22. For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Messiah’s bondservant.
23. You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men.
24. Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.
25. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.
26. Therefore I think that because of the distress that is on us, that it’s good for a man to remain as he is.
27. Are you bound to a wife? Don’t seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don’t seek a wife.
28. But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.
29. But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;
30. and those who weep, as though they didn’t weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn’t rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn’t possess;