The interpretation of 1 Cor. 7 in terms of an ideal of sexual asceticism has been widely critiqued and fallen out of favor. The majority of scholars explain Paul's preference for celibacy in terms of its expedience (1) for serving the Lord (cf. 7.32-35) and (2) for avoiding 'affliction in earthly life' (cf. 7.28). Against the latter reason to prefer celibacy, this article argues that Paul associates procreation, not marriage, with affliction, and that he warns those who marry in order to procreate to expect affliction in the last days. Marriage and sex are (now) simply to avoid 'burning' with sexual desire, leading to sexual immorality, not for having children. In support, Paul abandons the traditional obligation of procreation and procreative sex and permits sexual abstinence 'by agreement, for a period [fit for something] in order to devote yourselves to prayer' (7.5b). The unstated purpose here is to spare the Corinthians affliction as a result of having children in the coming days, as expected in some apocalyptic texts which also refer to the use of birth control and family planning to avoid suffering and death.