“... The beatitude series shows a clear connection with Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7 and some similarity to the beatitudes of Matthew 5 and Luke 6. The clearest similarity to 1 Corinthians 7 occurs in the beatitude “Blessed are those who have wives as if they had them not, for they shall inherit God.” The phrase οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες is a verbatim reproduction of 1 Corinthians 7:29b. Other similarities between Paul’s sermon in The Acts of Paul and Thecla and 1 Corinthians 7 reinforce this connection. In a later beatitude Paul declares “Blessed are they who through love of God have departed from the form of this world, for they shall judge angels.” The Greek word σχῆμα (“form”) occurs only twice in the New Testament, in 1 Corinthians 7:31 and Philippians 2:7, and the occurrence in 1 Corinthians 7:31 warrants serious comparison with The Acts of Paul and Thecla since both texts employ σχῆμα in the construction, “the form of this world.” Both the Corinthian and Theclan texts stress virginity and continence (or self-control) as key themes ...”