Bible verses about "chastity" | JMNT

¹³ The foods (The things eaten) [are meant] for the stomach, and the stomach [is meant] for the things eaten, yet God will make both it and them useless and unprofitable (or: will also bring this and these down to being idle). Now the body [is] not for prostitution (or: sexual immorality; or: = idolatry), but rather for the Lord – and further, the Lord [is] in (or: for; with) the body. ¹⁴ Yet God both aroused (awakened) and raised up the Lord, and He is presently and progressively (or: one-after-another repeatedly) arousing and raising us up [reading with p11.46*, A, D*, P and others; or: p46c2, B and others read: He suddenly aroused and raised us up (or: at one point arouses and raises us up); or: p46c1, Aleph, C, D2 and others read: He will continue raising us up] through His power and ability. ¹⁵ Have you folks not seen so as to know that your [other MSS: our] bodies are (exist being) members (body parts) of Christ? Upon lifting up and carrying off (or: bearing away) the members (body parts) of the Christ, will I proceed (or: should or could I) then in making [them] members (body parts) of a prostitute? May it not come to be or happen (= Heaven forbid; = No way)! ¹⁶ Or, have you folks not seen so as to know that the man continually joining himself (or: being habitually glued in intimate union) to (or: in) a prostitute exists being one body [with her]? For, He says, "The two will continue existing, being [joined] into one flesh." [Gen. 2:24] ¹⁷ Now the person continually joining himself (or: being habitually glued in intimate union; in himself being continuously welded) to (or: in; with) the Lord exists being one spirit (or: one Breath-effect). ¹⁸ Constantly flee (Repeatedly take flight [from]) the prostitution. [note: this would also apply to idolatry in pagan temples which used prostitutes as part of the idol worship] The effect (or: result) of every sin (failure to hit the target; error; mistake) – whatsoever a person may do – exists being outside of the body. Yet the one habitually committing prostitution (practicing sexual immorality) is habitually sinning (sowing errors and mistakes) into his own body. [note: both his physical body, and the body of the called-out community] ¹⁹ Or, have you folks not seen so as to know that your body (or: the body of you folks) is a temple of the set-apart spirit (or: a sanctuary belonging to the Holy Spirit; a holy place and a holy of holies which pertains to the Sacred Breath; or: that the body, which is you folks, exists being a divine habitation which has the qualities and characteristics of the Holy Attitude) – within the midst of you (or: in union with you folks; or: among you people) – which you people constantly hold and progressively possess from God? And further, you are not folks belonging to yourselves (or: Also then, you people do not exist from yourselves),

² Well, because of prostitutions (= the dangers of sexual immorality, or the lure of pagan temple prostitutes), let each man continually hold and be permanently having a wife (or: woman) for himself, and each woman be constantly holding and permanently having her own husband.

²³ gentle friendliness (meekness; mildness), inner strength (self-control). [The] Law is not down from such things (or: In the sphere of such things [the] Law does not exists; There is no law against such things; Law does not correspond to and is not on the level of such things).

⁴ Marriage [is] precious (of great value and honor) in the midst of all folks (or: among all peoples), and the conjugal bed [is] unstained and undefiled; yet God is continuously judging (or: repeatedly separating and making a decision about) fornicators (or: male prostitutes; or: men who have sexual intercourse with a prostitute) and adulterers.

¹¹ Folks that are loved (Beloved ones): I am presently calling you alongside to encourage, aid, comfort and admonish you, as resident aliens (exiles; sojourners; one dwelling beside citizens in a foreign country) and temporary residents (expatriates; strangers) to continually hold yourselves away from the fleshly over-desires (passions; full-rushing upon things), which things are constantly warring (doing military service; battling) down against the soul (the inner self and being),

