Questions about Marriage
1 Now, to deal with the matters you wrote about.
A man does well not to marry. 2 But because there is so much immorality, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband. 3 A man should fulfill his duty as a husband, and a woman should fulfill her duty as a wife, and each should satisfy the other's needs. 4 A wife is not the master of her own body, but her husband is; in the same way a husband is not the master of his own body, but his wife is. 5 Do not deny yourselves to each other, unless you first agree to do so for a while in order to spend your time in prayer; but then resume normal marital relations. In this way you will be kept from giving in to Satan's temptation because of your lack of self-control.
6 I tell you this not as an order, but simply as a permission. 7 Actually I would prefer that all of you were as I am; but each one has a special gift from God, one person this gift, another one that gift.
8 Now, to the unmarried and to the widows I say that it would be better for you to continue to live alone as I do. 9 But if you cannot restrain your desires, go ahead and marry—it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 For married people I have a command which is not my own but the Lord's: a wife must not leave her husband; 11 but if she does, she must remain single or else be reconciled to her husband; and a husband must not divorce his wife.
12 To the others I say (I, myself, not the Lord): if a Christian man has a wife who is an unbeliever and she agrees to go on living with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a Christian woman is married to a man who is an unbeliever and he agrees to go on living with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made acceptable to God by being united to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made acceptable to God by being united to her Christian husband. If this were not so, their children would be like pagan children; but as it is, they are acceptable to God. 15 However, if the one who is not a believer wishes to leave the Christian partner, let it be so. In such cases the Christian partner, whether husband or wife, is free to act. God has called you to live in peace. 16 How can you be sure, Christian wife, that you will not save your husband? Or how can you be sure, Christian husband, that you will not save your wife?
Live As God Called You
17 Each of you should go on living according to the Lord's gift to you, and as you were when God called you. This is the rule I teach in all the churches. 18 If a circumcised man has accepted God's call, he should not try to remove the marks of circumcision; if an uncircumcised man has accepted God's call, he should not get circumcised. 19 For whether or not a man is circumcised means nothing; what matters is to obey God's commandments. 20 Each of you should remain as you were when you accepted God's call. 21 Were you a slave when God called you? Well, never mind; but if you have a chance to become free, use it. 22 For a slave who has been called by the Lord is the Lord's free person; in the same way a free person who has been called by Christ is his slave. 23 God bought you for a price; so do not become slaves of people. 24 My friends, each of you should remain in fellowship with God in the same condition that you were when you were called.
Questions about the Unmarried and the Widows
25 Now, concerning what you wrote about unmarried people: I do not have a command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is worthy of trust.
26 Considering the present distress, I think it is better for a man to stay as he is. 27 Do you have a wife? Then don't try to get rid of her. Are you unmarried? Then don't look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you haven't committed a sin; and if an unmarried woman marries, she hasn't committed a sin. But I would rather spare you the everyday troubles that married people will have.
29 What I mean, my friends, is this: there is not much time left, and from now on married people should live as though they were not married; 30 those who weep, as though they were not sad; those who laugh, as though they were not happy; those who buy, as though they did not own what they bought; 31 those who deal in material goods, as though they were not fully occupied with them. For this world, as it is now, will not last much longer.
32 I would like you to be free from worry. An unmarried man concerns himself with the Lord's work, because he is trying to please the Lord. 33 But a married man concerns himself with worldly matters, because he wants to please his wife; 34 and so he is pulled in two directions. An unmarried woman or a virgin concerns herself with the Lord's work, because she wants to be dedicated both in body and spirit; but a married woman concerns herself with worldly matters, because she wants to please her husband.
35 I am saying this because I want to help you. I am not trying to put restrictions on you. Instead, I want you to do what is right and proper, and to give yourselves completely to the Lord's service without any reservation.
36 In the case of an engaged couple who have decided not to marry: if the man feels that he is not acting properly toward the young woman and if his passions are too strong and he feels that they ought to marry, then they should get married, as he wants to. There is no sin in this. 37 But if a man, without being forced to do so, has firmly made up his mind not to marry, and if he has his will under complete control and has already decided in his own mind what to do—then he does well not to marry the young woman. 38 So the man who marries does well, but the one who doesn't marry does even better.
39 A married woman is not free as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, then she is free to be married to any man she wishes, but only if he is a Christian. 40 She will be happier, however, if she stays as she is. That is my opinion, and I think that I too have God's Spirit.
