In today’s society, discussions about premarital sex can evoke various opinions and emotions. Yet, for us, the guidance provided by the Bible serves as a compass in navigating this aspect of relationships.
Through its verses, the Bible offers wisdom, boundaries, and insights into the sacredness of intimacy. Let’s explore some scriptures that illuminate the biblical perspective on premarital sex, inviting contemplation and understanding in a complex societal landscape.
Also Read: Bible Verses About War And Killing
Bible Verses About Premarital Sex
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.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of fleeing from sexual immorality. It highlights that engaging in premarital sex is a sin that not only affects one’s relationship with God, but also has consequences on a person’s own body.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.”
These verses emphasize that God desires our sanctification and calls us to abstain from sexual immorality. It reminds us that as Christians, we are called to live differently from those who do not know God, and that includes controlling our own bodies and living in holiness and honor.
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.”
This verse highlights the importance of honoring marriage and keeping the marriage bed undefiled. It reminds us that God will judge those who engage in sexual immorality or adultery, underscoring the seriousness of these actions.
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.”
This verse acknowledges the existence of sexual temptation and provides a solution – marriage. It affirms that the appropriate place for sexual intimacy is within the bounds of marriage.
Galatians 5:19
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality…”
This verse lists sexual immorality as one of the works of the flesh, highlighting that it goes against God’s design for sexual purity. It serves as a reminder to avoid indulging in sinful desires of the flesh.
Ephesians 5:3
“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.”
This verse gives a strong admonition to avoid any hint of sexual immorality. It reminds us that as God’s holy people, we are called to live in a way that is pleasing to Him, avoiding all forms of impurity and greed.
Colossians 3:5
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
This verse urges us to put to death the sinful desires of the flesh, including sexual immorality. It highlights that engaging in such behaviors is considered idolatry, as it puts our desires above the will of God.
Matthew 5:27-28
“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.”
These verses show that Jesus raises the standard of purity even beyond the physical act of adultery. He emphasizes that even lusting after someone in one’s heart is considered a sin. It reminds us of the importance of guarding our thoughts and desires.
Proverbs 6:32
“He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.”
This verse highlights the destructive consequences of adultery. It shows that engaging in sexual immorality not only goes against God’s commandments, but it also harms the individual who commits it.
1 Corinthians 10:8
“We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.”
This verse serves as a warning from the story of the Israelites in the wilderness. It reminds us of the severe consequences that can come from indulging in sexual immorality, as seen with the punishment that befell the Israelites.
Genesis 2:24
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
This verse establishes God’s design for marriage – that a man and a woman shall leave their families and become one flesh. It highlights the exclusivity and commitment that should exist within the bounds of marriage.
Proverbs 5:15-20
“Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.”
These verses provide a beautiful depiction of the joys and blessings of marital intimacy. It encourages husbands and wives to find satisfaction and delight in each other, emphasizing the exclusivity and intimacy of the marital relationship.
1 Corinthians 7:9
“But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”
This verse recognizes that not everyone has the gift of self-control when it comes to sexual desires. It suggests that marriage can be a solution for those who struggle with controlling their passions, as it provides a proper outlet for sexual intimacy.
Proverbs 6:25
“Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.”
This verse warns against the dangers of allowing lustful desires to take hold in one’s heart. It encourages us to guard our hearts and minds against temptation, recognizing that it can lead to sin.
Romans 13:14
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
This verse instructs us to clothe ourselves with Christ and not to make any provision or allowance for our fleshly desires. It reminds us that as Christians, we are called to live in a way that prioritizes our spiritual growth and transformation.
Proverbs 7:6-27
“For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness…”
This passage recounts a cautionary tale of a young man drawn into sexual temptation and ultimately falling into sin. It serves as a warning to be cautious and avoid situations that can lead to compromising one’s purity.
Matthew 5:32
“But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
This verse addresses the issue of divorce and remarriage, highlighting the seriousness of breaking the marital bond. It also acknowledges that sexual immorality can be a valid reason for divorce.
1 Corinthians 6:13
“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”
This verse reminds us that our bodies are not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord. It emphasizes the importance of honoring God with our bodies and living in a way that aligns with His design for sexual purity.
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.”
This passage warns against the allure of forbidden relationships and the consequences that come with them. It encourages us to be cautious of deceptive words and actions that can lead us astray.
1 Peter 2:11
“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”
This verse reminds us that as believers, we are called to live as sojourners and exiles in this world, abstaining from the passions of the flesh. It acknowledges the internal struggle we may face against sinful desires and encourages us to resist and overcome them.
1 Corinthians 7:1
“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.'”
This verse addresses the issue of sexual relations within the context of marriage. It acknowledges that there may be some who believe it is good to abstain from sexual relations, but the following verses provide guidance on the importance of mutual consent and meeting each other’s needs within the marital relationship.
Proverbs 9:13-18
“The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, ‘Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!’ And to him who lacks sense she says, ‘Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’ But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”
This passage paints a vivid picture of the allure of sexual immorality, personified as the woman Folly. It warns against falling into her trap, as the consequences can be severe and lead to destruction.
Proverbs 23:27-28
“For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the faithless among men.”
These verses highlight the dangers of involving oneself with prostitutes and adulteresses. They portray them as a trap, lying in wait to increase unfaithfulness and lead people astray.
1 Corinthians 6:15
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!”
This verse reminds us that our bodies are members of Christ, and therefore it is inappropriate to join them with prostitutes. It emphasizes the importance of keeping our bodies holy and set apart for honorable purposes.
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.”
These verses caution against getting involved with forbidden relationships and falling into the trap of adultery. They emphasize the destructive consequences that can come from such actions and urge us to seek deliverance from them.
What Does the Bible Say About Premarital Sex?
In the Bible, we are called to honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18-20) and to flee from sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). Premarital sex falls under the category of sexual immorality as it goes against God’s design for sex within the context of marriage (Hebrews 13:4).
The Bible teaches us that sex is a sacred and intimate act meant to be shared between a husband and a wife within the covenant of marriage (Genesis 2:24, 1 Corinthians 7:2-5). Engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage can lead to emotional, physical, and spiritual consequences. It can lead to the development of soul ties and can hinder the purity and intimacy that God desires for marriage.
As Christians, we are called to flee from temptation and to live lives that honor God in every aspect, including our sexuality. We are encouraged to pursue holiness and to abstain from any form of sexual immorality, including premarital sex (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).
While God offers forgiveness and redemption to those who have engaged in premarital sex, it is important for us to strive for purity and to seek God’s strength to resist temptation. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to glorify God in our bodies by honoring the sanctity of sex within marriage.