22. The person who was a slave when the Lord called him is free in the Lord. He belongs to the Lord. In the same way, the one who was free when he was called is now Christ’s slave.
23. You all were bought for a price. So do not become slaves of men.
24. Brothers, in your new life with God each one of you should continue the way you were when you were called.
25. Now I write about people who are not married. I have no command from the Lord about this, but I give my opinion. And I can be trusted, because the Lord has given me mercy.
26. This is a time of trouble. So I think that it is good for you to stay the way you are.
27. If you have a wife, then do not try to become free from her. If you are not married, then do not try to find a wife.
28. But if you decide to marry, this 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, this is what I mean: We do not have much time left. So starting now, those who have wives should use their time to serve the Lord as if they had no wives.
30. Those who are sad should live as if they are not sad. Those who are happy should live as if they are not happy. Those who buy things should live as if they own nothing.
31. Those who use the things of the world should live as if those things are not important to them. You should live like this, 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 Lord’s work. He is trying to please the Lord.
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 the Lord. A woman who is not married or a girl who has never married is busy with the Lord’s work. She wants to give herself fully—body and soul—to the Lord. But a married woman is busy with things of the world. She is trying to please her husband.
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 Lord without giving your time to other things.
36. A man might think that he is not doing the right thing with the girl he is engaged to. The girl might be almost past the best age to marry. So he might feel that he should marry her. He should do what he wants. They should get married. It is no sin.
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, he is doing the right thing.
38. So the man who marries his girl does right. And the man who does not marry does even better.