Omarongo otja korukupo
1 Nambano ami meya koviṋa, mbi mwe ndji tjangera.
Ii, okokuwa tjinene omurumendu tje hi nokurara punomukazendu. 2 Nungwari mena rotuvakiro otuingi nai omurumendu auhe u sokukupa omukazendu we omuini, nomukazendu auhe u sokukupwa i omurumendu we omuini. 3 Omurumendu u sokuriyandja komukazendu we, nomukazendu wina nge riyandje komurumendu we. 4 Omukazendu ke nouvara norutu rwe omuini, nungwari omurumendu ongu nouvara mbwi; nu momuhingo tjingewo omurumendu ke nouvara norutu rwe omuini, nungwari omukazendu ongu nouvara mbwi. 5 Amu panḓa auhe okuriyandja komukwao, ngunda amu hiya zuvasana okutjita nao okaruveze okasupi, kokutja okaruveze nga mu ke yandjere ongumbiro. Nungwari tjazumba a rire tji mwa yaruka pamwe rukwao, kokutja amu ha rorwa i Satan motjimbe tjokuhinomeritjaerero wonḓuma zeṋu.
6 Hi nokuhungira otjiṋa hi otja omarakiza, nungwari me tji hungire otja omaronga. 7 Ami hapo etje vanga kutja ovandu avehe ve kare otja ami omuini, nungwari auhe wa pewa otjiyandjewa tje tjapeke i Ndjambi, umwe otjiyandjewa hi, nomukwao otjiyandjewa tjarwe.
8 Nambano kovakombe na kovahepundu ami me tja okokuwa ku wo okukarerera nao otja ami tji mbi ri. 9 Nungwari owo tji ve hi nokusora okutjaera ozonḓuma zawo, ngave kupe; orondu okokuwa okukupa komeho yokunyosiwa i ozonḓuma zonyama.
10 Nu kovakupasane ami mbi nomarakiza omakukutu, nu kamarakiza wandje nungwari owa Muhona: Omukazendu ke nokusokuhaṋika nomurumendu we. 11 Nungwari omukazendu tja haṋika nomurumendu we, nga kare omukombe poo nga hangane nomurumendu we. Nomurumendu wina a haṋika nomukazendu we.
12 Nu kovandu varwe, ami me tja, ka Muhona, nungwari owami: Indu ndeeri omurumendu omukriste una omukazendu ngu he ri omukriste, nomukazendu ngwi a itavere okukaenda komurungu okukara puna ye, ingwi omurumendu ke nokusokuisa omukazendu we. 13 Nu tjinangara omukazendu omukriste una omurumendu ngu he ri omukriste, nomurumendu ngwi a itavere okukaenda komurungu okukara puna ye, ingwi omukazendu ke nokusokuhaṋika nomurumendu we. 14 Orondu omurumendu ngu he ri omukriste wa yakurwa i Ndjambi moruwano nomukazendu we omukriste, nomukazendu ngu he ri omukriste wa yakurwa i Ndjambi moruwano nomurumendu we omukriste. Andakuzu kape ri nao ovanatje veṋu atjave rira ovahakohoke, nungwari nambano owo, tjiri, ovayapuke. 15 Nu ingwi ngu he ri omukriste tji ma vanga okuhaṋika nomukwao omukriste, nga haṋike. Nu tji pe ri nao, ingwi ngu ri omukriste, omurumendu poo omukazendu, ke nokuvarwa otja omundu ngwa kupa poo ngwa kupwa. Ndjambi we mu isanena okukara nohange. 16 Nove, mukazendu omukriste, mo tjiwa vi kutja mo sora okuyama omurumendu woye? Nove, murumendu omukriste, mo tjiwa vi kutja mo sora okuyama omukazendu woye?
Hupa otja komuhingo Ndjambi mbwe ku isana
17 Auhe weṋu nga kare otja kotjiyandjewa tja pewa i Muhona, nu wina nga kare otja komuhingo mbwa ri, indu Ndjambi tje mu isana. Owo ombu ri omuhingo ami mbu me zikamisire ozombongo azehe. 18 Tji pena ngwa isanewa i Ndjambi e ri omusukarekwa, eye a ha horeke ovihako vyomasukarekero we. Nu tji pena ngwa isanewa i Ndjambi e hiya sukarekwa, eye a ha sukarekwa. 19 Kutja omundu wa sukarekwa poo keya sukarekwa, otjo katjinanḓengu; tji tji ri otjinanḓengu okongwi okuṱakamisa omatwako wa Ndjambi. 20 Auhe u sokukara otja tja ri indu Ndjambi tje mu isana. 21 Ove tji wa ri omukarere Ndjambi tje ku isana? Tjiperi nao, orikendere otjiṋa hi, nungwari tji mo sora okurira omukutuke, tjita nao. 22 Orondu ingwi ngwa isanewa i Muhona e ri omukarere, eye omukuturwa wa Muhona; momuhingo tjingewo ingwi ngwa isanewa i Kristus e ri omukutuke, eye omukarere we. 23 Eṋe mwa randwa i Ndjambi notjisuta; otji mu hi nokusokurira ovakarere vovandu. 24 Vakwetu, auhe nga karere Ndjambi momuano eye ma ri indu Ndjambi tje mu isana.
