1 Now I will discuss the things you wrote me about. You asked if it is better for a man not to have anything to do with sex at all. 2 However because sexual sin is such a strong danger and temptation, each man should enjoy his own wife, and each woman should enjoy her own husband. 3 The husband should give his wife what she desires and deserves as his wife, and the wife should do the same. 4 The wife does not have power over her own body, for her husband has ownership and power over her body. And likewise the husband does not have ownership or power over his body either, for His wife has the power over his body. 5 Don’t refuse to give your bodies to each other or hold out on each other, that’s not fair! But you might both agree to stay away from sex for a while so that you can give your time to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not be able to tempt you in your weakness. 6 I say this only to give you permission to be separated for a time. It is not a rule. 7 I wish everyone could be like me (UNMARRIED). But YAHUSHA has given each person a different ability. He makes some able to live one way, and others to live a different way.
8 Now for those who are not married and for the widows I say this: It is good for you to stay single like me. 9 But if you cannot control your body and contain yourself, then you should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire and be in sin.
10 Now, I have a command for those who are married. Actually, it is not from me, but what the Master commanded. A wife should not leave her husband. 11 But if a wife does leave, she should remain single or get back together with her own husband. And a husband should not divorce his wife.
12 The advice I have for the others is from me. The Master did not give us any teaching about this. If you have a wife who is not a believer, you should not divorce her if she will continue to live with you. 13 And if you have a husband who is not a believer, you should not divorce him if he will continue to live with you. 14 The husband who is not a believer is set-apart for YAHUSHA through his believing wife. And the wife who is not a believer is set- apart for YAHUSHA through her believing husband. If this were not true, your children would be unclean. But now they are set-apart also for YAHUSHA.
15 But if the husband or wife who is not a believer decides to leave, let them leave. When this happens, the Brother or Sister in Messiah is free. YAHUSHA chose you to have a life of peace. 16 Wives, maybe you will deliver your husband, and husbands, maybe you will deliver your wife. You don’t know now what will happen later.
17 But each one of you should continue to live the way the Master YAHUSHA has given you to live—the way you were when YAHUSHA chose you. I tell people in all the Fellowships to follow this rule. 18 If a man was already circumcised when he was chosen, he should not change his circumcision. If a man was without circumcision when he was chosen, he should not be circumcised! 19 It is not important if anyone is circumcised or not. What is important is obeying YAHUAH’S commands. 20 Each one of you should stay the way you were when YAHUSHA chose you. 21 If you were a slave when YAHUSHA chose you, don’t let that bother you. But if you can be free, then do it. 22 If you were a slave when the Master chose you, you are now free in the Master. You belong to the Master. In the same way, if you were free when you were chosen, you are now Messiah’s slave. 23 YAHUSHA paid a high price for you, so don’t be slaves to anyone else. 24 Brothers and Sisters, in your new life with YAHUSHA, each one of you should continue the way you were when YAHUSHA chose you.
25 Now I write about people who are not married. I have no command from the Master about this, but I give my opinion. And I can be trusted because the Master has given me mercy and compassion. 26 This is a time of trouble. So I think it is good for you to stay the way you are. 27 If you have a wife, don’t try to get free from her. If you are not married, don’t try to find a wife. 28 But if you decide to marry, that is not a sin. And it is not a sin for a girl who has never married to get married. But those who marry will have trouble in this life, and I want you to be free from this trouble.
29 Brothers and Sisters, this is what I mean: We don’t have much time left. So starting now, those who have wives should be the same as those who don’t. 30 It should not be important whether you are sad or whether you are happy. If you buy something, it should not matter to you that you own it. 31 You should use and maintain the things of the world without letting them become important or valuable to you. This is how you should live, because this world, the way it is now, will soon be gone.
32 I want you to be free from worry. A man who is not married is busy with the Master’s work. He is trying to please the Master. 33 But a man who is married is busy with things of the world. He is trying to please his wife. 34 He must think about two things—pleasing his wife and pleasing YAHUSHA. A woman who is not married or a girl who has never married is busy with the Master’s work. She wants to give herself fully—body and spirit—to YAHUSHA. But a married woman is busy with things of the world. She is trying to please her husband also. 35 I am saying this to help you. I am not trying to limit you, but I want you to live in the right way. And I want you to give yourselves fully to the Master without giving your time to other things.
36 A man might think that he is not doing the right thing with his fiancée. She might be almost past the best age to marry. So he might feel that he should marry her. He should do what he wants. It is no sin for them to get married. 37 But another man might be more sure in his mind. There may be no need for marriage, so he is free to do what he wants. If he has decided in his own heart not to marry his fiancée, he is doing the right thing. 38 So the man who marries his fiancée does right, and the man who does not marry does better.
39 A woman should stay with her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, the woman is free to marry any man she wants, but he should belong to the Master. 40 The woman is happier if she does not marry again. This is my opinion, and I believe that I have wisdom in YAHUSHA Spirit.
Comments