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.
Ŋen ŋəd̶əma
1 Na ŋen ŋəŋen iŋi ñagəwerd̶əṯiñi, ndə ed̶a gənəŋ gero gəməd̶ia kwai kwai ŋen iŋi ŋame. 2 Orn ṯa led̶a alerṯe ləɽaŋa lijila ɽrəto, ŋgiṯr ed̶a aŋəme wasen gəlëɽəŋu na com ŋgiṯr wuji gəɽəbwa aŋerṯe ebaŋgen gəlëɽəŋu. 3 Ŋgiṯr ed̶a aŋərəmoṯe ŋen ŋəwasen, na wuji aŋərəmoṯe ŋen ŋebaŋgen com. 4 Wuji gero gəberṯia ŋələŋe egaŋəno ilëɽəŋu, orn ebaŋgen gerṯo, na orra gero gəberṯia ŋələŋe egaŋəno ilëɽəŋu, orn wasen gerṯo. 5 Ñerṯe ñaŋgiṯia ed̶a gənəŋ gəned̶a wasen walla wuji gəned̶a ebaŋgen ṯa laldəgəɽaŋa, illi ndə ñagərreid̶u ŋen ṯa ñid̶i ṯia iliga lobəlano, ŋen ŋanṯa ñekeɽəd̶ia Rəmwa, na ñopbəd̶e ñaŋ ndəm, ṯa Seṯan aiyerṯe yindirndeicia ŋen ŋanṯa d̶aməraṯa ed̶alo id̶ërəkəd̶ia aŋəno. 6 Igandəlwaɽəṯia ŋen iŋi, orn gerṯe ŋenŋa ŋəŋabəɽa d̶eṯəm ṯa endaməd̶aṯe. 7 Egwonaṯa ṯa led̶a pred̶ aləñarneṯe. Orn led̶a pred̶ lerṯo d̶əneinia i-Rəmwa, ed̶a gənəŋ gerṯo d̶əneinia d̶ənəŋ na ed̶a gwomən gerṯo d̶əneinia d̶womən.
8 Orn igalwaɽəṯia led̶a ildi ləmulu ləmaməd̶ia na ləmulu ləmamənia, na liji əɽəlda ildi ləṯëd̶ənialo ṯa, ŋen ŋame ndə ləɽaŋa larno ñi. 9 Orn ndə lero ləɽwad̶aṯia lerkəd̶ia aŋəno, ŋgiṯərldo almaniəd̶e na almaməni. Ŋen ŋaŋəra ndə ed̶a gəməd̶o, ŋaməñaṯo ŋen ṯa d̶wonaṯa d̶ed̶a d̶amuɽia.
10 Na led̶a ildi ləmaməd̶o na ləmamənu, igallwaɽəṯia orn gerṯe fiñi, orn Eləŋ Rəmwa, ñerṯe ñaŋgiṯia wuji ṯa ganed̶a ebaŋgen 11 Orn ndə wuji gəned̶o ebaŋgen, ŋgiṯəmar aŋaɽaŋe ŋepia, walla aŋoɽəbaṯe ebaŋgen nano, na ñerṯe ñaŋgiṯia maje ṯa ganed̶a wasen.
12 Đəñid̶i egalwaɽa, gerṯe Eləŋ Rəmwa, ṯa ndə ed̶a gənəŋ ikanisa gerṯo wasen gero gəbëndia ŋeu ŋə-Rəmwa na wasen gəmwonaṯa aldəgəɽaŋe ñerṯe ñaŋgiṯia maje igi ṯa ganed̶a wasen. 13 Na ndə wuji gerṯo ebaŋgen gero gəbëndia ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa na ebaŋgen gəmwonaṯa aldəgəɽaŋe ñerṯe ñaŋgiṯia wuji igi ṯa ganed̶a ebaŋgen. 14 Ŋen ŋanṯa maje gero gəbëndia ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa gëbəd̶ənia gətəɽe wasenga na wuji gero gəbëndia ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa gëbəd̶ənia gətəɽe ebaŋgenga ndə ŋen ŋero ŋəfia ṯia ñere eñalo ñataŋa, orn d̶əñid̶i ñatəɽe. 15 Orn ndə ed̶a gero gəbëndia ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa gwonaṯa gəbəla, ŋgiṯəmar aŋəɽe. Ndə ŋen ŋəfəṯia oraiñ gəɽorra walla gəɽəbwa aŋerṯe gəbakaseid̶ənia eŋen iŋi. Rəmwa rwoṯənde ṯa ñaɽaŋe id̶ëuṯaralo. 16 Wuji, agaləŋeṯo ŋen ṯau? Aŋgaica agid̶i ŋëbəri ebaŋgalo. Maje, agaləŋeṯo ŋen ṯau? Aŋgaica agid̶i ŋëbəri wasalo.