Ovakombe novahepundu
25 Nambano otja kovakombe mbu mwe ndji tjangera, ami hi perwe omaraerero i Muhona, nungwari me mu pe ouripura wandje omuini otja ngu mbi sokuvarwa omuṱakame motjari tja Muhona.
26 Ami me tjangovasi, mena rokutja oruveze oruzeu rwomeero wa Muhona ru ri popezu, okokuwa omundu okukara otja tje ri. 27 Tji wa kupa poo tji wa kupwa, opaha okuhaṋika nomukupasane woye. Nu tji u hiya kupa, oripahere omukazendu. 28 Nungwari tji wa kupu, kakokuvi; nomukazendu omukombe tja kupwa, eye ke nokutjita navi. Nungwari ovandu mba kupasana ve muna ouzeu mouye mbwi, nami otji me vanga okumuyama kouzeu mbwi.
29 Ihi tji me hee, vakwetu, otjo hi: Omayuva wouye mbwi ye ri pokuyanda. Nokuzamba imba mba kupasana ngave kare aayo kave kupasanene; 30 nu imba mbe noruhoze aayo kave noruhoze; nu imba mbe nenyando aayo kave nenyando, nu imba mba randa oviṋa aayo kave na vyo. 31 Nu imba mbe ungurisa oviṋa vyouye mbwi ngave rizare aayo kave notjiṋa na vyo. Orondu ouye mbwi otja tji matu u tjiwa u ri pokuyanda.
32 Ami me vanga kutja mu kare nokuhinomerikendero. Omurumendu omukombe u rikendera oviungura vya Muhona tjinga e kondja kutja a tjate ku Muhona. 33 Nungwari omurumendu ngwa kupa u rikendera oviṋa vyouye, tjinga e vanga kutja a tjate komukazendu we; 34 nomerikendero we otji ye nanwa kuvari. Nomukazendu omukombe nomusuko wina ve rikendera otjiungura tja Muhona, tjinga ave vanga okuyapurirwa Muhona morutu na mombepo; nungwari omukazendu ngwa kupwa u rikendera oviṋa vyouye, tjinga e vanga kutja a tjate komurumendu we.
35 Ihi me tji hungirire ombwiro yeṋu. Hi nokuvanga okumutjaera, nungwari me vanga kutja mu kare nongarero youwa mu riyandje oveni okumanuka motjiungura tja Muhona nokuhinokuivaiva.
36 Notja kovavarekasane mbe hiya tya okukupasana, pe ri nai: Omurumendu tji ma tjangovasi eye ma tataiza komuvarekwa we, indu ozonḓuma ze tji ze mu uru, neye tji ma tjangovasi ve sokukupasana, nga tjite otja puma vanga: Ngave kupasane. Kave nokutjita ouvi tji va tjiti nao. 37 Nungwari ingwi mouripura we omuini ngwe rimana kutja ke nakukupa nu ngu he ri kehi yoṋiṋikizire yozonḓuma ze, nungwari ngwa ura ombango ye omuini okumana, nu ngwe ritya omuini kutja ke nakukupa, eye ma tjiti otjiṋa otjiwa. 38 Ingwi ngu ma kupu, ma tjiti otjiṋa otjiwa, nungwari ingwi ngu hi nakukupa ma tjiti otjiṋa otjiwa tjinene komeho.
39 Omukazendu omukupwa wa kutwa komurumendu we, ingwi omurumendu we ngunda e nomuinyo; nungwari omurumendu we tja koka, eye wa kutuka kutja a kupwe i omurumendu ngamwa ngu ma vanga, posi yokutja omurumendu ngwi u sokurira omukambure. 40 Nungwari otja kouripura wandje omukazendu ngwi ma rire omuṋingandu tjinene komeho, indu tje ha kupirwe; me tjangovasi ami wina mbi nOmbepo ya Ndjambi.