¹⁹ Now the works (actions; deeds) of the flesh [religion] (or: = whose source and origin are the estranged human nature; or: pertaining to the flesh [system, or, nature]; or: = whose results and realm are the self in slavery to a system) [are] seen and made apparent in clear light, which are, and continue being, the works of a prostitute (or: [the] Prostitute): uncleanness (or: waste or worthless material, as of decayed flesh; a never-pruned tree; material that has not been sifted), excess (immoderation; outrageous behavior), ²⁰ idolatry (being a servant to or worshiping external forms or appearances, phantoms of the mind, unsubstantial or reflected images, or conveyed impressions) sorcery (employment of drugs and enchantments; magic rites; witchcraft), hostilities (enmities; alienations), strife (contentious disposition), jealousies (or: zealous emotions), stirring emotions (rushing passions; furies), factions, standings-apart (divisions), sects (religious denominations; parties with a particular opinion; the making of choices from preferences), ²¹ envies, murders, intoxications (times of being drunk), festal processions (or: excessive feastings), and things like to these [whether religious, or personal], which things I continue predicting (saying beforehand; or: = giving warning) to you folks, just as I said before, that those habitually practicing (or: performing) such [religious, or personal,] things will not be inheriting (receiving and enjoying a distributed allotment of) God's reign (kingdom; sovereign influence and activities).

⁷ For God did not call us on the basis of uncleanness (or: does not invite us [to be] on [a path lived in] a soiled condition or a dirty environment), but rather within the sphere of set-apartness (or: sacred difference; = in a manner commensurate to covenant living).

¹³ As within [the] Day, we should (may; can) walk about (= live our lives) respectably (reputably; decently; with good form; mannerly; pleasing to look upon; presentably) – not in festive processions (or: orgies; revelries; excessive feastings; carousing) and collective drunkenness (intoxications); nor in beds (i.e., sexual interludes) and outrageous behaviors (vice; loose conduct; indecencies); not in strife (or: contentious disposition) and in jealousy (or: envy) –

³ But all sexual vice (prostitution; fornication; sexual acts contrary to custom) and uncleanness (impurity), or greed (desiring or having more than one's due; gaining and having advantage over others), let it continuously not even be named among (or: within) you folks according as it is constantly appropriate (proper; conspicuously suitable and befitting) for set-apart people (or: holy and sacred folks).

⁵ Make dead (Put into a state of deadness; Deaden; = Kill), therefore, the [other MSS: your] members (body parts; = aspects of your life) upon the earth (= that pertain to this earthly existence): prostitution (fornication; sexual immorality), uncleanness, [unbridled] passion ([uncontrolled] feeling or [excessive] emotion), worthless over-desire (rushing upon bad things; obsessive evil cravings), and the desire to have more and gain advantage over another (or: selfish, greedy, grasping thoughts and behavior) – which is idolatry (the worship of forms, shapes, images or figures; or: service to pagan concepts)

⁷ You see [other MSS: Now], I normally want (keep on wishing; repeatedly set my will for) all people (all mankind; all humans) to habitually exist being even as myself! But of course each one continues having and holding his own effect and result of grace and favor (or: gracious gift) from out of God: on the one hand, one person in this way, and on the other hand, another in that way. ⁸ Now I am saying to the unmarried (= single) people, and to the widows, that [it is] fine for them (or: beautiful in them; ideal to them) if they can (may; should; would) remain even as I [am]. [note: from Acts 26:10, where Paul says “I cast my vote,” being a member of the Sanhedrin, he would have been a married man at that time] ⁹ Yet if they are not habitually having inner strength and control, [then] they must at once marry, for it is better to proceed to marry (or: to continue married) than to be repeatedly set on fire (or, as a middle: to progressively burn oneself [= with passion and desire]).

