1 Corinthians 7:1–9

Principles for Marriage

7Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ^t“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” ²But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. ^3uThe husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴For 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. ^5vDo not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, ^wso that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

⁶Now as a concession, ^xnot a command, I say this.^{1 7y}I wish that all were ^zas I myself am. But ^aeach has his own gift from God, ^bone of one kind and one of another.

⁸To the unmarried and the widows I say that ^cit is good for them to remain single, ^das I am. ⁹But if they cannot exercise self-control, ^ethey should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.