⁴ that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a](A) in a way that is holy and honorable,

⁹ But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,^(A) for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,^(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

⁷ Husbands,^(A) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

⁴ Marriage should be honored by all,^(A) and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.^(B)

¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?^(A) Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

² But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality.^(A) All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.^{(B) 19} Do you not know that your bodies are temples^(C) of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;^{(D) 20} you were bought at a price.^(E) Therefore honor God with your bodies.^(F)

²¹ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?^(A)

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience^(B) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?^{(C) 23} What if he did this to make the riches of his glory^(D) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory^(E)—

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life^(A) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness^(B) leading to holiness.