1 Korintofo 7

1 Afei, nea ɛfa nsɛm a mokyerɛw de brɛɛ me no ho ni: Eye sɛ ɔbarima nware.

Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2 Nanso esiane aguamammɔ nti ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbarima biara nya ɔno ankasa ne yere, na ɔbea biara nso nya ɔno ankasa ne kunu.

But because of the fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

3 Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbarima yɛ nʼasɛde sɛ okunu na ɔbea nso yɛ nʼasɛde sɛ ɔyere na wɔn mu biara boa ne yɔnko.

Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

4 Ɔyere nipadua no nyɛ ɔno nko ara dea, na ɛyɛ okunu no nso de bi. Saa ara na okunu no nso nipadua no nyɛ ɔno nko ara dea, na mmom ɛyɛ ɔyere no nso de bi.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; similarly also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

5 Mommfa mo ho nkame mo ho mo ho. Gye sɛ mo nyinaa pene so bere tiaa bi a morebɔ mpae; na sɛ muwie mpaebɔ no a munhyia mu na ɔbonsam ansɔ mo anhwɛ, efisɛ, muntumi nni mo ho so.

Do not deprive one another except by mutual consent for a season, so that you may devote yourselves to fasting and to prayer, and come together again so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Menka saa asɛm yi sɛ ɔhyɛ so, na mmom mereka no sɛ mama mo ho kwan.

Now I say this as a concession, not as a command

7 Ɛkaa me nko a na anka mo nyinaa te sɛ me. Nanso obiara wɔ ɔdom akyɛde sononko bi a Onyankopɔn de ama no. Oyi wɔ nʼakyɛde na ɔfoforo nso wɔ nʼakyɛde.

(though I wish that all men were even as I myself; but each has his own gift from God, one like this and one like that).

8 Afei asɛm a mereka akyerɛ asigyafo ne akunafo ne sɛ: Eye sɛ mo nko ara mobɛtena ase sɛnea mete hɔ yi.

Yes I say to the unmarried and the widows: it is good for them if they should remain even as I;

9 Na sɛ morentumi nhyɛ mo ho so nso a monkɔwareware. Eye sɛ mobɛware sen sɛ mobɛhyɛ mo ho ahometew.

but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry; since it is better to marry than to burn.

10 Mo awarefo nso, mewɔ ɔhyɛ nsɛm bi a emfi me na efi Awurade nkyɛn se: Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔbea gyaa ne kunu.

Now to the married I command (not I but the Lord): a wife is not to be separated from her husband

11 Sɛ ɛba saa a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔware bio; anaasɛ nso wɔka ɔne ne kunu bo mu. Saa ara na ɛnsɛ sɛ okunu nso gyaa ne yere.

(but if she does separate herself, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband), and a husband is not to divorce his wife.

12 Mo a moaka no meka kyerɛ mo, efi mʼankasa na emfi Awurade, sɛ Okristoni barima wɔ yere a ɔnyɛ Okristoni na ɔbea no pene so sɛ ɔne no bɛtena ase a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔbarima no gyaa no.

But to the rest I (not the Lord) say: if any brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

13 Saa ara nso na sɛ Okristoni bea wɔ okunu a ɔnyɛ Okristoni na ɔbarima no pene so sɛ ɔne no bɛtena a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔbea no gyaa no.

And a woman who has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.

14 Esiane bɔ a ɔbarima a ɔnyɛ Okristoni de ne ho abɔ ɔbea no nti, Onyankopɔn begye no na ɔbea a ɔnyɛ Okristoni no nso, esiane bɔ a ɔde ne ho abɔ ɔbarima no nti, Onyankopɔn bɛtew ne ho. Sɛ anyɛ saa a, wɔn mma bɛyɛ sɛ abosonsomfo mma nanso sɛnea ɛte yi de, wɔbɛyɛ kronkron.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are consecrated.

15 Na sɛ nso wɔn mu nea ɔnyɛ Okristoni no pɛ sɛ ɔtew ne ho fi Okristoni no ho a, momma no kwan. Sɛ ɛba saa a, Okristoni no, sɛ ɛyɛ okunu anaa ɔyere no, de ne ho. Onyankopɔn afrɛ mo sɛ montena ase asomdwoe mu.

But if the unbeliever separates, let him separate—in such cases the brother or the sister is not enslaved, but God has called us to peace.

16 Ɔyere a woyɛ Okristoni, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woahu sɛ worentumi nnye wo kunu nkwa? Na okunu a woyɛ Okristoni nso, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woahu sɛ worentumi nnye wo yere nkwa?

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

17 Mo mu biara ntena ase wɔ tebea a Awurade de ama no no, sɛnea na ɔte a Onyankopɔn frɛɛ no no mu. Eyi ne mmara a mekyerɛ wɔ asafo biara mu.

Otherwise, as God has distributed to each, as the Lord has called each one, so let him live (this is what I command in all the congregations).

18 Sɛ twetiatwani bi ate Onyankopɔn frɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔpepa twetia no ho nsɛnkyerɛnne biara. Sɛ ɔbarima nso a ontwaa twetia bi ate Onyankopɔn frɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ otwa twetia.

Was anyone already circumcised when called? Let him not reverse it. Was anyone uncircumcised when called? Let him not be circumcised.

19 Efisɛ sɛ obi atwa twetia na ɔfoforo nso ntwaa twetia no nka hwee. Nea ɛho hia ne sɛ wubedi Onyankopɔn mmara so.

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, compared to keeping God's commandments.

20 Sɛnea obiara te a Onyankopɔn frɛɛ no no, ɔntena mu saa ara.

Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.

