27 Bible Verses about Adultery

Most Relevant Verses

Job 31:11

For that is a heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

Job 31:12

For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

Job 24:15

The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me. And he disguises his face.

Proverbs 6:32

He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who would destroy his own soul does it.

Ezekiel 18:11

and who does not do any of those [duties], but has even eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,

Ezekiel 18:6

And has not eaten upon the mountains, nor has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor has defiled his neighbor's wife, nor has come near to a woman in her impurity,

Ezekiel 18:15

who has not eaten upon the mountains, nor has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor's wife,

Deuteronomy 22:23-25

If there be a damsel who is a virgin betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city, and lays with her, then ye shall bring them both out to the gate of that city. And ye shall stone them to death with stones, the damsel, because she did not cry out, being in the city, and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor's wife. So thou But if the man finds the damsel who is betrothed in the field, and the man forces her, and lays with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die,

Leviticus 19:20

And whoever lays carnally with a woman, who is a bondmaid, betrothed to a husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her, they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

Numbers 5:12-14

Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, If any man's wife goes aside, and commits a trespass against him, and a man lays with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, and she is not taken in the act, and the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled, or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she is not defiled,

From Thematic Bible


Abomination » Things that are, to God » Adultery

Adultery » A type of the apostate church when disobedient » Characterized as an adulteress

Judges 2:17

And yet they did not hearken to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of LORD.

Judges 8:27

And Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

1 Chronicles 5:25

And they trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them.

Psalm 106:39

Thus they were defiled with their works, and played the harlot in their doings.

Ezekiel 6:9

And those of you who escape shall remember me among the nations where they shall be carried captive, how I have broken with their lewd heart, which has departed from me, and with they eyes, which play the harlot after their idols.

Adultery » Adulterers and adulteresses

Proverbs 6:24-34

to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the stranger's tongue. Do not lust after her beauty in thy heart, nor let her take thee with her eyelids. For the price of a harlot is as much as a piece of bread, but the adulteress hunts for the precious life. read more.
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be scorched? So [is] he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her shall not be unpunished. Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry. Yet if he is found, he shall restore sevenfold. He shall give all the substance of his house. He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who would destroy his own soul does it. Wounds and dishonor he shall get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is a man's fury, and he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

Proverbs 30:18-20

There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden. So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no iniquity.

John 8:3-5

And the scholars and the Pharisees bring to him a woman taken in adultery. And having stood her in the midst, tempting, they say to him, Teacher, we found this woman committing adultery, in the act. Now in the law, Moses commanded us such women are to be stoned. What therefore do thou say about her?

Adultery » General references to

Job 24:15

The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me. And he disguises his face.

Adultery » Not committing adultery

Matthew 19:18

He says to him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shall not murder. Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not testify falsely.

Romans 13:8-9

Owe no man anything except to love each other, for he who loves the other has fulfilled law. For this, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not murder, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not testify falsely, Thou shall not covet, and if there be any other commandment it is summarized in this saying, in, Thou shall love

More verses: James 2:11

Adultery » Who commits adultery

Matthew 5:31-32

And it was said, Whoever may divorce his wife, let him give her a divorce certificate. But I say to you, that whoever may divorce his wife apart from a matter of fornication, disposes her to commit adultery, and whoever may marry her who has been divorced commits adultery.

Mark 10:11-12

And he says to them, Whoever may divorce his wife, and will marry another, commits adultery against her. And if a woman should divorce her husband, and will be married to another, she commits adultery.

Luke 16:18

Every man who divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery, and every man who marries her who has been divorced from a husband commits adultery.

Romans 7:1-3

Or are ye ignorant, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over the man for as long a time as he lives? For the woman under authority to the living husband has been bound by law, but if the husband should die, she has been released from the law of the husband. So then, of the living husband, she will be called an adulteress if she becomes to another man, but if the husband should die, she is free from the law, for her not to be an adulteress having become to another man.

Adultery » Instances of » israelites

Exodus 32:6

And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings. And the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to revel.

Exodus 32:25

And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies,)

Jeremiah 29:23

because they have wrought folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I did not command them. And I am he who knows, and am witness, says LORD.

Ezekiel 22:9-11

Slanderous men have been in thee to shed blood, and in thee they have eaten upon the mountains. In the midst of thee they have committed lewdness. In thee have they uncovered their fathers' nakedness. In thee have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity. And one has committed abomination with his neighbor's wife, and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law, and another in thee has humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

Ezekiel 33:26

Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every man his neighbor's wife. And shall ye possess the land?

