5. Don’t refuse to meet each other’s needs unless you both agree for a short period of time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come back together again so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6. I’m saying this to give you permission; it’s not a command.
7. I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one.
8. I’m telling those who are single and widows that it’s good for them to stay single like me.
9. But if they can’t control themselves, they should get married, because it’s better to marry than to burn with passion.
10. I’m passing on the Lord’s command to those who are married: A wife shouldn’t leave her husband,
11. but if she does leave him, then she should stay single or be reconciled to her husband. And a man shouldn’t divorce his wife.
12. I’m telling everyone else (the Lord didn’t say this specifically): If a believer has a wife who doesn’t believe, and she agrees to live with him, then he shouldn’t divorce her.
13. If a woman has a husband who doesn’t believe and he agrees to live with her, then she shouldn’t divorce him.
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.