Let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband.

Hey listeners, this is Nick from Scripture Central, and today's podcast addresses the question,

what did Paul really teach about marriage?

One of Paul's most misunderstood and misquoted teachings relates to his views on marriage.

His most extensive discourse on this subject is found in his first epistle to the Corinthians,

as he responded to their belief that it is good for man not to touch

a woman. Addressing multiple groups, Paul defended marriage as a covenantal relationship. First,

Paul addressed those who were married, directly answering their concern, Paul declared,

to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

In other words, marital intimacy is approved and helps avoid sin.

Although this is not clear in the King James Version, according to a more recent rendition of the text,

Paul reinforced this idea as follows.

Let the husband grant conjugal rights to his wife,

and likewise, the wife conjugal rights to her husband. A wife does not hold exclusive rights over her own body, her husband also has rights, neither does a husband hold exclusive rights

over his own body, His wife also has rights.

Do not deprive each other of intimate relations.

Paul only grants one concession to this rule, namely, if both the husband and wife decide to temporarily stop sexual relations,

so they may spend time in prayer.

Even though Paul would not normally agree that sexual relations should be suspended,

even for extended periods of prayer, as noted in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 5,

given these members' disposition, he was willing to meet them halfway.

Furthermore, Paul counseled those who were married to avoid divorce, stating that marriage

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