More verses: Hosea 7:4

Adultery » Instances of » Herod

Matthew 14:3-4

For Herod having arrested John, bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. For John said to him, It is not permitted for thee to have her.

Mark 6:17-18

For Herod himself having sent forth, he arrested John, and bound him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he married her. For John said to Herod, It is not permitted for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Luke 3:19

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him about Herodias his brother's wife, and about all of which evil things Herod had done,

Adultery » Figurative

Ezekiel 16:15-16

But thou trusted in thy beauty, and played the harlot because of thy renown, and poured out thy whoredoms on everyone who passed by; his it was. And thou took of thy garments, and made high places for thee, decked with various colors, and played the harlot upon them, [things which] should not come, nor should it be.

Adultery » Forgiveness of. Instances of

Judges 19:1-4

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah. And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-judah, and was there the space of four months. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father's house, and when the father of the damsel saw him, he read more.
And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days. So they ate and drank, and lodged there.

John 8:10-11

And Jesus, after standing erect, and having seen no man but the woman, he said to her, Woman, where are those accusers of thee? Did no man condemn thee? And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee. Go, and henceforth sin no more.

Adultery » Instances of » Heathen

Ephesians 4:17-19

This I say therefore, and solemnly declare in Lord, for you to walk no longer as also the other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the callousness of their heart. Who, having become callous, gave themselves over to licentiousness for the work of all uncleanness in greed.

Adultery » Who commits adultery in their heart

Adultery » Who does not commit adultery

Romans 7:2-3

For the woman under authority to the living husband has been bound by law, but if the husband should die, she has been released from the law of the husband. So then, of the living husband, she will be called an adulteress if she becomes to another man, but if the husband should die, she is free from the law, for her not to be an adulteress having become to another man.

Adultery » Instances of » The samaritan woman

John 4:17-18

The woman answered and said to him, I have no husband. Jesus says to her, Thou said correctly, I have no husband. For thou have had five husbands, and he whom thou now have is not thy husband. This thou have said true.

Adultery » Instances of » The gibeahites

Judges 19:22-25

As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door. And they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man who ca And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brothers, I pray you, do not so wickedly, seeing that this man has come into my house. Do not this folly. Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine. I will bring them out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seems good to you, but to this man do not any such folly. read more.
But the men would not hearken to him. So the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth to them. And they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning, and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

Adultery » Instances of » Amnon

2 Samuel 13:1-20

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so frustrated that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very sly man. read more.
And he said to him, Why, O son of the king, are thou emaciated this way from day to day? Will thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. And Jonadab said to him, Lay down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick. And when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may se So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and make food for him. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. And she took the pan, and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have all men out from me. And they went out every man from him. And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lay with me, my sister. And she answered him, No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do thou this folly. And I, where shall I carry my shame? And as for thee, thou will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee. However he would not hearken to her voice, but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone. And she said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that thou did to me. But he would not hearken to her. Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, Put this woman out from me now, and bolt the door after her. And she had a garment of various colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her. And she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went. And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? But now hold thy peace, my sister. He is thy brother. Do not take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

Adultery » Instances of » Lot

Genesis 19:31-38

And the firstborn said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man on the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lay with him, that we may preserve seed by our father. And they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. And he did not know when she lay down, nor when she arose. read more.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said to the younger, Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine this night also, and go thou in, and lay with him, that we may preserve seed by our fath And they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose, and lay with him. And he did not know when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. And the firstborn bore a son, and called his name Moab. The same is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi. The same is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day.

Adultery » The reward for committing adultery

Hosea 4:1-3

Hear the word of LORD, ye sons of Israel, for LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land. There is nothing but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery. They break out, and blood touches blood. Therefore the land shall mourn, and everyone who dwells in it shall languish with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens. Yea, the fishes of the sea shall also be taken away.

Adultery » Instances of » The woman brought to jesus in the temple

John 8:4-11

tempting, they say to him, Teacher, we found this woman committing adultery, in the act. Now in the law, Moses commanded us such women are to be stoned. What therefore do thou say about her? But they said this, trying him, so that they might have an accusation against him. But Jesus having stooped down, wrote on the ground with his finger, not pretending. read more.
And when they continued asking him, after standing erect, he said to them, Let the innocent man of you first cast the stone at her. And again having stooped down, he wrote on the ground. And they, having heard and being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, having begun from the elder until the last. And Jesus was left behind alone, and the woman being in the midst. And Jesus, after standing erect, and having seen no man but the woman, he said to her, Woman, where are those accusers of thee? Did no man condemn thee? And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee. Go, and henceforth sin no more.

