Letters to the Churches

Circumcision is nothing, and vncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandements of God.

Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called.

Art thou called being a seruant? care not for it: but if yet thou maiest be free, vse it rather.

For he that is called in the Lord, being. a seruant, is the Lords freeman: likewise also he that is called being free, is Christes seruant.

Yee are bought with a price: be not the seruants of men.

Brethren, let euery man, wherein hee was called, therein abide with God.

Nowe concerning virgines, I haue no commandement of the Lord: but I giue mine aduise, as one that hath obtained mercie of the Lord to be faithfull.

I suppose then this to bee good for the present necessitie: I meane that it is good for a man so to be.

Art thou bounde vnto a wife? seeke not to be loosed: art thou loosed from a wife? seeke not a wife.

But if thou takest a wife, thou sinnest not: and if a virgine marrie, shee sinneth not: neuerthelesse, such shall haue trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

And this I say, brethren, because the time is short, hereafter that both they which haue wiues, be as though they had none:

And they that weepe, as though they wept not: and they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: and they that bye, as though they possessed not:

And they that vse this worlde, as though they vsed it not: for the fashion of this worlde goeth away.

And I would haue you without care. The vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord, howe he may please the Lord.

But hee that is maried, careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is difference also betweene a virgine and a wife: the vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirite: but shee that is maried, careth for the things of the worlde, howe shee may please her husband.

And this I speake for your owne commoditie, not to tangle you in a snare, but that yee follow that, which is honest, and that yee may cleaue fast vnto the Lord without separation.

But if any man thinke that it is vncomely for his virgine, if shee passe the flower of her age, and neede so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them be maried.

Neuerthelesse, hee that standeth firme in his heart, that hee hath no neede, but hath power ouer his owne will, and hath so decreed in his heart, that hee will keepe his virgine, hee doeth well.

So then hee that giueth her to mariage, doeth well, but he that giueth her not to mariage, doeth better.

The wife is bounde by the Lawe, as long as her husband liueth: but if her husband bee dead, shee is at libertie to marie with whome she will, onely in the Lord.

But shee is more blessed, if she so abide, in my iudgement: and I thinke that I haue also the Spirite of God.

And as touching things sacrificed vnto idols, wee knowe that wee all haue knowledge: knowledge puffeth vp, but loue edifieth.

Nowe, if any man thinke that hee knoweth any thing, hee knoweth nothing yet as hee ought to knowe.

But if any man loue God, the same is knowen of him.