1 Corinthians 7:1-9 ▼

1 Now for the matters you⁺ wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations \It is good for a man not to touch a woman./.

2 But because there is so much sexual immorality {porneias}, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

5 Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you⁺ may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan (the adversary) will not tempt you⁺ through your⁺ lack of self-control.

6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.

7 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God {Theou}; one has this gift, another has that.

8 Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

9 But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.