What Does the Bible Say About Continence?

“And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.”

“And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.”

“I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”

“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:”

“And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.”

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:”

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

“For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. honestly: or, decently”

“Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.”

“Nevertheless , to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”

“Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.”

“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.”

“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.”

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

“For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.”

“I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.”

“But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”

“Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.”

“I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. distress: or, necessity”

“Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.”

“But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.”

“But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth , that both they that have wives be as though they had none;”

“But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age , and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.”

“Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.”

“So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.”

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”

“Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;”

“The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.”

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.”

“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. redeemed: Gr. bought”

“And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”