Məṯr ŋen ŋarno Rəmwa rundəd̶iande
17 Ŋgiṯr ed̶a gənəŋ aŋəɽaŋe eŋen Eləŋ Rəmwa rənaicəma, na eŋen ŋarno Rəmwa rundəd̶əma. Fəŋen iŋi igəbəgëɽia ikanisa pred̶. 18 Ed̶a gənəŋ gundəd̶ənu igi guɽəd̶ənu? Ñerṯe ñamaŋgiṯia ṯa gaŋgəd̶ənia ŋwëɽiña ŋəd̶uɽəd̶ənia. Na ndə ed̶a gənəŋ gundəd̶ənu igi gero guɽəd̶ənia? Ñerṯe ñamaŋgiṯia aŋuɽəd̶əni. 19 Đuɽəd̶ənia d̶arno wagero, na d̶uɽəd̶ənia d̶ero d̶arno wagero, orn ŋen ṯa ed̶a garəmoṯwa ŋen ŋalganun yi-Rəmwa ŋerṯo ŋeniano. 20 Ŋgiṯr ed̶a gənəŋ aŋəfeṯe eŋen ŋarno iŋi Rəmwa rundəd̶əmau. 21 Agafo agaɽo ebai ŋen Rəmwa rundəd̶iaŋa? Gerṯe ageiciano, orn ndə liga lëni ŋaɽeṯe ed̶a gero gəbëndənia, mo debəreinialo. 22 Ŋen ŋanṯa ed̶a igi gəfo gəɽo ebai ŋen Rəmwa rundəd̶əma, gënəŋu gid̶ənu gəɽo ed̶a gero gəbëndənia g-Eləŋ Rəmwa, na com ed̶a gero gəbëndənia ŋen Rəmwa rundəd̶əma gënəŋu gaɽo ebai g-Almasiya. 23 Ñaŋ ñagilid̶ənu ilia. Ñerṯe ñagəɽia ləbai ləled̶a. 24 Lorldaiñ, ŋgiṯr ed̶a gənəŋ alɽaŋe Rəmwara, eŋen iŋi gəfo gəfau ŋen ŋarno Rəmwa rundəd̶əma.
Ŋen ŋəled̶a ildi lero ləmaməd̶ia na ildi lədəṯëd̶ənialo
25 Eləŋ Rəmwa rero rəñəlwaɽəṯia ŋen ŋənəŋ eŋen ŋəliji lero ləməd̶ia walla ləmamənia, orn igandəlwaɽəṯia ŋen ŋəlëɽəñi, garno ed̶a igi gəd̶urwaṯo eŋen ŋəbaiyaŋa ŋə-Rəmwa. 26 Egaṯa aŋgaica ŋen ŋame iliga ildi ləd̶aicwarənia ndə ed̶a gəɽaŋa ŋen ŋarno ŋəbətaŋəɽan. 27 Agakaseid̶ənu wasaləga? Ŋerṯe agwonaṯa d̶əndəd̶iano. Agafo məɽəməɽeñ wasalo gero? Ŋerṯe agapwaiña wuji. 28 Orn ndə agəməd̶o, agero agəbəd̶ia mənna, na ndə ŋere ŋəɽo ŋowa ŋəmənu, ŋënəŋu ŋero ŋəbəd̶ia mənna, orn led̶a ildi ləmaməd̶ia lid̶i aləfid̶i ŋen ŋubwa alo, na egwonaṯa igəndəmiña eŋen iŋi. 29 Igandəlwaɽəṯia lorldaiñ ṯa, liga ləṯënu lobəlano. Nṯia ŋgiṯr led̶a lerṯo wasenanda alarneṯe led̶a lero wasenanda, 30 na led̶a ildi ləbara alarneṯe led̶a ildi ləber ləbara, na led̶a ildi ləŋəra nano alarneṯe led̶a ildi lero d̶əŋəra nano, na led̶a ildi ləbərldid̶a alarneṯa led̶a ildi lero laŋge, 31 na led̶a ildi ləbəd̶ia ŋen laŋgela lalo, alarneṯe led̶a ildi ləber ləbəd̶ia ŋen laŋgela lalo kwai kwai, ŋen ŋanṯa ŋen ŋalo ŋaməndëd̶ənia.