¹ Yet concerning the things which you folks wrote: “Is it fine for a man to by habit not touch a woman so as to hold or kindle her as a wife?” (or: = Now about what you wrote: "Is it ideal for a man to live in celibacy as a way of life?") ² Well, because of prostitutions (= the dangers of sexual immorality, or the lure of pagan temple prostitutes), let each man continually hold and be permanently having a wife (or: woman) for himself, and each woman be constantly holding and permanently having her own husband. ³ Let the husband habitually render (give away in answer to claim and expectation) to the wife [her] due (what is owed to her; the obligation; the debt), yet likewise the wife, also, to the husband. ⁴ The wife continues having no right or authority pertaining to her own body, but to the contrary, the husband [does]. Now likewise the husband, also, continues having no right or authority pertaining to his own body, but to the contrary, the wife [does]. ⁵ Do not habitually deprive (defraud; rob) one another, except anytime (or: unless perhaps) it should [be] from out of mutual consent (spoken agreement) with a view toward a specific period (or: appointed season; fertile situation or condition) so that you [both] may be at leisure in activities that lead toward having goodness and well-being (or: could be otherwise unoccupied for prayer; can give each other time for thoughts of ease or to be unemployed with a view to wellness), and then you [both] may proceed being [other MSS: should come together] again [putting your attention] upon this very thing [i.e., resume your physical relationship], so that the adversary (the opponent; the adversarial [situation or attitude]) may not keep on testing you (endeavoring to put you to the proof; trying you; tempting you) because of your lack of strength (through your lack of control; because of your incontinence). [note: continued sexual relations in marriage was a duty, under Jewish law and custom; failure to do so was grounds for divorce – Ex. 21:10-11] ⁶ Now I am saying this in accord with the common knowledge of experience, not down from an arrangement put upon [you] (or: not in response to an imposed disposition or injunction). ⁷ You see [other MSS: Now], I normally want (keep on wishing; repeatedly set my will for) all people (all mankind; all humans) to habitually exist being even as myself! But of course each one continues having and holding his own effect and result of grace and favor (or: gracious gift) from out of God: on the one hand, one person in this way, and on the other hand, another in that way. ⁸ Now I am saying to the unmarried (= single) people, and to the widows, that [it is] fine for them (or: beautiful in them; ideal to them) if they can (may; should; would) remain even as I [am]. [note: from Acts 26:10, where Paul says “I cast my vote,” being a member of the Sanhedrin, he would have been a married man at that time] ⁹ Yet if they are not habitually having inner strength and control, [then] they must at once marry, for it is better to proceed to marry (or: to continue married) than to be repeatedly set on fire (or, as a middle: to progressively burn oneself [= with passion and desire]). ¹⁰ Now beside this, I – not I myself, but rather, the Lord – am giving an added message to those being married: a wife is not at any point to be separated (disunited so as to be apart from) [her] husband ¹¹ – yet, even if she should get separated or be caused to depart, let her remain unmarried or else she must at once be reconciled to [her] husband – and a husband is not to proceed in divorcing (or: leaving, or sending away) [his] wife! ¹² Now to the rest, I, myself – not the Lord – am speaking: if any brother is having an unbelieving wife (or: a woman not full of faith), and she continues mutually content (habitually thinks it jointly profitable and easy; with [him] is agreeable and approving) to continue dwelling and making a home with him, let him not proceed to divorce her (or: leave her, or send her away). ¹³ And a wife who is having an unbelieving husband (or: a man not full of faith), and this man continues mutually content to continue dwelling and making a home with her, let her not divorce (or: leave or send away) [her] husband. ¹⁴ You see, the unbelieving husband (man void of faith) has been made set-apart and remains holy and sacred within (or: in union with) the wife, and the unbelieving wife (woman void of faith) has been made set-apart and remains holy and sacred within (or: in union with) the brother (= the believing husband) – otherwise, the consequence is your children being unclean. Yet now they are set-apart (holy and sacred ones; folks different from the common). ¹⁵ So if the unbelieving (or: faith-lacking; trust-void) one proceeds to be separating (disuniting so as to be apart), let this one continue separating and departing: the brother or the sister has not been nor is now enslaved (has not been bound in servitude nor is held as a slave) within such situations – for God has given you [other MSS: us] a permanent call within the midst of and in union with peace and harmony [= shalom]. ¹⁶ For what have you seen or how do you know, O wife (or: dear lady; woman) – whether you will bring health and wholeness to (or: will rescue, save and deliver) [your] husband (or: man)? Or what have you seen and how do you know, O husband (or: dear sir; O man) – whether you will bring health and wholeness to (or: will rescue, save and deliver) [your] wife (or: woman), except as the Lord [= Christ or Yahweh] has divided and distributed [other MSS: divides and distributes] a part to (or: in; for) each one? Let each one thus be habitually walking about (= continue living your life in this way), as God has permanently called [him]. ¹⁷ And thus am I habitually arranging throughout (or: thoroughly setting in order; fully prescribing or distributing; or: arranging the troops) – within the midst of (or: in union with) all the called-out communities (or: among all the summoned-forth folks). ¹⁸ Was anyone called (invited; summoned) being a person having been circumcised? Let him not be de-circumcised (have the marks of circumcision covered over)! Has anyone been called [being] in [the condition of, or, among the group termed] uncircumcision? He is not to proceed in being circumcised! ¹⁹ The circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing – but to the contrary [what matters is the] observing and keeping of the goals implanted from God (or: the impartations of the finished product within, which is God; or: God’s inward directives to [His] end). ²⁰ Let each person – within the midst of the calling (vocation; = station, position, situation or circumstances) in which (or: to which) he was (or: is) called – keep on remaining (dwelling; abiding) within this. ²¹ Were you called [while being] a slave? Quit letting it be a concern or worry for you (Do not continue to let it be a care to you). But nonetheless, if you also continue to have the power and ability to become free (or: a freeman), make very much use of (or: all the more employ) [it]! (or: Instead, even if you presently have means to come to be at liberty, [choose] rather to use [your present situation].) ²² In fact, the person within the Lord [= Christ or Yahweh] – being one that was