“Do not deprive one another
Except perhaps by agreement
For a set time,
To devote yourselves
To prayer.
But then come together again.
Satan may tempt you
Because you lack
Self-control.”
μὴ ἀποστερεῖτε ἀλλήλους, εἰ μήτι ἂν ἐκ συμφώνου πρὸς καιρὸν ἵνα σχολάσητε τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἦτε, ἵνα μὴ πειράζῃ ὑμᾶς ὁ Σατανᾶς διὰ τὴν ἀκρασίαν ὑμῶν.
Paul said that they should not deprive one another (μὴ ἀποστερεῖτε ἀλλήλους), except perhaps by agreement (εἰ μήτι ἂν ἐκ συμφώνου) for a set time (πρὸς καιρὸν), to devote themselves (ἵνα σχολάσητε) to prayer (τῇ προσευχῇ). But then come together again (καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἦτε). Thus, Satan (ὁ Σατανᾶς) may not tempt them (ἵνα μὴ πειράζῃ ὑμᾶς) because of their lack of self-control (διὰ τὴν ἀκρασίαν ὑμῶν). Only the Pauline letters used this word συμφώνου, that means calling out together, agreeing, or harmonious. Paul reminded the married Christians in Corinth that neither the husband or the wife should deprive each other of sexual relations. However, there was an exception. If they had an agreement to do so. They could deprive each other for a certain short period of time if they were devoting themselves to prayer, but they should come back together again. Paul warned them that the devil might tempt them because of a lack of self-control. A sharing of martial sex relations was a safeguard against infidelity. Thus, the devilish temptation to seek an illicit intimacy with someone else would be eliminated. Do you agree that marital sexual relations depend on the agreement between the married couple?
