The term celibacy (Lat. caelebs, "unmarried") refers to the unmarried state and is generally used of persons who abstain from marriage to fulfill a divine calling for religious purposes. God calls certain individuals to a celibate life as exemplified in Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, and the apostle Paul. However, the divine design is generally for individuals to become married (Genesis 2:18-25, especially v. 19; 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12; 5:14; Tit 1:6; Hebrews 13:4; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:5). The celibate state should not be considered an essentially higher spiritual level than the calling to marriage (1 Corinthians 7:9, 28, 36, 38; Hebrews 13:4). The rule of celibacy began to be imposed on the Roman Catholic clergy in the fourth century, but the leading Reformers such as Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli reflected the rule as contrary to Scripture.

This topic is from the Lockman Foundation.