According to 1 Corinthians 7:3, what should the spouses render to each other?

• A. They should avoid all sexual relations.
• B. They should render mutual benevolence to each other.
• C. They should seek permission from church before intimacy.
• D. They should abstain from touching.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is the mutual obligation between spouses in marriage. In this verse, Paul emphasizes that intimacy and care are reciprocal duties: the husband should render to the wife what is due in love and conjugal life, and likewise the wife to the husband. That phrase “due benevolence” highlights a sense of obligation to meet one another’s physical and emotional needs within marriage. The emphasis is on reciprocity, not unilateral restraint or external approval. So the best understanding is that spouses are to give each other mutual benevolence, keeping the relationship healthy and avoiding situations where one partner withholds intimacy. The other options conflict with this reciprocal obligation, as they imply abstaining or seeking external permission rather than fulfilling the shared duty to one another.