1 Corinthians 7:4

4 The wife is not in charge of her own body, but her husband is; likewise, the husband is not in charge of his own body, but his wife is.

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 Well, because of the danger of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
3 The husband should give his wife what she is entitled to in the marriage relationship, and the wife should do the same for her husband.
4 The wife is not in charge of her own body, but her husband is; likewise, the husband is not in charge of his own body, but his wife is.
5 Do not deprive each other, except for a limited time, by mutual agreement, and then only so as to have extra time for prayer; but afterwards, come together again. Otherwise, because of your lack of self-control, you may succumb to the Adversary's temptation.
6 I am giving you this as a suggestion, not as a command.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.