Infidelity is a serious issue, and the Bible is clear on its stance about faithfulness in marriage. Adultery is repeatedly condemned in scripture, and the role of a mistress is addressed through the lens of marital loyalty. Let’s see what the Bible teaches about mistresses and unfaithfulness.
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What Does The Bible Say About Mistresses
Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery.”
This verse serves as a reminder of God’s commandment against adultery. It emphasizes the importance of faithfulness and loyalty within marriage.
Committing adultery involves going outside the bounds of a committed relationship, breaking the trust between partners, and causing pain and betrayal. It is a sin that damages not only the individuals involved but also the sanctity of marriage.
Proverbs 6:32
“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
This verse highlights the consequences of adultery. It warns that those who engage in such behavior lack wisdom and understanding.
Committing adultery destroys not only relationships but also the person’s own well-being. It brings guilt, shame, and can lead to the breakdown of families and communities. This verse serves as a cautionary reminder of the destructive nature of adultery.
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.”
Jesus expands the understanding of adultery beyond its physical act to include the intentions and desires of the heart.
This verse teaches that even entertaining lustful thoughts or desires towards someone other than one’s spouse is considered adultery in God’s eyes. It emphasizes the importance of purity of heart and mind in maintaining faithfulness and integrity in relationships.
Proverbs 5:15-18
“Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.”
This passage encourages faithfulness and satisfaction within the marriage relationship. It uses the metaphor of water to represent marital intimacy and pleasure.
The verses urge individuals to find fulfillment and enjoyment in their own spouse and to resist the temptation of seeking pleasure elsewhere. It emphasizes the blessings that come from cherishing and rejoicing in the covenant relationship of marriage.
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 seriousness of sexual immorality, including adultery.
It encourages believers to actively run away from sexual temptation and avoid engaging in any form of sexual sin. It highlights the unique impact of sexual immorality on one’s own body, both physically and spiritually.
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 verse presents a cautionary warning against being enticed by the allure of an adulterous or wayward person.
It emphasizes the importance of wisdom and discernment in recognizing and avoiding individuals who are unfaithful and disregard their own commitments. It highlights the destructive consequences of being seduced by such individuals.
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 divorce and remarriage, specifically in the context of infidelity.
It teaches that divorce and subsequent remarriage, apart from the grounds of sexual immorality, constitutes adultery. The verse underscores the importance of faithfulness and upholding the sacredness of the marriage covenant.
Proverbs 7:21-23
“With persuasive words, she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.”
This passage illustrates the dangers of succumbing to seduction and temptation.
The verses describe a man who falls prey to the cunning and enticing words of an adulterous woman. It depicts the disastrous consequences that follow, highlighting the high cost and potential loss incurred by engaging in an extramarital affair.
Mark 10:11-12
“He answered, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
This verse clarifies that divorce and remarriage, outside the grounds of sexual immorality, are considered adultery in God’s sight.
It emphasizes the mutual responsibility of both husband and wife to remain faithful to one another and affirms the sanctity of the marriage covenant.
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 highlights the destructive nature of seeking intimacy with someone else’s spouse.
It portrays the seriousness of adultery by comparing it to a dangerous situation where one’s life is at risk. It warns against the allure of forbidden relationships and encourages individuals to honor the boundaries of marriage.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
“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.”
This verse calls believers to live in accordance with God’s will, specifically regarding sexual purity.
It emphasizes the importance of honoring God with our bodies and seeking to exercise self-control in the face of temptations. It contrasts the behavior of those who do not know God and are driven by passion, calling believers to a higher standard of holiness and honor in their relationships.
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 underscores the significance of honoring marriage and maintaining sexual purity within the marriage relationship.
It serves as a reminder that God will hold accountable those who engage in adultery or any form of sexual immorality. It calls believers to uphold the sanctity of marriage and to respect its boundaries.
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 passage exposes the deception and allure of secret pleasures.
It warns against the temporary satisfaction that comes from engaging in forbidden relationships or indulging in sinful acts. The verses reveal the hidden consequences and ultimate destruction that follow such behavior.
1 Corinthians 7:2
“But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.”
This verse addresses the importance of marital intimacy as a means of meeting one another’s sexual needs within the context of marriage.
It highlights the exclusivity of the marriage relationship and encourages couples to find fulfillment and satisfaction in each other, thereby avoiding the dangers of seeking pleasure elsewhere.
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 deceptive nature of those who engage in adultery.
It reveals the mindset and behavior of an adulterous person, who rationalizes and denies any wrongdoing. It serves as a reminder to be cautious of the lies and justifications that can accompany infidelity.
Matthew 5:32
“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.”
This verse emphasizes the consequences of divorce and remarriage, particularly in the absence of sexual immorality.
It acknowledges the pain and injustice caused to the innocent party in a divorce, equating the remarriage of either spouse to adultery. This verse encourages careful evaluation of commitments and the preservation of marital fidelity.
Proverbs 22:14
“The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.”
This verse depicts the dangers of being ensnared by an adulterous person and the consequences that follow.
It highlights the destructive power of seductive words and behaviors that can lead individuals down a destructive path. The verse serves as a warning against being drawn into relationships that violate God’s commands.
Malachi 2:14
“You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.”
This verse confronts the unfaithfulness and betrayal within a marriage relationship.
It reminds individuals of the sacredness of the marriage covenant and the accountability before God for the commitments made. The verse emphasizes the importance of faithfulness and the damaging effects of unfaithfulness within the marital bond.
1 Corinthians 10:8
“We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.”
This verse serves as a cautionary reminder of the consequences that can follow sexual immorality.
It refers to the incident in the Old Testament when many Israelites engaged in immorality and faced severe consequences. The verse underscores the importance of maintaining sexual purity and the potential dangers of disregarding God’s commands in this regard.
Proverbs 6:24-25
“Keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.”
This passage advises against being captivated by the beauty and allure of another person’s spouse.
It encourages individuals to guard their hearts against lustful thoughts and desires, recognizing the potential harm that can come from engaging in forbidden relationships. The verses urge believers to exercise self-control and avoid being swayed by seductive words or actions.
Proverbs 6:33
“A man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
This verse echoes the earlier sentiment that a person who engages in adultery lacks wisdom and understanding.
It emphasizes the destructive nature of such behavior and the consequences that can ultimately harm the individual involved. The verse serves as a deterrent against the temptation to commit 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 reiterates the importance of honoring marriage and maintaining sexual purity.
It serves as a reminder that God holds both adulterers and those engaged in sexual immorality accountable. The verse underscores the seriousness of the sin and calls believers to uphold the sanctity of marriage and to live according to God’s standards.
James 4:4
“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.”
This verse metaphorically refers to those who are unfaithful to God’s commands as “adulterous people.”
It highlights the conflict that arises when believers engage in worldly behavior and desires, acting in opposition to God’s will. The verse emphasizes the need for believers to pursue righteousness and avoid compromising their faith.