1 Corinthians 7:4

4 The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband: in like manner also the husband has not authority over his own body, 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 on account of fornications, let each have his own wife, and each [woman] have her own husband.

3 Let the husband render her due to the wife, and in like manner the wife to the husband.

4 The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband: in like manner also the husband has not authority over his own body, but the wife.

5 Defraud not one another, unless, it may be, by consent for a time, that ye may devote yourselves to prayer, and again be together, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.

6 But this I say, as consenting [to], not as commanding [it].