Is sex intended only for procreation or can married couples have sex just for pleasure?

from the old testament

• God designed sex to be enjoyed and experienced within the context of marriage (Genesis 2:24; Exodus 20:14).
• Nowhere does the Bible prohibit sex for pleasure. In fact, the Song of Solomon clearly describes sex as a joyful and passionate expression of love (Song of Solomon 1:2; 4:10; 7:6–9).

from the new testament

• The Bible is clear that God designed people to have sex only within the context of marriage (Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 7:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5).
• Sex outside of marriage is wrong, whether it is for pleasure or any other purpose (1 Corinthians 6:18).
• Individuals who seek sex merely for physical pleasure—even within a marriage—are not exemplifying the spirit of mutual submission God intended (1 Corinthians 7:3—5). Sex should be a part of and a result of a loving marriage relationship, not merely a physical release.

implications for today

As a Christian, it’s important to see sex not just as a means of reproduction but as a sacred and joyful gift from God that strengthens the bond between husband and wife. If we only see sex as functional, we miss the deeper intimacy God intended—emotional, spiritual, and physical oneness. God created pleasure as part of the marital relationship, and when we enjoy one another in purity and selflessness, we’re honoring His design.

At the same time, we must be careful that pleasure doesn’t become the primary goal or a source of manipulation. The Bible reminds us to approach sex with mutual care and consideration, not as a demand or escape, but as an act of love that reflects God’s heart for unity.

The origin of the church's stance against sex for pleasure is a bit convoluted and not well documented until the sixteenth century. The Council of Trent (1546) declared that amor concupiscentiae, or sensual longing (i.e.: lust), was not sin in and of itself but did have the potential to lead to sin. Eventually, the Catholic Church formally decided that sex for the sole purpose of pleasure was not appropriate – not necessarily because of the birth control issue, although they insist that every sexual encounter must be open to the possibility of pregnancy, but because the sex act is a worshipful expression of the love, self-sacrifice, and union of the marriage relationship.

This is deeper and richer than sex for pleasure, and it is certainly biblical to appreciate sex as a physical manifestation of God's statement that "they [the husband and wife] shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). This point of view is also supported by 1 Corinthians 7:3-5. But when the topic of "sex for pleasure" is broached in modern times, it is usually within the context of birth control, and here the Bible has little to say. As has been explained in other articles, the Bible is not against the judicious use of birth control. In addition, nowhere does the Bible state that a physically infertile couple must not have sex. In that way, it is perfectly allowable for a couple to have sex for reasons other than the attempt to have a child.