What Does the Bible Say About Adultery?

by | Articles, The Ten Commandments

Introduction

Introduction: Adultery, a breach of marital fidelity, is unequivocally addressed in the Bible as a violation of God’s design for marriage. Scriptures provide profound insights into the gravity of adultery, its consequences on individuals and society, and the transformative power of repentance. This exploration delves into the biblical teachings regarding adultery, emphasizing the sanctity of marriage and the moral standards set by God.

The Seventh Commandment: The Ten Commandments explicitly condemn adultery:

  1. “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14 ESV) This definitive commandment establishes adultery as morally wrong in God’s eyes. The explicit prohibition of adultery makes clear that such extramarital sexual relations violate the divine standards for marriage as set out in the Ten Commandments. As part of God’s authoritative moral law, this unambiguous decree serves as an ethical foundation for marriage relationships.
  2. “And you shall not commit adultery.” (Deuteronomy 5:18 ESV) As Moses reiterates the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, he underscores that adultery stands unconditionally condemned. This secondary passage affirming the prohibition against adultery doubles down on the categorical biblical denouncement of marital unfaithfulness. Scripture leaves no question that adultery breaks faith with one’s spouse and falls short of God’s design for marriage.
  3. “He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness.” (Matthew 19:18 ESV) Here Jesus affirms the enduring validity of the commandment against adultery under the new covenant of grace. In response to the rich young ruler’s question about the commandments to follow, Jesus lists adultery among the unconditional moral laws that remain applicable. This New Testament reinforcement underscores that despite the grace brought by Christ, God’s standard upholding marital faithfulness remains timeless.
  4. “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” (Luke 18:20 ESV) Once again Jesus references the prohibition of adultery alongside other Ten Commandments, emphasizing its position as an authoritative moral law. As he engages the rich ruler on righteous living, Christ points back to the Decalogue’s prohibition of adultery as a virtue that endures from Old to New Testament. This affirms adultery’s place as a grave moral offense before God across both covenants.

Consequences of Adultery: The Bible elucidates the profound consequences of engaging in adultery, both in earthly and spiritual terms:

  1. “He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. Wounds and dishonor will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.” (Proverbs 6:32-33) This passage describes the personal suffering caused by adultery, including damage to one’s integrity and enduring disgrace. The verse emphasizes adultery’s devastating relational impact, as betrayal spreads wounds through entire families. Scripture highlights the life-destroying effects of adultery, which injure people profoundly in body, soul, and spirit.
  2. Numbers 5:11-31 (ESV): This lengthy passage details the “law of jealousy,” outlining a process of judgment and consequences for suspected adultery. The severe nature of the punishment reflects the gravity of adultery even under the old covenant. The meticulous ritual prescribed for determining guilt further highlights how seriously Scripture treats offenses against marital purity. God’s detailed attention to adultery emphasizes that while commonplace among humans, it remains far from acceptable in His eyes.
  3. John 8:3-11 (ESV): This account describes how Jesus intervened to protect the woman caught in adultery from condemnation under the law. However, his parting words to her to “sin no more” reinforce adultery as unacceptable. While Jesus shows mercy upon the adulterous woman, he does not compromise on the moral gravity of the sin itself. His grace offers her a new beginning, but his parting command indicates that to receive it, she must recognize adultery’s destructiveness and turn away from it completely.
  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.” (Hebrews 13:4 ESV) The writer of Hebrews underscores God’s judgment of those who violate and dishonor marriage through sexual immorality like adultery. He highlights the sanctity of marriage and its profound symbolism, emphatically warning that God Himself will judge those who defile it. This makes clear the spiritual dimension at stake, as adultery constitutes betrayal not just against a spouse but against God’s institution of marriage.

