“Have we not power to carry about a WOMAN, A SISTER, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?” 1 Corinthians 9:5 D-R Bible
“[5] “A woman, a sister”: Some erroneous translators have corrupted this text by rendering it, a sister, a wife: whereas, it is certain, St. Paul had no wife (chap. 7 ver. 7, 8) and that he only speaks of such devout women, as, according to the custom of the Jewish nation, waited upon the preachers of the gospel, and supplied them with necessaries.” - D-R Bible Commentary
Assuming for a moment Paul was speaking about a wife...
“...Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” 1 Corrinthians 9:12
So, y’all really think early Christians approved of church leaders being accompanied on sometimes long journeys by women who were not their wives or whose husbands were not present?
Really?
What about ideas like not giving unbelievers material to slander the way by gossip and muckraking?