1 Corinthians 7:1–11

1  But concerning the things of which ye have written to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman; 2  but on account of fornications, let each have his own wife, and each woman have her own husband. 3  Let the husband render her due to the wife, and in like manner the wife to the husband. 4  The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband: in like manner also the husband has not authority over his own body, but the wife. 5  Defraud not one another, unless, it may be, by consent for a time, that ye may devote yourselves to prayer, and again be together, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency. 6  But this I say, as consenting to, not as commanding it. 7  Now I wish all men to be even as myself: but every one has his own gift of God: one man thus, and another thus. 8  But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them that they remain even as I. 9  But if they have not control over themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.

10  But to the married I enjoin, not I, but the Lord, Let not wife be separated from husband; 11  (but if also she shall have been separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband;) and let not husband leave wife.