26 Bible Verses about Adultery (With Commentary)

Adultery can strain relationships and challenge moral values. The Bible strongly forbids this act in the seventh commandment. This article will explore scriptures that address adultery, offering understanding and guidance for those affected by its consequences.

Find hope and clarity as we delve into these verses.

Prohibition of Adultery

Exodus 20:14

"You shall not commit adultery."

“Exodus 20:14 tells us, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ This rule is part of God’s Ten Commandments. It means when a person who is married has a romantic or sexual relationship with someone who is not their spouse, they are doing something very wrong.

This command helps protect the special promise between married people.

God wants everyone to be loyal and true in marriage. Breaking this trust hurts families and makes God sad. Living by this command can keep love strong at home.”.

Leviticus 18:20

"Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her."

Leviticus 18:20 teaches that a person should not have sexual relations with another man’s wife. This law helps to keep marriage special. It says if someone breaks this rule, they are doing wrong.

The Bible lists many rules about not hurting others and staying true to your partner. Leviticus 18:20 is one of these important rules in the Old Testament. It makes clear that betraying trust by being unfaithful is bad.

The verse calls people to respect the bond between husband and wife.

Deuteronomy 5:18

"You shall not commit adultery."

Deuteronomy 5:18 clearly says, “You shall not commit adultery.” This powerful line is part of the Ten Commandments. It teaches us to be true to our partners and honors marriage as special.

When people break this rule, they also hurt their bond with God. Back in Bible times, adultery was seen as one of the worst sins you could do. Now, this teaching helps us understand how important trust and faithfulness are in relationships.

Matthew 5:27

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'"

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.'” This is in Matthew 5:27. He tells us that even thinking about cheating on your wife or husband is just as bad as doing it.

Jesus cares about our hearts and minds, not just what we do outside. He teaches us to honor marriage and stay true. If you think wrong things, it’s like breaking a promise to your partner.

We must keep our thoughts clean to show love and respect in our marriages.

Warnings Against Adultery

Proverbs 6:24-29

"To keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. For the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished."

Proverbs 6:24-29 warns that adultery can ruin your life. It tells you to use wisdom and listen to good teaching so you don’t cheat on your spouse. Cheating burns your soul just like fire burns your skin.

Just as someone who touches hot coals gets burned, anyone who sleeps with another person’s spouse will get hurt. The verses teach us to stay away from cheating and be true to the one we married.

They show us how dangerous it is to do something so wrong.

Proverbs 6:32

"But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself."

A person who cheats in marriage does a very foolish thing. They hurt themselves deeply and show they don’t understand right from wrong. This bad choice can lead to scars, a bad name, and deep shame.

It’s like throwing away the good parts of your life for something that hurts you in the end.

1 Corinthians 6:18

"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body."

Stay away from sexual sin. That is what 1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us. This part of the Bible, written by Paul, says to run from things like adultery. It teaches that our bodies are important and we honor God when we use them in good ways.

We must try hard to keep pure and do right.

This verse warns us about the dangers of doing wrong with our bodies. Paul wants all who believe in Jesus to live clean lives that make God happy. He reminds us to avoid bad choices and stay true to what is good and holy.

James 4:17

"If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them."

James 4:17 teaches us that knowing the good we ought to do and not doing it is a sin. This helps us see how important our actions are in God’s eyes. It tells us to choose what is right over wrong desires.

If we ignore doing good, it’s just as bad as choosing to do wrong.

This verse also reminds us to be loyal to God instead of following what the world wants. We need to turn away from bad choices and live closer to God. Choosing His way shows our love and respect for Him.

Consequences of Adultery

Proverbs 6:33

"Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away."

Someone who cheats in marriage will get hurt and shamed. Their wrong choice brings pain and a bad name that is hard to get rid of. The Bible teaches us that this kind of mistake harms not just the body but the heart too.

It takes away honor from a person and leaves deep scars that can last a long time.

Jeremiah 13:27

"Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution! I have seen your detestable acts on the hills and in the fields. Woe to you, Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?"

Jeremiah 13:27 is tough on those who cheat on God. It says that Judah did bad things, loving idols and acting in dirty ways. Jeremiah tells them they will face hard times because of this.

This verse shows us how serious it is to be faithful to God and not follow wrong paths. If we mess up, we must turn back to God fast.