32 Egwonaṯa ṯa ñerṯe ñagagərd̶ia. Ed̶a gero gəməd̶ia gərəmoṯwa ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa, ṯa aŋid̶i Eləŋ Rəmwa rəŋəra nano, 33 orn ed̶a gəməd̶o garəmoṯwa ŋen ŋalo, ṯa aŋid̶i wasen gəŋəra nano. 34 Na wasen com gerṯo ŋen ŋəɽijan egare. Ŋere ŋəɽo ŋowa iŋi ŋero ŋəmənia ŋarəmoṯwa ŋen ŋ-Eləŋ Rəmwa ṯa ŋënəŋu aŋətəɽeṯe egaŋəno na igusila com, orn wuji gəmənu garəmoṯwa ŋen ŋalo ṯa aŋid̶i ebaŋgen gəŋəra nano. 35 Egalwaɽa ṯia ŋen ŋanṯa endaməd̶aṯe, gerṯe ŋen ŋanṯa indiɽəweici, orn ŋen ŋanṯa ŋen aŋəfeṯe ŋopia, na ṯa ñarəmoṯe ŋen ŋ-Eləŋ Rəmwa, waŋge gero gənəŋ gəndətësia iŋəmëɽria ŋəlëɽəŋu.
36 Orn ndə ed̶a gənəŋ gəbaṯa ṯa gaber gəɽwad̶aṯa gəbəd̶ia ŋen ŋəfo ŋopia ŋen ŋanṯa ŋere ŋəlëɽəŋu iŋi ŋero ŋəmənia, na ŋënəŋu ŋoɽra aten, na ŋafo ŋopia d̶eṯəm, ŋgiṯəmar aŋəməd̶e ŋen ŋarno gwonaṯa. Gënəŋu gaber gəbəd̶ia mənna. Ŋgiṯu ŋere aŋəməni. 37 Orn ndə ed̶a igi gəlwaɽo eŋəṯəɽa ŋəlëɽəŋu d̶eṯəm, ndə gaṯa gaɽaŋa məɽəməɽeñ, na gerṯo ŋələŋe ṯa aŋid̶i ŋen iŋi gwonaṯa, nəŋëɽi ŋen egare ṯa gaber gəməd̶ia, gënəŋu gëbəd̶ia ŋen ŋəŋəra. 38 Ŋen ŋafəṯia ed̶a igi gəma ŋere ŋero ŋəmənia gëbəd̶ia ŋen ŋame, orn ed̶a igi gəned̶o d̶əma gëbəd̶ia ŋen ŋame kaiñ gəməñaṯo orəba.
39 Wuji gakaseid̶ənu ebaŋgenga iliga gəməṯo, orn ndə ebaŋgen gaiyo gaɽwad̶aṯa gəmənia eged̶a gəmwonaṯa orn illi maje gëndu ŋen ŋə-Eləŋ Yesu. 40 Orn wuji gënəŋu gid̶i aŋəreṯe nano gəməñaṯo orəba ndə gəɽaŋa məɽəməɽeñ. Fəŋen igënəñi egəlwaɽo na egaṯa, egerṯo Usila gə-Rəmwa com.