Letters to the Churches

Now God hath raised up the Lord and will raise us up also by his power.

Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid!

Or know you not that he who is joined to a harlot is made one body? For they shall be, saith he, two in one flesh.

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

Fly fornication. Every sin that a man doth is without the body: but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

Or know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God: and you are not your own?

For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body.

Now concerning the things whereof you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife: and let every woman have her own husband.

Let the husband render the debt to his wife: and the wife also in like manner to the husband.

The wife hath not power of her own body: but the husband. And in like manner the husband also hath not power of his own body: but the wife.

Defraud not one another, except, perhaps, by consent, for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer: and return together again, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.

But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment.

For I would that all men were even as myself. But every one hath his proper gift from God: one after this manner, and another after that.

But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.

But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.

But to them that are married, not I, but the Lord, commandeth that the wife depart not from her husband.

And if she depart, that she remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.

For to the rest I speak, not the Lord. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not and she consent to dwell with him: let him not put her away.

And if any woman hath a husband that believeth not and he consent to dwell with her: let her not put away her husband.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife: and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband. Otherwise your children should be unclean: but now they are holy.

But if the unbeliever depart, let him depart. For a brother or sister is not under servitude in such cases. But God hath called us in peace.

For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

But as the Lord hath distributed to every one, as God hath called every one: so let him walk. And so in all churches I teach.

Is any man called, being circumcised? Let him not procure uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.