Principles of Marriage

7 Now in response to the matters you wrote m about: “It is good for a man not to have relations with n a woman.” o 2 But because sexual immorality is so common, p q each man should have his own wife, r and each woman should have her own husband. 3 A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility s to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. 4 A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. 5 Do not deprive t one another sexually—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to u prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say the following v as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift w from God, one person in this way and another in that way.

A Word to the Unmarried

8 I say to the unmarried and to widows: x It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control, y they should marry, for it is better to marry z than to burn with desire.

About Married People

10 I command the married a—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave b her husband. 11 But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to leave his wife. c 12 But I (not the Lord) d say to the rest: If any brother e has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her. 13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is set apart for God f by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart for God by the husband. g Otherwise your children would be corrupt, but now they are set apart for God. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you h to live in peace. 16 For you, wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Or you, husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?