Principles of Marriage
Paul responds to the claim that abstinence is good by saying that because of sexual immorality each man and woman should have a spouse and fulfill mutual marital obligations. Temporary abstinence may be practiced by agreement for prayer, but only for a time, and Paul frames this counsel alongside his own wish for wider singleness while recognizing that different gifts come from God.
N1ow for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations. 2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The 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. 5Do 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. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
To the unmarried and widows, Paul says it is good to remain as he is, but if they lack self-control they should marry. Marriage is not treated as failure, but as the fitting path where passion would otherwise master them.
8Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. 9But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Paul says the married should not separate, though if separation happens reconciliation or remaining unmarried is the proper course. He then addresses believers married to unbelievers, saying they should stay if the other is willing, since the household is set apart in some way by the believer's presence; but if the unbeliever departs, the believer is not bound, because God has called them to live in peace.
10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?