The Sanctity of Marriage: Scripture emphasizes the sanctity and exclusivity of the marital covenant:

  1. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 ESV) This foundational verse establishes the divine plan of marriage as an exclusive one-flesh union between husband and wife. It lays the groundwork for God’s model of human sexuality – that the marital covenant forms a new family entity distinct from one’s birth family. Adultery violates this, inserting a destructive third party into the one-flesh equation.
  2. Matthew 19:4-6 (ESV): Jesus points back to Genesis 2:24 as affirming God’s intent for marriage to be permanent and sexually exclusive from the beginning. Christ underscores that God designed marriage this way not as a human construct but as a divine institution meant to be honored. Therefore adultery remains incompatible with God’s created intent for marriage from inception.
  3. “Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” (1 Corinthians 6:16 ESV) The writer Paul contrasts sexual immorality with the marital union, underscoring the exclusive nature of the one-flesh bond. He highlights that the spiritual and physical union of sex makes a mockery of marriage when shared promiscuously rather than kept exclusive within the marital covenant.
  4. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” (Ephesians 5:31-32 ESV) Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, establishing marriage as a profound spiritual signpost reflecting Christ’s relationship with the church. Therefore adultery also desecrates a sacred metaphor pointing to the pure and eternal bond between Christ and believers.

Jesus’ Teaching on Adultery: Jesus reinforces the gravity of adultery and addresses the issue at the heart level:

  1. “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 5:27-28 ESV) Jesus expands the understanding of adultery beyond physical actions to include the thoughts and intentions of the heart. He unveils the root of all marital unfaithfulness as poisoned desires that fester secretly long before manifesting openly. Christ sets a high bar by emphasizing purity of heart and mind as vital for honoring marriage.
  2. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” (Matthew 15:19 ESV) Here Jesus identifies adultery as one of many sins that flow from an unregenerate heart. He highlights humanity’s core sin nature as the birthplace of sins like adultery, underscoring the need for heart transformation through salvation. This emphasis on sin’s root reveals adultery in an even more spiritually dangerous light.
  3. “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.” (Mark 10:11-12 ESV) Jesus establishes the act of remarrying after an unwarranted divorce as a form of adultery. Christ makes unambiguously clear that short of marital unfaithfulness there is no justification for divorcing one spouse to marry a different partner. He sees this as adultery against the original spouse, elevating faithfulness as essential.
  4. John 8:3-11 (ESV): Though Jesus declines to directly condemn the woman caught in adultery, his parting words to “go and sin no more” reinforce it as morally unacceptable behavior violating God’s standards. While Jesus extends grace here, his call to leave her lifestyle of sin shows he upholds adultery as out of step with God’s will. His compassion does not change adultery’s status as a grave marital offense.

Repentance and Restoration: While acknowledging the severity of adultery, the Bible also presents the possibility of repentance and restoration:

  1. “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV) This verse emphasizes the promise of forgiveness and restoration for those who repent of sins like adultery. It offers hope that through sincere prayer, humility and forsaking of sin, those who have fallen into adultery can find complete redemption.
  2. John 8:10-11 (ESV): Jesus’ words to the woman caught in adultery, “Has no one condemned you?… Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” reflect the possibility of a new beginning through God’s grace. Despite deserving judgment, Jesus shows her mercy, granting forgiveness and the chance to have her life’s slate wiped clean. His powerful grace hints that with repentance, even adulterers can hope for transformed hearts and lives.
  3. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV) This underscores that God will forgive any confessed sin, including adultery, as believers walk in repentance. For those who humbly acknowledge their adultery before God, openly rejecting it, 1 John reassures complete cleansing is still attainable. True repentance can overcome even this most painful of marital betrayals through God’s power.
  4. “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,” (Revelation 2:22 ESV) Though warning stern judgment on the adulterous, this verse concludes with “unless they repent of her works.” This indicates that adulterers who repent may still receive mercy and escape ultimate judgment from God. It preserves the possibility of hope despite dire warnings, even for those caught in the web of habitual adultery.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Bible categorically condemns adultery, recognizing its profound impact on individuals, families, and communities. The sanctity of marriage is upheld as a divine institution, and the consequences of adultery are underscored in both earthly and spiritual dimensions. Jesus’ teachings further emphasize the importance of purity in thoughts and intentions. While the gravity of adultery is evident, the scriptures also offer the hope of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration through God’s grace for those who walk in sincere repentance. Believers are called to honor the sacredness of marriage, uphold fidelity, and seek God’s guidance in cultivating healthy and faithful relationships.