14. The husband who doesn’t believe belongs to God because of his wife, and the wife who doesn’t believe belongs to God because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be contaminated by the world, but now they are spiritually set apart.
15. But if a spouse who doesn’t believe chooses to leave, then let them leave. The brother or sister isn’t tied down in these circumstances. God has called you to peace.
16. How do you know as a wife if you will save your husband? Or how do you know as a husband if you will save your wife?
17. Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one. This is what I teach in all the churches.
18. If someone was circumcised when called, he shouldn’t try to reverse it. If someone wasn’t circumcised when he was called, he shouldn’t be circumcised.
19. Circumcision is nothing; not being circumcised is nothing. What matters is keeping God’s commandments.
20. Each person should stay in the situation they were in when they were called.
21. If you were a slave when you were called, don’t let it bother you. But if you are actually able to be free, take advantage of the opportunity.
22. Anyone who was a slave when they were called by the Lord has the status of being the Lord’s free person. In the same way, anyone who was a free person when they were called is Christ’s slave.
23. You were bought and paid for. Don’t become slaves of people.
24. So then, brothers and sisters, each of you should stay with God in the situation you were in when you were called.
25. I don’t have a command from the Lord about people who have never been married, but I’ll give you my opinion as someone you can trust because of the Lord’s mercy.
26. So I think this advice is good because of the present crisis: Stay as you are.
27. If you are married, don’t get a divorce. If you are divorced, don’t try to find a spouse.
28. But if you do marry, you haven’t sinned; and if someone who hasn’t been married gets married, they haven’t sinned. But married people will have a hard time, and I’m trying to spare you that.
29. This is what I’m saying, brothers and sisters: The time has drawn short. From now on, those who have wives should be like people who don’t have them.
30. Those who are sad should be like people who aren’t crying. Those who are happy should be like people who aren’t happy. Those who buy something should be like people who don’t have possessions.
31. Those who use the world should be like people who aren’t preoccupied with it, because this world in its present form is passing away.
32. I want you to be free from concerns. A man who isn’t married is concerned about the Lord’s concerns—how he can please the Lord.