21 Onyankopɔn frɛɛ wo no na woyɛ akoa ana? Mma ɛno nhaw wo na sɛ wowɔ ɔkwan bi a wubetumi afa so ade wo ho a, fa so.

Were you called while a slave? Do not let it bother you, but if you can really become free, do so.

22 Efisɛ akoa a Awurade afrɛ no no yɛ Awurade nipa a ɔde ne ho. Saa ara nso na obi a ɔde ne ho a Kristo afrɛ no no yɛ Kristo akoa.

For the one in the Lord who was called while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Similarly, the one who was called while free is Christ's slave.

23 Onyankopɔn tɔɔ mo aboɔden, ɛno nti monnyɛ nkoa mma nnipa.

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

24 Anuanom, ɛsɛ sɛ mo mu biara tena ase wɔ Onyankopɔn mu sɛnea na mote ansa na wɔrefrɛ mo no.

Brothers, let each one remain with God in the social condition in which he was called.

25 Nea ɛfa asigyafo ho nso no ni: Minnyaa ɔhyɛ nsɛm biara mfii Awurade nkyɛn, nanso meka mʼadwene te sɛ obi a Onyankopɔn mmɔborɔhunu nti wɔagye me ato mu.

Now about the virgins I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy.

26 Wudwen mprempren ɔhaw yi ho a, misusuw sɛ eye sɛ onipa tena ase sɛnea ɔte biara.

I consider therefore that this is good because of the current distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is:

27 Wowɔ ɔyere? Sɛ wowɔ ɔyere a, nyɛ wʼadwene sɛ woregyaa no. Wonwaree ana? Sɛ wonwaree a nhwehwɛ ɔyere.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Have you been released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

28 Nanso sɛ woware a wonyɛɛ bɔne ɛ. Sɛ ɔbabun ware a ɔnyɛɛ bɔne ɛ. Nanso esiane ɔhaw a saa aware no de ba nti, na anka mepɛ sɛ mobɛkwati saa ɔhaw no.

However, should you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin should marry, she has not sinned. Still, such will have trouble in the flesh, and I want to spare you.

29 Nea mekyerɛ ne sɛ, anuanom, bere a aka no sua. Efi saa bere yi ɛsɛ sɛ mmarima a wɔawareware tena ase sɛnea wɔnwaree da;

Now I say this, brothers, the time has been shortened, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,

30 wɔn a wosu yɛ sɛnea wɔn werɛ nhowee; wɔn a wɔserew yɛ sɛnea wonni anigye; wɔn a wɔtɔ yɛ sɛnea nea wɔtɔe no nyɛ wɔn de;

and those who weep as though not weeping, and those who rejoice as though not rejoicing, and those who buy as though not possessing,

31 wɔn a wɔde wiase abɔ wɔn bo yɛ sɛnea wonhuu bi da. Na sɛnea wiase yi te mprempren yi renyɛ saa nkyɛ.

and those who use this world as though not abusing it; because this world's mode is passing away.

32 Mempɛ sɛ biribiara haw mo. Ɔbarima a ɔnwaree no, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔde ne ho ma Awurade adwumayɛ; efisɛ ɔbɔ mmɔden sɛ Awurade ani bɛsɔ no;

Now I want you to be without anxiety. He who is unmarried cares about the things of the Lord: how he will please the Lord.

33 nanso ɔbarima warefo de ne ho to wiase nneɛma so, efisɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔsɔ ne yere ani,

While he who is married cares about the things of the world: how he will please his wife.

34 enti wɔtwe no afanu no nyinaa. Ɔbea a ɔnwaree anaa ɔbabun de ne ho ma Awurade adwuma wɔ ɔhonam ne honhom fam; nanso ɔbea a waware no de ne ho to wiase nneɛma so, efisɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔsɔ ne kunu ani.

The wife and the virgin are also different. She who is unmarried cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; while she who is married cares about the things of the world: how she will please her husband.

35 Mereka saa asɛm yi, efisɛ mepɛ sɛ meboa mo. Merenhyehyɛ mmara bi mma mo. Na mmom mepɛ sɛ moyɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ na mode mo ho nyinaa ma Awurade adwuma.

I am saying this for your own profit, not to put a leash on you, but for what is appropriate, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

36 Sɛ ɛhaw ɔbarima bi a ɔne ɔbea ahyehyɛ aware sɛ ontumi nyɛ nʼasɛde, na sɛ ɔbarima no ntumi nhyɛ nʼakɔnnɔ so nti ɔpɛ sɛ ɔware a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔware sɛnea ɔhwehwɛ no. Bɔne biara nni eyi ho.

Now if anyone thinks he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past her prime and thus it should be, let him do what he desires; he does not sin; let them marry.

37 Nanso eye mmom sɛ ɔbɛhyɛ ne ho so na wasi nʼadwene pi sɛ ɔrenware.

But he who stands steadfast in his heart, not having necessity, but has control over his own will, and has determined in his heart to preserve his own virginity, does well.

38 Eye sɛ ɔbarima ware de, nanso sɛ anka wanware koraa a na eye.

So then, he who gives in marriage does well, but he who does not give in marriage does better.

39 Sɛ ɔbea warefo kunu te ase a, ɔnne ne ho; na sɛ ne kunu no wu de a, ɔwɔ ho kwan sɛ ɔware ɔfoforo a ɔpɛ; nanso ɛsɛ sɛ ɛyɛ Kristo aware.

A woman is bound by law for as long as her husband lives, but if the man should die, she is free to be married to whom she wishes—only in the Lord.

40 Na sɛ otumi tena ase sɛnea ɔte no nso a, ne ho bɛtɔ no yiye. Mʼadwene ni, na migye di sɛ me nso mewɔ Onyame Honhom.

But she is more blessed if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think I also have God's Spirit.