Now, concerning the things you asked me about
in your letter, let me say: it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But
because of the temptation of impurity, it is better that each man have a wife
of his own, and each woman a husband of her own. The husband should give to his
wife he conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does
not have sole authority over her own person, for she is joined to her husband.
And, similarly, the husband is not sole master of his own body, for he is
joined to his wife.
Do not deny each other, unless perhaps you do
so for a time, by mutual consent, so that you may better devote yourselves to
fasting and prayer. After that, come together again as before so that Lucifer
may not tempt you when you are weak.
I am giving this advice, not as a command,
but rather as a concession. I would rather that everyone were single like
myself; but that cannot be, for each one has his own nature from Elohei – one to
live this way and another in that way.
I would like to say to the unmarried and to
the widows that it would be well for them to remain single, as I am. But if
they do not have self-control, then they should marry, for it is better to
marry than to burn with passionate desire.
My command – or rather, Adonai Yeshua’s
command – to the married is that a wife should not leave her husband. But if
she has separated from him, she must either remain single or be reconciled to
her husband. And the husband must not divorce his wife.
The advice I now give to other people is not
Adonai Yeshua’s command, but my own opinion: If a believer has a wife who is
not a believer but is willing to live with him, he should not leave her. And if
a woman has an unbelieving husband who consents to live with her, she should
not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is, so to speak, sanctified by the
believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing
husband. Otherwise the children would be born unclean, whereas now they are
holy.
If the unbelieving partner wants a separation,
let it be granted. In such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For after
all, O wife, how do you know whether or not you can save your husband? And, O
husband, how do you know if you can save your wife?
I would add this – that each one should fill
the place that Elohim has assigned to them to which Adonai has called them.
This is the rule I lay down for all the churches.
Suppose now, that a man at the time of his
call was already circumcised. He should not try to remove the marks of
circumcision. Or, if uncircumcised at the time of his call, he should not be
circumcised. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision now counts for anything,
but what counts is keeping Elohim’s commandments.
Everyone should continue in the station in
which he was called. Were you a slave when called? Don’t let that bother you.
Still, if you can gain your freedom, make good use of your opportunity. When a
slave is called to serve Adonai Yeshua, he becomes Adonai’s freedman, while, on
the other hand, when a free man is called, he becomes Adonai’s slave. You were
bought at a great price, so do not become slaves to men. So, brethren, let each
one remain with Elohei, content in whatever station he was when called.
As to the unmarried, I have no commandment
from Adonai Yeshua to give. Still, I offer my views as a man who through Adonai’s
mercy has been found dependable. I think that, because of the present turmoil,
it is best for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Then do not
seek to be free. Are you freed from your wife? Then do not seek another man’s
wife. However, if you do marry, you do not thereby sin; or if a maiden marries,
she does not sin by doing so. But remember that those who marry will have added
troubles, and I would spare you that.
But I say this, brethren, that the time is
short. From now on, even those who have wives had better live as of they had
none. And it would be wise for those who mourn not to weep, and for those who
rejoice not to make it known, and for those who are buying something not to
seem to have anything. And those who are busy with worldly affairs must not be
overly absorbed in them, for the glory of this world will pass away.
I want you to be free from worldly cares. The
unmarried man is freer to be concerned about Adonai Yeshua’s work and how to
please Him. The married man, on the other hand, is anxious about worldly cares
and how to lease his wife. In short, he is divided. There is the same
difference also between the married and unmarried woman. The unmarried woman is
more concerned about the things of Adonai Yeshua, so that she may be holy in
body and spirit. The married woman is concerned more about the things of this
world, so that she may please her husband.
I say this for your own good, not to make it
harder for you, but to point out what is the better way, so that you may serve Yeshua
without distraction. If anyone feels that he is not behaving properly towards his
betrothed, especially if she is getting on in years and he feels there is a need
for it, let him do as he wishes, and marry her. There is no sin in that. Also
that a man does well who has a firm purpose in his heart and a sure control
over his desires, and then determines to keep his betrothed untouched. He who
gives in to marriage does well, but he who does not give into marriage does
better.
A wife is bound by Law to her husband as long
as he is alive. But at the death of her husband, she is free to be married to
another; but only in The Lord. Still, in my judgement, she will be happier if
she remains single. I, too, lay claim to have The Ruach of Elohei.
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