The Bible addresses adultery, highlighting the importance of faithfulness. In some stories, Jesus demonstrates compassion and forgiveness toward those who have sinned, offering them a chance for redemption. This teaches us about mercy, showing that God’s love is available to everyone.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Waiting
What Does The Bible Say About An Adulterous Woman
Proverbs 6:32
“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
This verse highlights the lack of wisdom in committing adultery and the self-destructive nature of the act. It emphasizes that engaging in adultery not only harms others but also brings about personal ruin.
This verse serves as a warning against the tempting allure of adultery and encourages individuals to consider the consequences before giving in to such sinful desires.
Proverbs 7:4
“Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.””
This verse encourages seeking wisdom as a means to guard against the temptations of adultery. By personifying wisdom and insight as close relatives, it emphasizes the importance of treating them with familial loyalty and value.
By cultivating a close relationship with wisdom and insight, individuals become better equipped to resist the allure of adultery and make wise choices in relationships.
Matthew 5:28
“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
This verse expands the concept of adultery beyond physical actions to include the intent of the heart. It warns against the power of lustful thoughts and emphasizes the need for purity in both actions and desires.
By addressing the root cause of adultery, Jesus challenges individuals to guard their hearts and minds, recognizing that thoughts can be just as damaging and sinful as physical acts.
Proverbs 5:15
“Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.”
This metaphorical verse encourages faithfulness and commitment within the context of marriage. It symbolizes the importance of finding fulfillment and satisfaction within one’s own relationship rather than seeking it elsewhere.
By urging individuals to draw from their own “well,” this verse emphasizes the value of maintaining and nourishing the love and intimacy within their committed partnerships.
Proverbs 6:25
“Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.”
This verse warns against the dangers of succumbing to the seductive power of an adulterous woman’s allure. It recognizes the temptation that physical beauty can present and urges individuals to guard their hearts and minds against such temptations.
By acknowledging the captivating nature of beauty, this verse emphasizes the need for self-control and focus on what is pure and righteous.
Proverbs 7:27
“Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.”
This verse portrays the consequences of engaging in adultery as a path to destruction. It highlights the ultimate destination of such sinful actions and warns against the grave outcomes that they can lead to.
Through vivid imagery, this verse serves as a stark reminder of the moral and spiritual dangers associated with adultery.
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.”
This verse emphasizes the sanctity of marriage and the importance of keeping the marriage bed pure. It underscores the significance of faithfulness within the covenant of marriage and warns of divine judgment for those who engage in adultery or sexual immorality.
By recognizing the divine authority over matters of faithfulness and purity, this verse serves as a reminder of the moral responsibility individuals have within the context of marriage.
Proverbs 2:16-17
“Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.”
This passage underscores the role of wisdom in protecting individuals from the allure of an adulterous woman. It recognizes the seductive power of her words and actions, while also highlighting the betrayal inherent in breaking the marital covenant.
By exalting wisdom as a safeguard, this passage encourages individuals to rely on discernment and understanding to resist the temptations of adultery and remain faithful to their commitments.
Proverbs 9:17-18
“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.”
This verse highlights the temporary pleasure and deceptive allure of engaging in adultery. It exposes the illusion of enjoyment that can come from secretive and illicit relationships by contrasting it with the ultimate consequences of such actions.
By revealing the true nature of the adulterous path as leading to spiritual death, this verse serves as a warning against the fleeting satisfaction that can be found in sinful pursuits.
Matthew 19:9
“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
This verse addresses the issue of adultery within the context of divorce and remarriage. It establishes the principle that divorce and subsequent remarriage, except in cases of sexual immorality, constitute an act of adultery.
By highlighting the seriousness of these actions, Jesus reaffirms the sanctity and permanence of the marriage covenant.
Proverbs 30:20
“This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.'”
This verse exposes the deceitful nature of an adulterous woman, illustrating her lack of remorse for her actions. It depicts the casual attitude with which she indulges in her sinful desires, denying any wrongdoing.
By highlighting this characteristic, the verse serves as a cautionary reminder to beware of those who engage in adultery and the potential destructive influence they may have on others.
