Bible Verses About Continence

You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife.

Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

I say this as a concession, not as a command.

I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.

Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you free of commitment? Do not look for a wife.

But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;

However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married.

But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well.

So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,

older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.