Adultery » Instances of » Potiphar's wife

Genesis 39:7-12

And it came to pass, after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lay with me. But he refused, and said to his master's wife, Behold, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand. He is not greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? read more.
And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not hearken to her, to lay by her, [or] to be with her. And it came to pass, about this time, that he went into the house to do his work, and there was none of the men of the house there inside. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lay with me. And he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got out.

Adultery » Instances of » David

2 Samuel 11:1-5

And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they destroyed the sons of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David remain And it came to pass at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David send and inquired after the woman. And he said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? read more.
And David sent messengers, and took her. And she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness), and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived. And she sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

Adultery » Instances of » Judah

Genesis 38:1-24

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. And he took her, and went in to her. And she conceived, and bore a son, and he called his name Er. read more.
And she conceived again, and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she yet again bore a son, and called his name Shelah. And he was at Chezib, when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of LORD, and LORD killed him. And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed would not be his. And it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of LORD, and he killed him also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up, for he said, Lest he also die, like his brothers. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. And in process of time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. And Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep. And she put the garments of her widowhood off from her, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah, for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not give When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, for she had covered her face. And he turned to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me come in to thee, for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What will thou give me, that thou may come in to me? And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Will thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet and thy cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her. Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute, who was at Enaim by the wayside? And they said, There has been no prostitute here. And he returned to Judah, and said, I have not found her, and also the men of the place said, There has been no prostitute here. And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be put to shame. Behold, I sent this kid, and thou have not found her. And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be bur

Adultery » Instances of » Corinthians

1 Corinthians 5:1-5

Fornication is actually heard among you, and such fornication that is not even named among the Gentiles, for some man to have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up and did not rather mourn, so that he who committed this deed might be taken away from the midst of you. For I truly, as being absent in the body but present in the spirit, I have already, as though present, judged the man who committed this thing this way. read more.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a man to Satan for destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Adultery » Instances of » Sodomites

Genesis 19:5-8

And they called to Lot, and said to him, Where are the men who came in to thee this night? Bring them out to us, that we may know them. And Lot went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him. And he said, I pray you, my brothers, do not so wickedly. read more.
Behold now, I have two daughters who have not known a man. Let me, I pray you, bring them out to you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes. Only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shadow of my roof.

Adultery » Instances of » Absalom

2 Samuel 16:22

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Adultery » Instances of » Sons of eli

1 Samuel 2:22

Now Eli was very old. And he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tent of meeting.

Adultery » Instances of » Reuben

Genesis 35:22

And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.

Adultery » Instances of » The levite's concubine

Judges 19:2

And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.

Adultery » Instances of » Shechem

Genesis 34:2

And Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. And he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her.

Adultery » Instances of » Gilead

Judges 11:1

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot, and Gilead begot Jephthah.

Adultery » Instances of » Samson

Judges 16:1

And Samson went to Gaza, and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.

Divorce » Forbidden » Except » Adultery

Foes of the home » Adultery

Job 24:15

The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me. And he disguises his face.

Home » Foes of the home » Adultery

Job 24:15

The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me. And he disguises his face.

Punishment » Death penalty » Mosaic law » Adultery

Deuteronomy 22:24

then ye shall bring them both out to the gate of that city. And ye shall stone them to death with stones, the damsel, because she did not cry out, being in the city, and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor's wife. So thou

Spiritual » Adoption » Adultery

Judges 2:17

And yet they did not hearken to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of LORD.

Judges 8:27

And Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

1 Chronicles 5:25

And they trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them.

Psalm 106:39

Thus they were defiled with their works, and played the harlot in their doings.

Ezekiel 6:9

And those of you who escape shall remember me among the nations where they shall be carried captive, how I have broken with their lewd heart, which has departed from me, and with they eyes, which play the harlot after their idols.

Temptation » Yielding to temptation » David » Adultery

2 Samuel 11:2-5

And it came to pass at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David send and inquired after the woman. And he said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her. And she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness), and she returned to her house. read more.
And the woman conceived. And she sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

Topics on Adultery

Adultery, Consequences Of

Proverbs 6:32-34

He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who would destroy his own soul does it.

Adultery, Examples Of

Genesis 19:31-38

And the firstborn said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man on the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth.

Adultery, Spiritual

1 John 2:15-17

Love not the world, nor the things in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Those Who Committed Adultery

Jeremiah 5:7

How can I pardon thee? Thy sons have forsaken me, and sworn by those who are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlots' houses.

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Theasaurus: Adultery