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.”
This verse emphasizes the urgency and importance of resisting sexual immorality. It recognizes the unique nature of sexual sin as directly affecting one’s own body and warns against its harmful consequences.
By calling for a decisive and immediate response of fleeing from sexual immorality, this verse underscores the need for self-discipline and the pursuit of purity.
Proverbs 2:18-19
“Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.”
This passage reinforces the destructive path that leads to death when one engages in adultery. It emphasizes the impossibility of finding true life or fulfillment on that path, highlighting the irreversible consequences of such actions.
By vividly depicting the tragic outcome of turning to an adulterous woman, this passage serves as a solemn warning against the alluring but deadly path of unfaithfulness.
Mark 7:21-22
“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.”
This verse places adultery within a broader list of sins that stem from the fallen human heart. It acknowledges the dark impulses and desires that can lead to immoral actions, including adultery.
By recognizing the root of such sins, Jesus invites individuals to seek heart transformation and rely on His grace to overcome the temptations that can lead to adultery.
Proverbs 23:27
“For a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.”
This verse draws a parallel between the dangers of engaging with a prostitute and the risks associated with a wayward wife. It highlights the potential harm and pitfalls that can arise from pursuing relationships outside the bounds of faithfulness.
By characterizing these relationships as deep pits and narrow wells, this verse serves as a caution against stepping onto treacherous ground that can lead to personal harm and devastation.
Proverbs 6:26
“For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.”
This verse contrasts the accessibility of a prostitute with the greater danger and consequences of engaging with another man’s wife. It highlights the moral implications and severity of betraying the trust within a marital relationship.
By comparing the value and impact of these different actions, the verse warns against the significant personal cost associated with adultery.
Matthew 19:18
“Jesus replied, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,'”
This verse includes Jesus’ response when asked about the commandments. By listing adultery as one of the prohibitions, Jesus reaffirms the importance of honoring marital commitments and the sanctity of faithful relationships.
By placing adultery alongside other moral commandments, this verse emphasizes that it is a serious transgression deserving of obedience.
Proverbs 5:3-4
“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.”
This passage characterizes the deceptive nature of an adulterous woman’s enticing words. It warns against the initial allure that may captivate, while revealing the ultimate bitterness and harm that follows.
By highlighting the stark contrast between the sweet facade and the destructive reality, this passage serves as a cautionary reminder of the consequences that await those who choose the path of adultery.
Matthew 15:19-20
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
This verse highlights that adultery, along with a range of other sins, originates from the heart of individuals. It stresses the importance of addressing the condition of the heart, recognizing that impurity in thoughts and desires can lead to sinful actions.
By focusing on the internal motivations and attitudes, Jesus emphasizes the need for repentance and transformation at the core of a person’s being.
Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery.”
This verse represents one of the Ten Commandments given by God to the Israelites. It serves as a clear and direct prohibition against engaging in adultery.
By establishing adultery as a moral boundary, this verse underscores the importance of fidelity in relationships and reflects God’s standard for faithfulness within the covenant of marriage.
2 Samuel 11:2-4
“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 the Hittite.’ Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.”
This passage recounts the infamous story of King David’s adultery with Bathsheba. It serves as a cautionary tale of the devastating consequences that can arise from succumbing to temptation and betraying the trust of others.
This passage reveals the depth of the moral failure David experienced and the devastating ripple effects that characterized this act of adultery.
Proverbs 6:24-26
“Keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,”
This passage highlights the importance of heeding parental guidance and instruction. It emphasizes the role of wisdom and guidance in steering individuals away from the dangers of adultery and leading them toward a path of life.
By characterizing these teachings as a lamp and a light, this passage underscores their illuminating effect on our choices and behaviors.
Proverbs 30:19
“the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.”
This verse uses vivid metaphors to depict the mysterious ways of romantic interactions between a man and a young woman. It recognizes the unique dynamics and challenges that can arise within such relationships, including the potential for temptation and the need for wise choices.
By comparing this relationship to the soaring eagle, the slippery snake, and the unpredictable ship, this verse captures the intricacies and complexities of romantic encounters.