The Bible puts adultery as a very bad sin, with harsh punishment for the guilty ones. In Jeremiah’s time, he saw the people loving false gods and acting wrongly in Jerusalem. He knew this would bring sadness and trouble to them.

We learn from his words that staying true in our hearts matters a lot to God.

Hebrews 13:4

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."

Hebrews 13:4 teaches us that marriage is honorable and the bed should be pure. It tells us God will judge if someone does wrong in their marriage by being unfaithful or having sex outside of it.

This verse helps people understand how important it is to stay true to your spouse and keep your marriage special. It’s a strong reminder that what we do in our private lives matters to God, and he wants us to make good choices that honor our marriages.

2 Samuel 11:4-5

"Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanliness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, 'I am pregnant.'"

King David saw Bathsheba and wanted her, even though she was married to Uriah. He slept with her, and she became pregnant. This was a big mistake and against God’s law. David tried to hide what he did by tricking Uriah, but it didn’t work.

His actions caused a lot of hurt for many people. The story in 2 Samuel shows us that bad choices can lead to serious trouble.

Adultery of the Heart

Matthew 5:28

"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

In Matthew 5:28, Jesus talks about how bad it is to look at someone with lust. He says that if you do this, it’s like you’re already cheating in your heart. It’s not just the things we do that can be wrong; even our thoughts and feelings matter too.

We have to keep our hearts and minds clean, not just what we show on the outside.

This verse tells us to be careful and stay away from thinking about others in a way we shouldn’t. Even when no one else knows what we’re thinking, it’s important to be pure inside too.

This part of the Bible helps us understand that doing right means more than just following rules – it’s also about loving others by respecting them in our hearts.

Matthew 15:19

"For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander."

Matthew 15:19 tells us that our hearts can create bad things like evil thoughts and murder. It also says the heart is where acts of adultery start, along with other wrong sexual actions, stealing, lies, and mean words.

This verse shows us that not just actions, but also what we think and feel inside can be wrong. Jesus is teaching us to keep our hearts clean because that’s where all our actions begin.

Mark 7:21

"For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,"

Mark 7:21 tells us that bad things like cheating, stealing, and lying start in our hearts. It says that not just doing something wrong, but even wanting to do it, is bad. This verse teaches us to keep our hearts clean from evil thoughts and desires.

We must watch what we think because it can lead to doing wrong things.

This part of the Bible makes us think about what’s inside us. It tells us we need God’s help to change our hearts so we don’t do bad things. Keeping our heart in the right place helps us live a good life that makes God happy.

Repentance and Forgiveness

John 8:11

"She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”"

Jesus met a woman who had done wrong. The leaders wanted to trap Jesus by using her mistake. They asked if she should be punished for adultery. But Jesus said, “Let the person who has never sinned throw the first stone.” One by one, they all left.

It was just Jesus and the woman. He did not scold her. Instead, he told her, “I do not condemn you either. Go and do not sin again.” This shows that even when we mess up, we can start fresh.

1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

1 John 1:9 tells us that if we say sorry for our sins, God is faithful and will forgive us. He will also clean away all of the bad things we have done. This verse gives hope to those who feel bad about doing wrong, like committing adultery.

It teaches that anyone can start fresh if they are honest about their mistakes.

This message in the Bible helps people understand how important it is to ask for forgiveness. It shows that God wants to help us be better and live right. The verse is a key part of Christian belief in getting right with God and leaving sin behind.

Psalm 51:1-4

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge."

Psalm 51:1-4 shows us King David’s heart. He messed up big time. He took another man’s wife and even had that man killed. When the prophet Nathan told him he was wrong, David felt terrible.

He wrote this psalm to tell God he was sorry.

In these verses, David asks God to be kind and wipe away his big mistakes. He knows only God can clean his heart. David doesn’t try to hide what he did; instead, he tells God every part of the truth about how bad it was.

This teaches us that when we do something really wrong, being honest with God is the first step to fixing our hearts.

Ezekiel 18:30-31

"Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?"

Ezekiel 18:30-31 tells us God wants people to turn from doing bad things. He says we must stop all our sins, so they don’t bring us down. We should throw away all the wrong we’ve done and start fresh.

This way, we live and do not die.

The verses teach about taking charge of what we do. They say everyone gets judged for their own actions. If you change your ways and follow good paths, God will see this as choosing life over death.

It’s a call to leave behind bad acts like adultery and seek a new heart and spirit.

