1
Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2
Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
3
Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
4
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
5
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6
But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.
7
For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.
8
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;
9
but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.