called [when being] a slave – is [the] Lord's freed-person (or: exists being [Christ's or Yahweh's] emancipated slave). Likewise, the person being one that was called [when being] free, or a freedman, is Christ's slave. ²³ You folks were bought, as at a marketplace: [there was] value and honor involved in the price (or: [you are] of value). Do not continue becoming slaves of humanity (or: Do not repeatedly come to be slaves of people). ²⁴ Let each person, brothers (= fellow believers; family members) – within that which he was (or: she is) called – keep on remaining (dwelling; abiding) at God's side and presence within the midst of this. ²⁵ Now about the virgins (or: unmarried girls of marriageable age) and celibate women, I do not hold (or: have) an arrangement put upon [you] (or: an imposed disposition or injunction) which originates from [the] Lord [= Yahweh, or Christ], but I continue giving [you] the result of experience-gained knowledge, as being one having been mercied (shown mercy) by (or: under) [the] Lord, to exist being one full of faith (or: to be trustworthy, loyal and faithful). ²⁶ I therefore reason from custom [that] this continues to be inherently beautiful (fine; ideal; good form) – because of the present necessity which has been placed within through compulsion (= a time or circumstance of stress) – that the it is ideal (fine; beautiful) for a person to continue being thus (= as he is; or: for humanity to continue existing in this way): ²⁷ Have you been bound together so that you are now tied to a wife? Stop (or: Do not continue) seeking loosing or release. Have you been released so that you are now loosed from a wife? Stop (or: Do not continue) seeking a wife. ²⁸ Yet even if you should marry, you are not making a mistake (or: missing the goal). And if the virgin or celibate woman should marry, she does not fail (is not making a mistake or missing the goal). Still, such folks (= those who do) will continue or proceed having pressure and constricting stress, in the flesh (= their natural lives) – and as for myself, I [would] spare you folks [that]. ²⁹ Now I forcefully declare this, brothers (= family), the season (fitting and appointed situation; fertile moment) now exists being one that has been contracted (drawn together so as to be shortened, curtailed and limited)! So that for the remaining [time] (the rest of [the season]), those presently having wives (or: the men now holding a woman) should proceed in being as not presently having [them], [note: in the culture and time which Paul is here addressing, the term “married,” or, “having a woman” referred to both formal marriage, and to a man and a woman living together] ³⁰ and those presently weeping (lamenting; shedding tears), [should be] as [if] not weeping, and those presently rejoicing, [should be] as [if] not rejoicing, and those habitually buying at the market place, [should be] as [if] not constantly holding on to it (owning it; keeping it held down; retaining it; = not being possessive), ³¹ and those habitually employing (making use of) the System (the ordered arrangement and world of culture, economy, religion and government; or: secular society) as not folks who are constantly using it down (= making excessive employment or over-use of it), for the outward fashion, mode of circumstance, condition, form-appearance (or: character, role, phase, configuration, manner) of this System (ordered world of culture, religion and society) is progressively passing by (= the present scheme of things is changing and passing away). ³² Now I intend (purpose and want) you folks to constantly exist being free from anxiety (care; concern; worry). The unmarried one (= the person who is not co-habiting; the single person) is habitually concerned about and caring for the Lord's things (= the issues pertaining to Yahweh; the matters that come from and belong to Christ): how he or she can please (be accommodating to) the Lord. ³³ Yet the one being married is constantly concerned about and repeatedly caring for the involvements of the System (the issues pertaining to his world of culture, religion, economy and government): how he can please and be accommodating to the woman ([his] wife), and thus, he has been divided so as to be distributed in parts! ³⁴ Further, the unmarried (or: = single) woman – as well as the virgin (or: unmarried mature young woman of marriageable age) – is habitually concerned about and caring for the Lord's things (= issues; matters): [i.e.] that she may continually exist being set-apart (holy; sacred; different from the profane) – both in [her] body and in [her] spirit (or: so that she would be sacred with body as well as with spirit; that she should be holy both for the Body, and for the Spirit). However, the woman being married is constantly concerned about and repeatedly caring for the involvements of the System ([her] world): how she can please and be accommodating to the man ([her] husband). ³⁵ Now I am saying this with a view toward your personal advantage (that which brings benefits together to your very selves) – not so that I can throw a noose (= a leash) upon you folks! To the contrary, [it is] with a view toward good form (the well-fashioned [life]; the scene of ease and competent-appearing action) and a good seating, [being] undistracted beside the Lord (or: a close seat of ease, undistractedly sitting in the Lord). ³⁶ Now if anyone continues reasoning about custom [so as] to go on bringing the appearance of bad form (or: is behaving dishonorably or indecently – that which is contrary to the accepted fashion) upon [the situation of] his virgin [daughter; or: fianc'e9e] – if she may be over her prime (= beyond marriageable age; past the bloom of youth) – and thus (or: in this way) he has obligation [for it] to proceed in occurring, let him continue to do what he is wanting and intending – he is not making a mistake or missing the goal: let them be marrying. ³⁷ Now [he] who has been standing firm and is now settled in the seat of his heart – presently having no necessity (continuing to hold no compulsion) but holds authority concerning (or: has a right pertaining to) his own will and has decided this in his own heart – to continue keeping watch over and guarding his virgin [daughter; fianc'e9e; or, perhaps: his own virginity], will be doing beautifully (finely; ideally). ³⁸ Consequently, also, the one giving his virgin [daughter] in marriage (or: the one marrying his virgin [fianc'e9e]; or: the one giving the virginity of himself in marriage) is doing [other MSS: will be doing] beautifully, and yet the one not giving in marriage or getting married will be doing better. ³⁹ A wife, by law and custom, has been bound upon and remains tied to her husband for as much time as he continues living. Yet if the husband may fall asleep in death, she exists being free to be married to whom she continues intending (willing; purposing) – only within [the] Lord. ⁴⁰ Yet, she continues (or: exists) being happier (more blessed) if she remains as she is, according to the knowledge gained from my experience. Now I also continue seeming to hold (or: have; possess) God's spirit (= God's attitude on this matter). (or: For I, myself, am also continuing to presume to constantly possess God's Spirit and Breath-effect).

