1 Corinthians 7 · Verse 5

1 Corinthians 7:5

Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
1 Corinthians 7:5, King James Version

1 Corinthians 7:5 in other translations

BSBDo 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.
WEBDon’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
ASVDefraud ye not one the other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.
YLTDefraud not one another, except by consent for a time, that ye may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that the Adversary may not tempt you because of your incontinence;
DARBYDefraud 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.
BBEDo not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control.
WebsterDefraud ye not one the other, except with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan may not tempt you for your incontinence.

What does 1 Corinthians 7:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. Defraud ... not--namely, of the conjugal duty "due" (1Co 7:3; compare the Septuagint, Ex 21:10). except it be--"unless perchance" [Alford]. give yourselves to--literally, "be at leisure for"; be free from interruptions for; namely, on some special "season," as the Greek for "time" means (compare Ex 19:15; Joe 2:16; Zec 7:3). fasting and prayer--The oldest manuscripts omit "fasting and"; an interpolation, evidently, of ascetics. come together--The oldest manuscripts read, "be together," namely, in the regular state of the married. Satan--who often thrusts in his temptations to unholy thoughts amidst the holiest exercises. for your incontinency--because of your inability to "contain" (1Co 7:9) your natural propensities, which Satan would take advantage of.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 5. Defraud ye not, etc. Of the right mentioned above. Withdraw not from the society of each other.

Except it be with consent. With a mutual understanding, that you may engage in the extraordinary duties of religion. Comp. Ex 19:15.

And come together again, etc. Even by mutual consent, the apostle would not have this separation to be perpetual; since it would expose them to many of the evils which the marriage relation was designed to avoid.

That Satan, etc. That Satan take not advantage of you, and throw you into temptation, and fill you with thoughts and passions which the marriage compact was designed to remedy.

(b) "with consent" Joel 2:16 (c) "Satan" 1Thes 3:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Defraud ye not one the other - What ye owe thus to each other never refuse paying, unless by mutual consent; and let that be only for a certain time, when prudence dictates the temporary separation, or when some extraordinary spiritual occasion may render it mutually agreeable, in order that ye may fast and pray, and derive the greatest possible benefit from these duties by being enabled to wait on the Lord without distraction. That Satan tempt you not for your incontinency - It is most evident that the separations permitted by the Apostle, for he enjoins none, are only for a season, on extraordinary occasions; and that the persons may come together again, lest Satan, taking advantage of their matrimonial abstinence, might tempt either party to illicit commerce. There are a multitude of rules prescribed in such cases by the rabbins, and indeed even by heathen writers; for this was a matter in which common sense could always judge; and under the direction of experience, heathens, as well as those favored with Divine revelation, could see what was proper in all such cases. Incontinence, εικρασια, want of strength to regulate one's desires or appetites; from α, negative, and κρατος, strength. It is remarkable that the apostle supposes that even this temporary continence might produce incontinence; and universal observation confirms the supposition.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:1-9

Chapter Outline The apostle answers several questions about marriage. (1-9) Married Christians should not seek to part from their unbelieving consorts. (10-16) Persons, in any fixed station, should usually abide in that. (17-24) It was most desirable, on account of the then perilous days, for people to sit loose to this world. (25-35) Great prudence be used in marriage; it should be only in the Lord. (36-40) Verses…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 →

1 Corinthians 7:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μὴmēNotG3361
ἀποστερεῖτεapostereitedo depriveG650
ἀλλήλουςallēlousone anotherG240
εἰeiifG1487
μήτιmētisurely evenG3385
ἂνanwhenG302
ἐκekbyG1537
συμφώνουsumphōnoumutual agreementG4859
πρὸςprosforG4314
καιρόν,kairona time,G2540
ἵναinathatG2443
σχολάσητεscholasēteyou may be devotedG4980
τῇtēa<the>G3588
νηστείᾳnēsteiato fastingsG3521
καὶkaiandG2532
τῇtēa<the>G3588
προσευχῇproseuchēato prayerG4335
καὶkaiandG2532
πάλινpalinagainG3825
ἐπὶepitogetherG1909
τὸtotheG3588
αὐτὸautosameG846
ἦτε,ētemay be,G1510
ἵναinaso thatG2443
μὴmēnotG3361
πειράζῃpeirazēmay temptG3985
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
ὁho<the>G3588
σατανᾶςsatanasSatanG4567
διὰdiathroughG1223
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἀκρασίανakrasianlack of self-controlG192
ὑμῶν.humōnof you.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 7:5

  • Exodus 19:15

    And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

  • Joel 2:16

    Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

  • Zechariah 12:12-14

    And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

  • 1 Samuel 21:4-5

    And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

  • Matthew 19:11

    But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

  • Matthew 4:10

    Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

  • 1 Thessalonians 3:5

    For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

  • Zechariah 7:3

    And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
except.
Ex 19:15; 1Sa 21:4,5; Joe 2:16; Zec 7:3; 12:12-14
that Satan.
Mt 19:11; 1Th 3:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 7:4

    The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:5

    Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:6

    But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 7

1 Corinthians 7:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No os defraudéis el uno al otro, á no ser por algún tiempo de mutuo consentimiento, para ocuparos en la oración: y volved á juntaros en uno, porque no os tiente Satanás á causa de vuestra incontinencia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ne vous privez pas l’un l’autre, à moins que ce ne soit d’un consentement mutuel, pour un temps, afin que vous vaquiez à la prière, et que vous vous trouviez de nouveau ensemble, afin que Satan ne vous tente pas à cause de votre incontinence.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Entziehet euch einander nicht, es sei denn etwa nach Übereinkunft eine Zeitlang, auf daß ihr zum Beten Muße habet; und kommet wieder zusammen, auf daß der Satan euch nicht versuche wegen eurer Unenthaltsamkeit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nolite fraudare invicem, nisi forte ex consensu ad tempus, ut vacetis orationi: et iterum revertimini in idipsum, ne tentet vos Satanas propter incontinentiam vestram.