American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, {Or, seared}branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving:
for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.
But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.
For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,
ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.
And even as they {Greek: did not approve.}refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
backbiters, {Or, haters of God}hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:
who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them.
let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of {Many ancient authorities read lawlessness.}sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or {Greek: an object of worship. Acts 17:23.}that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the {Or, sanctuary}temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: {Or, only until he that now restraineth be taken &c.}only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord {Some ancient authorities omit Jesus.}Jesus shall {Some ancient authorities read consume.}slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his {Greek: presence.}coming;
even he, whose {Greek: presence.}coming is according to the working of Satan with all {Greek: power and signs and wonders of falsehood.}power and signs and lying wonders,
and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that {Or, are perishing}perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife.
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.
But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.
{Many ancient authorities read For.}Yet I would that all men were even as I myself. Howbeit each man hath his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.
But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband
(but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife.
But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her.
And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called {Many ancient authorities read you.}us in peace.
For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches.
Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called.
Wast thou called being a bondservant? care not for it: {Or, but if}nay, even if thou canst become free, use it rather.
For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant.
Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men.
Brethren, let each man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.
Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be trustworthy.
I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a man {Greek: so to be.}to be as he is.
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
But shouldest thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I would spare you.
But this I say, brethren, the time {Or, is shortened henceforth, that both those &c.}is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none;
and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not;
and those that use the world, as not using it to the full: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
but he that is married is careful for the things of the world, how he may please his {Some ancient authorities read wife. And there is a difference also between the wife and the virgin. She that is unmarried is careful &c.}wife,
and is divided. So also the woman that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
And this I say for your own profit; not that I may cast a {Or, constraint Greek: noose.}snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his {Or, virgin (omitting daughter)}virgin daughter, if she be past the flower of her age, and if need so requireth, let him do what he will; he sinneth not; let them marry.
But he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power as touching his own will, and hath determined this in his own heart, to keep his own {Or, virgin (omitting daughter)}virgin daughter, shall do well.
So then both he that giveth his own {Or, virgin (omitting daughter)}virgin daughter in marriage doeth well; and he that giveth her not in marriage shall do better.
A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be {Greek: fallen asleep. See Acts 7:60.}dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
But she is happier if she abide as she is, after my judgment: and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.
{Greek: Let your turn of mind be free.}Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, {Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5}I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.