God’s View on Adultery

Malachi 2:16

"The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful."

Malachi 2:16 tells us that God hates divorce. It is seen as a cruel act, especially towards women. The verse talks to people who are unfaithful and warns them about the hurt they cause when marriages break.

This message reminds everyone how important it is to stay true in marriage.

The words from Malachi have a big impact on how we think about marriage and faithfulness. They teach us that being loyal to your spouse keeps families strong. And if someone breaks this trust, it can lead to pain and broken homes.

So, it’s clear that staying faithful matters a lot to God.

Job 31:11

"For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged."

Job 31:11 makes it clear that adultery is a really bad thing to do. It’s like breaking the rules in a big way. Job didn’t even start to go down that wrong path because he knew how important it was to stay on the straight and narrow.

He understood this sin would bring much trouble, so he stayed far away from it. His choice shows us all how we should try hard to do what’s right and avoid doing things that can hurt others or ourselves.

Hosea 4:2

"There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed."

Hosea 4:2 tells us that people were doing bad things like swearing, lying, and killing. They also stole and hurt each other a lot. This verse shows us that the land was full of sin because they had forgotten God’s ways.

This message in Hosea is a strong warning to everyone. It tells us not to turn away from God or do wrong things like adultery. If we ignore God, bad stuff will happen, just like it did back then.

Jeremiah 5:7

"Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes."

Jeremiah 5:7 talks about a big mistake. People were not just cheating on their partners; they cheated on God too. They acted like loving other gods was okay, but it really hurt God’s heart.

Even with all the good things God gave them, they ran to worship statues and false gods. This shows us how serious it is to stay true in our hearts—not just in what we do, but also in who or what we give our love and trust to.

Restoration and Healing

Hosea 3:1

"The Lord said to me, 'Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.'"

In Hosea 3:1, God tells a man named Hosea to love his wife again, even though she was not faithful. This story is about taking back someone who did wrong. It shows us that God loves people very much and forgives them, just like Hosea did with his wife.

The Bible uses this tale to teach us about second chances and how important it is to forgive those who hurt us. We learn from Hosea’s actions that love can heal broken relationships and bring people together again.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11

"To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife."

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 that once you are married, you should stay together. A husband should not leave his wife, and a wife should not leave her husband. If they do separate, they must either stay single or make up with each other.

This teaches us to keep the marriage strong and avoid doing wrong things like adultery. It’s important because it helps us follow God’s rules about love and family.

Revelation 2:22

"So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways."

Revelation 2:22 sends a strong message about the seriousness of adultery. It tells us that those who cheat in marriage will face hard times unless they change their ways. This verse talks about a woman who did not stop her wrong acts, even after she had the chance to make things right.

Because of this, she will suffer with sickness.

God makes it clear that He does not take adultery lightly. Both the woman and those with her will have tough struggles if they do not say sorry for what they have done. This part of the Bible reminds us how important it is to stay true and honest in our relationships.

Conclusion

The Bible tells us that adultery is wrong. It hurts people and breaks trust. But if we make mistakes, there’s hope for a fresh start. We can ask for forgiveness and work to heal broken relationships.

Love and faithfulness matter most in keeping our promises to each other.

FAQs

1. What does the Bible say about adultery?

The Bible says that people should not commit acts of adultery, considering it a serious sin. Verses like “Thou shalt not commit adultery” from the Old Testament law and teachings in the New Testament explain this.

2. Are there any verses in Matthew about adultery?

Yes, in Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus talks about adultery. He says even looking at someone with desire is like committing adultery in your heart.

3. Will adulterers be forgiven according to the Bible?

In Christian belief, God offers forgiveness for all sins through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ’s message of salvation presented in the Gospel.

4. Can you still go to heaven if you’ve committed adultery?

Christians believe that by turning away from past sins and embracing faith, as outlined by St. Matthew and other apostles, one can receive grace leading to eternal life.

5. Does the Bible only address physical acts of cheating as adultery?

No, it also covers thoughts or desires that lead to sexual immorality or covetousness which are seen as forms of moral wrongdoing akin to physical acts.

6. Why is marriage so important when discussing adultery in Scripture?

Marriage is viewed as a holy covenant where moral conduct towards each another matters greatly; breaking this bond through actions like committing adultery goes against Biblical teachings on sanctification and love for your neighbor.