23. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
24. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
25. Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
26. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.
27. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
29. But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30. And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31. And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
32. But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: