iis autem qui matrimonio juncti sunt, præcipio non ego, sed Dominus, uxorem a viro non discedere:

For those who have married already, the precept holds which is the Lord’s precept, not mine; the wife is not to leave her husband,

And if she depart, that she remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.

quod si discesserit, manere innuptam, aut viro suo reconciliari. Et vir uxorem non dimittat.

(if she has left him, she must either remain unmarried, or go back to her own husband again), and the husband is not to put away his wife.

For to the rest I speak, not the Lord. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she consent to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

Nam ceteris ego dico, non Dominus. Si quis frater uxorem habet infidelem, et hæc consentit habitare cum illo, non dimittat illam.

To those others, I give my own instructions, not the Lord’s. If any of the brethren has a wife, not a believer, who is well content to live with him, there is no reason why he should put her away,

And if any woman hath a husband that believeth not, and he consent to dwell with her, let her not put away her husband.

Et si qua mulier fidelis habet virum infidelem, et hic consentit habitare cum illa, non dimittat virum:

nor is there any reason for a woman to part with her husband, not a believer, if he is content to live with her.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband: otherwise your children should be unclean; but now they are holy.

sanctificatus est enim vir infidelis per mulierem fidelem, et sanctificata est mulier infidelis per virum fidelem: alioquin filii vestri immundi essent, nunc autem sancti sunt.

The unbelieving husband has shared in his wife’s consecration, and the unbelieving wife has shared in the consecration of one who is a brother. Were it otherwise, their offspring would be born under a stain, whereas in fact it is holy.

But if the unbeliever depart, let him depart. For a brother or sister is not under servitude in such cases. But God hath called us in peace.

Quod si infidelis discedit, discedat: non enim servituti subjectus est frater, aut soror in hujusmodi: in pace autem vocavit nos Deus.

On the other hand, if the unbelieving partner is for separating, let them separate; in such a case, the brother or the sister is under no compulsion. It is in a spirit of peace that God’s call has come to us.

For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Unde enim scis mulier, si virum salvum facies? aut unde scis vir, si mulierem salvam facies?

There is no knowing whether thou, the wife, wilt save thy husband, whether thou, the husband, wilt save thy wife.

But as the Lord hath distributed to every one, as God hath called every one, so let him walk: and so in all churches I teach.

Nisi unicuique sicut divisit Dominus, unumquemque sicut vocavit Deus, ita ambulet, et sicut in omnibus ecclesiis doceo.

No, the part which God has assigned, the vocation which God has bestowed, is to be the rule in each case. That is the direction which I am giving all through the churches.

Is any man called, being circumcised? let him not procure uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

Circumcisus aliquis vocatus est? non adducat præputium. In præputio aliquis vocatus est? non circumcidatur.

If a man is already circumcised when he is called, he is not to disguise it; if he is uncircumcised, he is not to undergo circumcision.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing: but the observance of the commandments of God.

Circumcisio nihil est, et præputium nihil est: sed observatio mandatorum Dei.

There is no virtue either in circumcision or in the want of it; it is keeping the commandments of God that signifies.

Let every man abide in the same calling in which he was called.

Unusquisque in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.

Everyone has his own vocation, in which he has been called; let him keep to it.

Wast thou called, being a bondman? Care not for it; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

Servus vocatus es? non sit tibi curæ: sed et si potes fieri liber, magis utere.

Hast thou been called as a slave? Do not let it trouble thee; and if thou hast the means to become free, make all the more use of thy opportunity.

For he that is called in the Lord, being a bondman, is the freeman of the Lord. Likewise he that is called, being free, is the bondman of Christ.

Qui enim in Domino vocatus est servus, libertus est Domini: similiter qui liber vocatus est, servus est Christi.

If a slave is called to enter Christ’s service, he is Christ’s freedman; just as the free man, when he is called, becomes the slave of Christ.

You are bought with a price; be not made the bondslaves of men.

Pretio empti estis: nolite fieri servi hominum.

A price was paid to redeem you; do not enslave yourselves to human masters.

Brethren, let every man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.

Unusquisque in quo vocatus est, fratres, in hoc permaneat apud Deum.

Each of you is to remain, brethren, in the condition in which he was called.

Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.

De virginibus autem præceptum Domini non habeo: consilium autem do, tamquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino, ut sim fidelis.

About virgins, I have no command from the Lord; but I give you my opinion, as one who is, under the Lord’s mercy, a true counsellor.

I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity, that it is good for a man so to be.

Existimo ergo hoc bonum esse propter instantem necessitatem, quoniam bonum est homini sic esse.

