²But since there is so much sexual sin, each man should have his own wife. And each woman should have her own husband. ³A husband should satisfy his wife’s sexual needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband’s sexual needs.

⁴The wife’s body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife. ⁵You shouldn’t stop giving yourselves to each other except when you both agree to do so. And that should be only to give yourselves time to pray for a while. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can’t control yourselves.

⁶I say those things to you as my advice, not as a command. ⁷I wish all of you were like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift. Another has that.

⁸I speak to those who are not married. I also speak to widows. It is good for you to stay single like me. ⁹But if you can’t control yourselves, you should get married. It is better to get married than to burn with sexual longing.

¹⁰I give a command to those who are married. It is a direct command from the Lord, not from me. A wife must not leave her husband. ¹¹But if she does, she must not get married again. Or she can go back to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

¹²I also have something to say to everyone else. It is from me, not a direct command from the Lord. Suppose a brother has a wife who is not a believer. If she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³And suppose a woman has a husband who is not a believer. If he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

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