1 Corinthians 7:3 (KJV)

What does 1 Corinthians 7:3 mean?

1 Corinthians 7:3 describes sexual intimacy within marriage as a responsibility shared by husband and wife. Paul addresses each spouse in turn, placing the same expectation on both rather than treating intimacy as something owed by only one of them.

The KJV phrase “due benevolence” can sound like a general call to be kind. In this setting, Paul is speaking more specifically about marital intimacy, as the following verses make clear. He addresses the subject after referring to marriage in verse 2.

The Greek behind 1 Corinthians 7:3

• “render” — ἀποδίδωμι (apodidōmi): This word can mean to give or pay what is due. It presents the action as meeting an obligation, not merely offering a favor.
• “due” — ὀφείλω (opheilō): This word carries the sense of owing something. Together with “render,” it gives the KJV’s phrase “due benevolence” the sense of a marital obligation.

Why 1 Corinthians 7:3 matters

• The sentence gives the wife a place alongside the husband. Its second half mirrors the first: “likewise also the wife unto the husband.” Paul applies his instruction in both directions.
• The surrounding passage frames their sexual relationship in terms of mutual agreement. Verse 5 speaks of abstaining “with consent for a time” and then coming together again.
• Paul connects his advice to the concerns raised by his readers. Earlier in verse 1, he refers to “the things whereof ye wrote unto me,” placing his discussion of marriage within an answer to their questions.