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.
Don't withhold intimacy from each other, unless you both agree to take a break for fasting and prayer. But don't stay apart too long, come back together so Satan can't use your natural desires against you.
Marriage means being there for each other physically and spiritually, balance is everything.
📚 Historical Context
In the first century AD, the city of Corinth was a major port known for its rampant immorality and diverse pagan influences, which posed challenges for the early Christian church there. Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians to address specific questions and problems they were facing, including matters of marriage and sexual conduct. In this verse, Paul is specifically advising married couples on the importance of mutual consent in abstaining from sexual relations temporarily for spiritual purposes like fasting and prayer, to prevent vulnerability to temptation.
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