1 Corinthians 7:4

4 The woman hath not power of her body, but the husband; [also forsooth] and the husband hath not power of his body, but the woman [but the wife].

1 Corinthians 7:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 7:4

The wife hath not power of her own body
To refrain the use of it from her husband; or to prostitute it to another man:

but the husband;
he has the sole power over it, and may require when he pleases the use of it:

and likewise also the husband has not power over his own body:
to withhold due benevolence, or the conjugal debt from his wife; or abuse it by self-pollution, fornication, adultery, sodomy, or any acts of uncleanness: but the wife; she only has a power over it, a right to it, and may claim the use of it: this power over each other's bodies is not such, as that they may, by consent, either the husband allow the wife, or the wife the husband, to lie with another.

1 Corinthians 7:4 In-Context

2 But for fornication each man have his own wife, and each woman have her own husband.

3 The husband yield debt to the wife, and also the wife to the husband.

4 The woman hath not power of her body, but the husband; [also forsooth] and the husband hath not power of his body, but the woman [but the wife].

5 Do not ye defraud each to other [Do not defraud together], but peradventure of consent for a time, that ye give attention to prayer; and again turn again to the same thing, lest Satan tempt you for your uncontinence.

6 But I say this thing as giving leave, not by commandment. [+Forsooth I say this thing by indulgence, not after commandment.]