Epistula I ad Corinthios, 7

1. De quibus autem scripsistis, bo num est homini mulierem non non tangere;

1. Now concerning the matters about which you wrote. It is well for a man not to touch a woman.

2. propter fornicationes autem unusquisque suam uxorem habeat, et unaquaeque suum virum habeat.

2. But because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

3. Uxori vir debitum reddat; similiter autem et uxor viro.

3. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

4. Mulier sui corporis potestatem non habet sed vir; similiter autem et vir sui corporis potestatem non habet sed mulier.

4. For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not rule over his own body, but the wife does.

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

5. Do not refuse one another except perhaps by agreement for a season, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control.

6. Hoc autem dico secundum indulgentiam, non secundum imperium.

6. I say this by way of concession, not of command.

7. Volo autem omnes homines esse sicut meipsum; sed unusquisque proprium habet donum ex Deo: alius quidem sic, alius vero sic.

7. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

8. Dico autem innuptis et viduis: Bonum est illis si sic maneant, sicut et ego;

8. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do.

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

9. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.

10. His autem, qui matrimonio iuncti sunt, praecipio, non ego sed Dominus, uxorem a viro non discedere

10. To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband

11. — quod si discesserit, maneat innupta aut viro suo reconcilietur — et virum uxorem non dimittere.

11. (but if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband) -- and that the husband should not divorce his wife.

12. Ceteris autem ego dico, non Dominus: Si quis frater uxorem habet infidelem, et haec consentit habitare cum illo, non dimittat illam;

12. To the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.

13. et si qua mulier habet virum infidelem, et hic consentit habitare cum illa, non dimittat virum.

13. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.

14. Sanctificatus est enim vir infidelis in muliere, et sanctificata est mulier infidelis in fratre. Alioquin filii vestri immundi essent; nunc autem sancti sunt.

14. For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy.

15. Quod si infidelis discedit, discedat. Non est enim servituti subiectus frater aut soror in eiusmodi; in pace autem vocavit nos Deus.

15. But if the unbelieving partner desires to separate, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace.

16. Quid enim scis, mulier, si virum salvum facies? Aut quid scis, vir, si mulierem salvam facies?

16. Wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?

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

17. Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

18. Circumcisus aliquis vocatus est? Non adducat praeputium! In praeputio aliquis vocatus est? Non circumcidatur!

18. Was any one at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was any one at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.

19. Circumcisio nihil est, et praeputium nihil est, sed observatio mandatorum Dei.

19. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

20. Unusquisque, in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.

20. Every one should remain in the state in which he was called.

21. Servus vocatus es? Non sit tibi curae; sed et si potes liber fieri, magis utere!

21. Were you a slave when called? Never mind. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.

22. Qui enim in Domino vocatus est servus, libertus est Domini; similiter, qui liber vocatus est, servus est Christi!

22. For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ.

23. Pretio empti estis! Nolite fieri servi hominum.

23. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

24. Unusquisque, in quo vocatus est, fratres, in hoc maneat apud Deum.

24. So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God.

25. De virginibus autem praeceptum Domini non habeo; consilium autem do, tamquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino, ut sim fidelis.

25. Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.

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

26. I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is.

27. Alligatus es uxori? Noli quaerere solutionem. Solutus es ab uxore? Noli quaerere uxorem.

27. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage.

28. Si autem acceperis uxorem, non peccasti; et si nupserit virgo, non peccavit. Tribulationem tamen carnis habebunt huiusmodi, ego autem vobis parco.

28. But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.

29. Hoc itaque dico, fratres, tempus breviatum est; reliquum est, ut et qui habent uxores, tamquam non habentes sint,

29. I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

30. et qui flent, tamquam non flentes, et qui gaudent, tamquam non gaudentes, et qui emunt, tamquam non possidentes,

30. and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

31. et qui utuntur hoc mundo, tamquam non abutentes; praeterit enim figura huius mundi.

31. and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away.

32. Volo autem vos sine sollicitudine esse. Qui sine uxore est, sollicitus est, quae Domini sunt, quomodo placeat Domino;

32. I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord;

33. qui autem cum uxore est, sollicitus est, quae sunt mundi, quomodo placeat uxori,

33. but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife,

34. et divisus est. Et mulier innupta et virgo cogitat, quae Domini sunt, ut sit sancta et corpore et spiritu; quae autem nupta est, cogitat, quae sunt mundi, quomodo placeat viro.

34. and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband.

35. Porro hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico, non ut laqueum vobis iniciam, sed ad id quod honestum est, et ut assidue cum Domino sitis sine distractione.

35. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

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

36. If any one thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry -- it is no sin.

37. Qui autem statuit in corde suo firmus, non habens necessitatem, potestatem autem habet suae voluntatis, et hoc iudicavit in corde suo servare virginem suam, bene faciet;

37. But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.

38. igitur et, qui matrimonio iungit virginem suam, bene facit; et, qui non iungit, melius faciet.

38. So that he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.

39. Mulier alligata est, quanto tempore vir eius vivit; quod si dormierit vir eius, libera est, cui vult nubere, tantum in Domino.

39. A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

40. Beatior autem erit, si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium; puto autem quod et ego Spiritum Dei habeo.

40. But in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God.