Flee Sexual Immorality

12 (A)“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 (B)“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one (C)and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but (D)for the Lord, and (E)the Lord for the body. 14 And (F)God raised the Lord and (G)will also raise us up (H)by his power. 15 Do you not know that (I)your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined[a] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, (J)“The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord (K)becomes one spirit with him. 18 (L)Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin[b] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person (M)sins against his own body. 19 Or (N)do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? (O)You are not your own, 20 (P)for you were bought with a price. (Q)So glorify God in your body.

Principles for Marriage

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: (R)“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. (S)The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. (T)Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, (U)so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Now as a concession, (V)not a command, I say this.[c] (W)I wish that all were (X)as I myself am. But (Y)each has his own gift from God, (Z)one of one kind and one of another.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Or who holds fast (compare Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 10:20); also verse 17
  2. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Or Every sin
  3. 1 Corinthians 7:6 Or I say this:

Sexual Immorality

12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.(A) “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.”(B) The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord,(C) and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead,(D) and he will raise us also.(E) 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?(F) Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[a](G) 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[b](H)

18 Flee from sexual immorality.(I) All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.(J) 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples(K) of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;(L) 20 you were bought at a price.(M) Therefore honor God with your bodies.(N)

Concerning Married Life

Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”(O) But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,(P) and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time,(Q) so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan(R) will not tempt you(S) because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command.(T) I wish that all of you were as I am.(U) But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Gen. 2:24
  2. 1 Corinthians 6:17 Or in the Spirit