12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is ^smade holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, ^tthey are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you¹ to ^upeace. 16 For how do you know, wife, ^vwhether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

17 Only let each person lead the life² that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule ^win all the churches. 18 ^xWas anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For ^yneither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but ^zkeeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant³ when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant ^ais a ^bfreedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a ^cbondservant of Christ. 23 You were ^dbought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers,⁴ in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.