¹⁸ Constantly flee (Repeatedly take flight [from]) the prostitution. [note: this would also apply to idolatry in pagan temples which used prostitutes as part of the idol worship] The effect (or: result) of every sin (failure to hit the target; error; mistake) – whatsoever a person may do – exists being outside of the body. Yet the one habitually committing prostitution (practicing sexual immorality) is habitually sinning (sowing errors and mistakes) into his own body. [note: both his physical body, and the body of the called-out community] ¹⁹ Or, have you folks not seen so as to know that your body (or: the body of you folks) is a temple of the set-apart spirit (or: a sanctuary belonging to the Holy Spirit; a holy place and a holy of holies which pertains to the Sacred Breath; or: that the body, which is you folks, exists being a divine habitation which has the qualities and characteristics of the Holy Attitude) – within the midst of you (or: in union with you folks; or: among you people) – which you people constantly hold and progressively possess from God? And further, you are not folks belonging to yourselves (or: Also then, you people do not exist from yourselves), ²⁰ for you people were bought, as at a marketplace: [there was] value and honor involved in the price (or: [you are] of value) (or: = for you were bought and paid for; or: for from a valuable price you folks were bought at market). By all means then, glorify God (bring a good reputation to God; manifest that which calls forth praise to God) within your body (or: within the midst of the body which you folks are)!

²⁸ "Yet I, Myself, am now saying to you people that every man who is continuing in, or, repeatedly looking at and observing (constantly watching or leering at; = fantasizing over) a [married] woman, with a view toward the [situation, or, condition] to crave her (to experience strong passion for her, or, to desire to rush in a heat of emotion upon her), has already committed adultery with her, within his heart!

³ You see, this is the will (intent, purpose) of God: your state of being set apart from the common use or condition (or: sacred difference; = covenant living) – you are to continuously hold yourself from (be distant from; abstain from) all of the prostitution [note: figuratively, the worship of idols or false religions, and a break from covenant].