This, then, I hold to be the best counsel in such times of stress, that this is the best condition for man to be in.

Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

Alligatus es uxori? noli quærere solutionem. Solutus es ab uxore? noli quærere uxorem.

Art thou yoked to a wife? Then, do not go about to free thyself. Art thou free of wedlock? Then do not go about to find a wife.

But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you.

Si autem acceperis uxorem, non peccasti. Et si nupserit virgo, non peccavit: tribulationem tamen carnis habebunt hujusmodi. Ego autem vobis parco.

Not that thou dost commit sin if thou marriest; nor, if she marries, has the virgin committed sin. It is only that those who do so will meet with outward distress. But I leave you your freedom.

This therefore I say, brethren; the time is short; it remaineth, that they also who have wives, be as if they had none;

Hoc itaque dico, fratres: tempus breve est: reliquum est, ut et qui habent uxores, tamquam non habentes sint:

Only, brethren, I would say this; the time is drawing to an end; nothing remains, but for those who have wives to behave as though they had none;

And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

et qui flent, tamquam non flentes: et qui gaudent, tamquam non gaudentes: et qui emunt, tamquam non possidentes:

those who weep must forget their tears, and those who rejoice their rejoicing, and those who buy must renounce possession;

And they that use this world, as if they used it not: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

et qui utuntur hoc mundo, tamquam non utantur: præterit enim figura hujus mundi.

and those who take advantage of what the world offers must not take full advantage of it; the fashion of this world is soon to pass away.

But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God.

Volo autem vos sine sollicitudine esse. Qui sine uxore est, sollicitus est quæ Domini sunt, quomodo placeat Deo.

And I would have you free from concern. He who is unmarried is concerned with God’s claim, asking how he is to please God;

But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided.

Qui autem cum uxore est, sollicitus est quæ sunt mundi, quomodo placeat uxori, et divisus est.

whereas the married man is concerned with the world’s claim, asking how he is to please his wife; and thus he is at issue with himself.

And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

Et mulier innupta, et virgo, cogitat quæ Domini sunt, ut sit sancta corpore, et spiritu. Quæ autem nupta est, cogitat quæ sunt mundi, quomodo placeat viro.

So a woman who is free of wedlock, or a virgin, is concerned with the Lord’s claim, intent on holiness, bodily and spiritual; whereas the married woman is concerned with the world’s claim, asking how she is to please her husband.

And this I speak for your profit: not to cast a snare upon you; but for that which is decent, and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.

Porro hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico: non ut laqueum vobis injiciam, sed ad id, quod honestum est, et quod facultatem præbeat sine impedimento Dominum obsecrandi.

I am thinking of your own interest when I say this. It is not that I would hold you in a leash; I am thinking of what is suitable for you, and how you may best attend on the Lord without distraction.

But if any man think that he seemeth dishonoured, with regard to his virgin, for that she is above the age, and it must so be: let him do what he will; he sinneth not, if she marry.

Si quis autem turpem se videri existimat super virgine sua, quod sit superadulta, et ita oportet fieri: quod vult faciat: non peccat, si nubat.

And if anyone considers that he is behaving unsuitably towards the girl who is in his charge, on the ground that she is now past her prime, and there is no way of avoiding it, why, let him please himself; there is nothing sinful in it; let her marry.

For he that hath determined being steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but having power of his own will; and hath judged this in his heart, to keep his virgin, doth well.

Nam qui statuit in corde suo firmus, non habens necessitatem, potestatem autem habens suæ voluntatis, et hoc judicavit in corde suo, servare virginem suam, bene facit.

Whereas, if a man remains fixed in his resolution, and makes up his mind to keep the girl who is in his charge unwed, although there is no necessity for it, and he is free to choose for himself, such a man is well advised.

Therefore, both he that giveth his virgin in marriage, doth well; and he that giveth her not, doth better.

Igitur et qui matrimonio jungit virginem suam, bene facit: et qui non jungit, melius facit.

Thus, a man is well advised to give his ward in marriage, and still better advised not to give her in marriage.

A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die, she is at liberty: let her marry to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Mulier alligata est legi quanto tempore vir ejus vivit, quod si dormierit vir ejus, liberata est: cui vult nubat, tantum in Domino.

As for a wife, she is yoked to her husband as long as he lives; if her husband is dead, she is free to marry anyone she will, so long as she marries in the Lord.

But more blessed shall she be, if she so remain, according to my counsel; and I think that I also have the spirit of God.

Beatior autem erit si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium: puto autem quod et ego Spiritum Dei habeam.

But more blessed is she, if she remains as she is, in my judgement; and I, too, claim to have the Spirit of God.