Adultery is one of the most destructive forces in human relationships, yet its consequences extend far beyond broken marriages.
It is a betrayal of trust, a violation of the sacred covenant between partners, and an offense against the very nature of God’s design for love and fidelity.
In a world where temptation and infidelity often seem normalized or trivialized, the Bible presents adultery as a serious matter that affects not only the individuals involved but also their communities and relationships with God.
The Scriptures challenge us to look deeper into the root causes of adultery, revealing the importance of purity, commitment, and the sanctity of the marital bond.
Understanding God’s perspective on adultery can transform our hearts, guiding us to live with integrity and respect in our relationships.
That said, let’s explore what the Bible says about adultery and how we can protect ourselves and our relationships from its destructive power.
Bible Verses About Adultery
1. Exodus 20:14 – The Seventh Commandment
“You shall not commit adultery.”
2. Leviticus 20:10 – The Punishment for Adultery
“If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife— with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.”
3. Proverbs 6:32 – The Foolishness of Adultery
“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
4. Matthew 5:27-28 – Adultery in the Heart
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
5. Hebrews 13:4 – The Sanctity of Marriage
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”
6. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – The Unrighteous and Adultery
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men will inherit the kingdom of God.”
7. Malachi 2:16 – God’s Hatred of Divorce and Adultery
“I hate divorce, says the Lord God of Israel, and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment, says the Lord Almighty. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not break faith.”
8. James 4:4 – Adultery as Spiritual Unfaithfulness
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
9. Proverbs 5:3-5 – The Consequences of Adultery
“For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.”
10. Matthew 19:9 – Adultery as a Reason for Divorce
“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
11. Romans 13:13 – Living Honorably
“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.”
12. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 – Living in Purity
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God.”
13. 2 Samuel 11:2-4 – David’s Adultery with Bathsheba
“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, ‘She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah.’ Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.”
14. 1 Corinthians 10:13 – No Temptation is Too Great
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
15. Galatians 5:19-21 – The Acts of the Flesh
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
16. 1 John 2:16 – The Temptation of the World
“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
17. Matthew 18:8-9 – Cutting Off Temptation
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire.”
18. Proverbs 7:25-27 – The Allure of Adultery
“Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.”
19. Matthew 5:31-32 – Divorce and Adultery
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
20. 2 Samuel 12:13 – David’s Repentance After Adultery
“Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.'”
21. 1 Corinthians 6:18 – Fleeing from Sexual Immorality
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”
22. Galatians 6:7-8 – Reaping What We Sow
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
23. Proverbs 6:32 – The Self-Destruction of Adultery
“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
24. Romans 7:2-3 – The Law and Adultery
“For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress.”
25. 1 Timothy 5:11-15 – Adultery Among Widows
“As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry and thus bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge.”
26. Proverbs 9:17-18 – The Deceptiveness of Adultery
“Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious! But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.”
27. Proverbs 5:8-10 – Avoiding Adultery
“Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel.”
28. 2 Samuel 11:4 – Bathsheba’s Adultery
“Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness. Then she went back home.”
29. 2 Peter 2:14 – Eyes Full of Adultery
“With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!”
30. Revelation 21:8 – The Final Judgment
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Our Thoughts On What The Bible Says About Adultery
Adultery is not only a betrayal of trust between spouses, but it is also a betrayal of the covenant with God.
The Bible consistently highlights the destructive nature of adultery, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness and purity in relationships.
It is clear that God values the sanctity of marriage and calls us to live in purity, both physically and spiritually.
Whether through direct commandments or warnings about the consequences of sin, Scripture teaches us that adultery is damaging—not only to the individuals involved but also to communities and our relationship with God.
However, the Bible also offers hope for redemption. It calls us to repentance and forgiveness, encouraging us to rebuild what has been broken.
The key to avoiding adultery lies in guarding our hearts, resisting temptation, and seeking God’s strength in our relationships.
Faithfulness is central to God’s design for marriage and relationships, and we must protect it.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your grace and faithfulness. I ask for Your strength to remain faithful in all my relationships, especially in my marriage.
Help me to guard my heart against temptation and to honor the vows I have made. I pray for forgiveness for any past wrongs and for the strength to rebuild trust where it has been broken.
Lead me to live a life of purity and faithfulness, and help me honor You in my actions and thoughts.
May my heart be wholly devoted to You, and may I live in a way that reflects Your love and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.