Principles for Marriage

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: (A)“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. (B)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. (C)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, (D)so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Now as a concession, (E)not a command, I say this.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 7:6 Or I say this:

Concerning Marriage

Now about what you asked: “Is it advisable for a man not to touch a woman inappropriately?”[a] Yes, and yet[b] because sexual immorality is so rampant,[c] every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband.

A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should do the same for her husband. A wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but his wife does. Do not withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so just for a set time, in order to devote yourselves to prayer.[d] Then you should come together again so that Satan does not tempt you through your lack of self-control. But I say this as a concession, not as a command.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 7:1 The Gk. lacks inappropriately
  2. 1 Corinthians 7:2 The Gk. lacks Yes, and yet
  3. 1 Corinthians 7:2 Lit. because of instances of sexual immorality
  4. 1 Corinthians 7:5 Other mss. read to fasting and prayer