21 Bible Verses about Adultery

Adultery is a grave offense that has been condemned throughout history, and the Bible is no exception. It speaks unequivocally against adultery and considers it a betrayal of the sacred bond between husband and wife. One poignant story that illustrates the devastating impact of adultery is the account of King David and Bathsheba. David, who was known as a man after God's own heart, committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and the consequences of his actions were dire. Bathsheba became pregnant, and David attempted to cover up the affair by having Uriah killed in battle. This story is a stark reminder of the destructive nature of adultery and serves as a cautionary tale for all those who would consider straying from the path of righteousness. This article delves into various Bible verses about adultery and the crucial significance of fidelity in marriage.

Prohibitions against adultery

Exodus 20:14

"You shall not commit adultery."

Deuteronomy 5:18

"You shall not commit adultery."

Luke 18:20

"You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’”

Defining Adultery

Matthew 5:27-28

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Matthew 19:9

"And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

Mark 10:11-12

"And he said to them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.'"

Romans 13:9

"For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Adultery as a destructive sin

Proverbs 6:32

"But he who commits adultery has no sense; he who does it destroys himself."

Adultery as a spiritual problem

Matthew 15:19

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

James 4:4

"You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Consequences of adultery

Hebrews 13:4

"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."

James 2:10

"For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it."

Revelation 2:22

"Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,"

Punishment for adultery in the Old Testament

Leviticus 20:10

"If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death."

Warnings against adulterous and forbidden women

Job 24:15

"The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he veils his face."

Proverbs 2:16-19

"So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life."

Proverbs 5:3-5

"For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol;"

Flee from Sexual Immorality

1 Corinthians 6:18

"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body."

1 Corinthians 7:2

"But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband."

Proverbs 6:24-26

"To preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life."

Proverbs 7:25-26

"Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng."

A Prayer for Faithfulness in Marriage

Dear Lord,

I come to you today with a heavy heart, asking for your help and guidance as I seek to maintain faithfulness in my marriage. I know that marriage is a sacred covenant, and I am committed to honoring my vows and keeping my heart pure.

Please help me to resist the temptations of the world and the flesh, and to remain steadfast in my love and commitment to my spouse. Give me the strength to resist the allure of infidelity, and the wisdom to make good choices that will honor my marriage and my relationship with you.

Lord, I ask for your protection over my marriage, that it may be strong, healthy, and enduring. Please bless my spouse and me with a deep and abiding love for each other, and help us to always put each other's needs above our own.

I pray that you will fill our hearts with your love, and help us to be a shining example of faithfulness to others. May our marriage be a testimony to your grace and goodness, and may it bring glory to your name.

Thank you, Lord, for your unfailing love and your faithfulness. I trust in your guidance and your provision, and I pray that you will help me to be faithful in all things, especially in my marriage.

In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.