Of the Marriage of Priests.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.

2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

5Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

6I say this as a concession, not as a command.

7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

9But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.

11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

13And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

17Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.

18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.

19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

20Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.

21Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

22For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.

23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

24Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.

25Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

26Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.

27Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife.

28But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

29What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;

30those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;

31and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

32I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.

33But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,

34and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.

35I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.

36However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married.

37But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well.

38So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

40In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9

9Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Matthew 19:1-30

1When Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.

2Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.

3Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”

4Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’

5and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

7“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart; but it was not this way from the beginning.

9Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery.”

10His disciples said to Him, “If this is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”

11“Not everyone can accept this word,” He replied, “but only those to whom it has been given.

12For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

13Then the little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

14But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

15And after He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.

16Just then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?”

17“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

18“Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,

19honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”

20“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”

21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

22When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.

23Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

27“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”

28Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

30But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

Matthew 11:1-30

1After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples

3to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”

4Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:

5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”

7As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

8Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.

9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

10This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’

11Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it.

13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

14And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

15He who has ears, let him hear.

16To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”

20Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

26Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.

27All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Genesis 1:1-31

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

4And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.

5God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

6And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.”

7So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so.

8God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so.

10God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

11Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.” And it was so.

12The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

13And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.

15And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.

16God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well.

17God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,

18to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

19And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

20And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.”

21So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every bird of flight after its kind. And God saw that it was good.

22Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

23And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.

25God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”

27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

29Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.

30And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

31And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 28:1-22

1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. “Do not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” he commanded.

2“Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel, and take a wife from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.

3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.

4And may He give the blessing of Abraham to you and your descendants, so that you may possess the land where you dwell as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.”

5So Isaac sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

6Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to take a wife there, commanding him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,”

7and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and gone to Paddan-aram.

8And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,

9Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.

10Meanwhile Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran.

11On reaching a certain place, he spent the night there because the sun had set. And taking one of the stones from that place, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.

12And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.

13And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie.

14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

15Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

16When Jacob woke up, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it.”

17And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven!”

18Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone that he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on top of it,

19and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.

20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear,

21so that I may return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God.

22And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”

1 Timothy 3:1-16

1This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task.

2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

3not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.

4An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

5For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?

6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.

7Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.

8Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.

9They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.

11In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things.

12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.

13For those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

14Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these things

15in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.

1 Timothy 2:1-15

1First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—

2for kings and all those in authority—so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.

3This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,

4who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

6who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.

7For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.

8Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.

9Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,

10but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.

11A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness.

12I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet.

13For Adam was formed first, and then Eve.

14And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was deceived and fell into transgression.

15Women, however, will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

1 Timothy 4:1-16

1Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,

2influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

3They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

4For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected,

5because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.

7But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.

8For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.

9This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance.

10To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, and especially of those who believe.

11Command and teach these things.

12Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.

14Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.

15Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

16Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.